Including embodied energy considerations at the conceptual stage of building design

Designers need practical tools to aid decision making at the conceptual stage of building design. The aim of this paper is to investigate, using the early design model, the comparative impact of varying building parameters on the cost of non-domestic buildings. Cost comprises of the cost of operational energy, capital, and embodied energy (EE). Integrated assessment of cost as a function of the following parameters has been carried out: overall heat loss coefficient, obstruction, depth of room, lighting level, installed illuminance, room temperature, rate of infiltration, efficiency of heating plant, incidental heat gain, glazing ratio, cost of windows, and coefficient of performance of cooler. For the specific non-domestic building considered, inclusion of EE in the analysis does not significantly influence design but may have an impact on material choices.