scientist with beakers
Embodied energy is the energy required to build a product from raw material. It takes into account the individual components of the product and the energy requirements to manufacture it. Embodied energy is viewed as a life cycle assessment, where naturally derived materials are traced through the manufacturing process, product development, final disposal, and back to nature.
A house or an office building has a lot of embodied energy. All parts of the building require raw materials from nature, such as wood, aluminum and glass. The energy required to manufacture the individual parts, such as the roof, windows, and floor, adds up to the total embodied energy of the structure.
Transporting individual parts from the factory to the job site requires additional energy. The trucks and machinery required to move the parts, as well as the labor required to operate the equipment, add to the total energy of the building. Another factor is the fuel required to operate the trucks and equipment.
Installing the parts of a house or building on the job site also increases the total energy. The tools and materials used to connect parts, such as a hammer, nail, or screw, require energy to make. The workers constructing the building also contribute to the total embodied energy.
After construction, the maintenance that goes into the operation of the building also adds embodied energy. Parts that need replacement will be made with additional energy. Repairs also use raw materials, especially when replacing roofs or adding a driveway.
Once the structure reaches its limit or natural useful life, the materials are deconstructed and recycled. This also increases the embodied energy of the structure. Energy is needed to demolish the building, load trucks with debris, and transport the material to a landfill. This is typically the last bit of power considered when determining the total power requirement of a fabric.
In general, the lower the embodied energy of a structure, the greener it is. It is recommended to build houses with materials that cause less impact on the environment. For example, a floor built with wood requires less energy than a floor built with concrete. Also, a roof built with corrugated galvanized steel requires more energy than a roof built with concrete tiles. The general energy to build a house should be as low as possible.