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Projects Residential Housing Block By Block Sustainability

Sustainability Report

A House of the Future - Block by Block by Studio Form Plus Function

Embodied carbon

Low Carbon
Carbon Emissions
280
kg CO₂-eq./m²
Carbon Capture
2
kg CO₂-eq./m²

 

Calculations are preliminary screening LCAs based on the building’s GFA ≈ 295 m² (Ground 157 m² + First 138 m² from plans). The structure/envelope uses EPS sandwich wall & slab panels with integral insulation, lime-plaster finishes, stone flooring, and extensive timber jaali/mashrabiya screens. For screening factors I used typical intensities from the ICE v3.0/EC3 ranges: EPS SIPs (low-to-medium), lime plaster (low), natural stone (medium), glazing & aluminum (medium), and small amounts of RCC. Weighting these to the described quantities yields ~280 kg CO₂e/m², which is ~25–40% lower than a conventional RCC villa of similar size (often 350–550 kg CO₂e/m²). Timber screens store biogenic carbon; assuming ~0.6 m³ of timber across façades (~0.9 t CO₂e/m³) gives ~0.5–0.6 t CO₂e stored, i.e. ~2 kg CO₂e/m² over the GFA. Scope excludes loose furniture and landscaping; PV is included as façade/roof equipment. A full LCA can be run later in One Click LCA/EC3 to verify.

Operational Emissions / Energy

Low Carbon
Carbon Emissions
14
kg CO₂e/m²

Passive strategies dominate: wind tower/stack ventilation, cross-ventilated courtyard, deep overhangs & dynamic timber jaali shading, insulated EPS walls/slabs, and adjustable ventilators. PV generation ≈ 4,500 kWh/yr and passive cooling lowering indoor temps by ~7–8 °C, which together reduce mechanical cooling demand. Using an efficient residential EUI of ~35 kWh/m²·yr, total demand ≈ 10,300 kWh/yr for 295 m². After on-site PV, grid import ≈ 5,800 kWh/yr. With a grid factor of ~0.7 kg CO₂/kWh, net operational emissions ≈ 4.1 t CO₂e/yr, i.e. ~14 kg CO₂e/m²·yr. (Without PV it would be ~24–25 kg CO₂e/m²·yr.) Further reductions are expected if occupants prioritize natural ventilation most of the year.

Service and maintenance emissions

Efficient
Carbon Emissions
1.5
kg CO₂e/m²

 

Durable, low-maintenance finishes (lime plaster, stone flooring) and shaded façades reduce repainting/refinishing cycles. Timber jaali modules are accessible for repair/replacement; LED lighting with long lifetimes; PV has inverter/filter replacements on multi-year cycles; AWG room has filter changes. Rolling these into typical annualized impacts yields ~1–2 kg CO₂e/m²·yr; I’m reporting ~1.5 kg CO₂e/m²·yr pending detailed O&M schedules.

Afterlife

Adaptive Reuse and Flexible Design Considerations

Yes. The plan is organized by a simple block-and-void grid with a central courtyard and clearly separated majlis/formal and family zones connected by a passage. The design intentionally creates strategic empty volumes and expandable spaces (shown in the step diagrams) so rooms can be added, merged, or repurposed over time. Large rooms with non-load-bearing EPS partitions, floating verandah, and overhang-covered decks allow conversion to home office, studio, or extra bedrooms with minimal structural changes. The wind-tower spine and vertical circulation sit centrally, enabling alternative internal layouts while maintaining daylighting and cross-ventilation.

Disassemblable Elements for Circular Economy

  • Timber jaali/mashrabiya panels in bolted frames: removable, repairable, and reusable on site or offsite.

  • EPS sandwich wall panels & roof slabs (where mechanically fixed): can be unclad, demounted, and reused or recycled; lime plaster can be removed.

  • PV modules & mounting: fully demountable for reuse.

  • Adjustable ventilators/louvers & window assemblies: standardized profiles for reuse.

  • Green-wall planters/trellises: modular units that relocate easily.

  • Stone floor tiles & stair treads: lift-and-reuse with minimal loss.

  • Steel railings and secondary steel: straightforward to unbolt and recycle at high value.
    Together, the modular façade system and dry connections mean significant design-for-disassembly is already embedded.