Effect of Energy Efficiency Requirements for Residential Buildings in Sweden on Lifecycle Primary Energy Use

In this study we analyze the lifecycle primary energy use of a wood-frame apartment building designed to meet the current Swedish building code or passive house criteria, and heated with district heat or bedrock heat pump. We employ a lifecycle perspective methodology and determine the production, operation and end-of-life primary energy use of the buildings. We find that the passive house requirement strongly reduces the final energy use for heating compared to the current Swedish building code. However, the primary energy use is largely determined by the energy supply system, which is generally outside the mandate of the building standards. Overall, buildings with district heating have lower life-cycle primary energy use than alternatives heated with heat pump. The primary energy for production is small relative to that for operation, but it is more significant as the energy-efficiency standard of building improves and when efficient energy supply is used. Our results show the importance of a system-wide lifecycle perspective in reducing primary energy use in the built environment. A life cycle primary energy perspective is needed to minimize overall primary energy use, and future building energy-efficiency standards may reflect the full energy use during a building's life cycle. This could include primary energy implications for production, operation and end-of-life of buildings.