Decreasing the Life Cycle Energy of Buildings
A student using Revit to analyze Embodied Energy and Operational Energy.Copyright Forrest Medcalf 2025
Students learn that 40–50% of carbon emissions contributing to climate change come from energy used in building construction and operation. Using CAD software, they calculate the total energy consumption of a house or building across its entire life cycle. By testing their models, students see the quantitative impact of their design choices and then modify their designs to reduce energy use and minimize environmental impact.
Architectural engineers play a crucial role in designing buildings that are both functional and energy efficient. They focus on optimizing systems such as heating, cooling, lighting, and ventilation to reduce energy consumption and minimize environmental impact. Using advanced modeling tools, architectural engineers test and refine their designs, evaluating how different components affect a building’s performance. They make data-driven decisions about materials, building orientation, and mechanical systems to lower carbon emissions across the building’s entire life cycle.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Qualitatively explain the flow of energy through a building from the acquisition of raw materials to construction, use, and eventual demolition.
- Use technology such as CAD and analysis tools to represent design intent, collect data, and evaluate the performance of their building prototype.
- Calculate both the embodied energy and the operational (use) energy of a building.
- Identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption at multiple phases of a building’s life cycle.