7. Performance Comparison and Quantification

The results of the life cycle analysis (LCA) applied to four high performance buildings in the US, Switzerland and The Netherlands are highlighted in this chapter. When assessing the sustainability and environmental performance of high performance buildings it is very important to use universal indicators and consider carefully all life cycle phases and subsystems. This chapter summarizes the research findings using evidence based methods. A detailed description of the environmental impact of the four cases studies is presented including the primary energy balance, global warming potential, and embodied energy. Each building is assessed using several quantitative and qualitative environmental indicators such as the embodied energy of window framing and construction materials or the multi-criteria environmental impact of bio-based insulation materials. The presented work is mainly based on the methodology described in Chap. 5 and the detailed project description in Chap. 6. The results are classified and grouped under different topics namely energy, materials, water and construction system. Finally, this chapter presents a valuable and profound comparison reflecting the complexity of the assessment.