Life-cycle energy use in office buildings

The total life-cycle energy use is examined in a 4620 m2 (50,000 ft2) three-storey, generic office building for alternative wood, steel and concrete structural systems, with and without underground parking. Detailed estimates are made of the initial embodied energy, the recurring embodied energy associated with maintenance and repair, and operating energy. Based on currently accepted energy performance standards, operating energy represents the largest component of life-cycle energy use. At this time, strategies for reducing the life-cycle energy use should clearly progress first by introducing those design considerations which significantly reduce building operating energy.