Paper-based building envelopes – Environmental and performance assessment of original and literature-based designs.

Building walls are responsible for the highest share of environmental impact among other building elements and the whole building envelope is linked to nearly half of the energy embodied in the building. One of the sustainable materials that may be applied in building envelopes to reduce their impact is paper, e.g. corrugated cardboard or paperboard. Although environmental qualities are considered the key advantage of paper, the environmental properties of previously proposed designs were rarely assessed nor compared to conventional building envelopes. Therefore, the aim of this research is to analyse the performance and environmental impact of selected paper-based envelopes, compare them with conventional alternatives based on steel and timber, and indicate key factors influencing their environmental performance. Moreover, the article proposes two original paper-based envelopes with favourable environmental characteristics. The environmental analysis was conducted via Life Cycle Assessment, using the midpoint CML method and the endpoint ReCiPe method with a single indicator. LCA was based on the Ecoinvent 3.8 database and supplemented with sensitivity analysis. LCA results were compared with performance assessment. It has been shown, that replacement of conventional envelopes with paper-based ones, especially in buildings with a limited lifespan, may reduce their environmental impact and the amount of waste generated. In conclusion, a series of recommendations for sustainable paper-based envelope designs are formulated. [Display omitted] • Paper-based building envelopes may reduce buildings' environmental impact. • A combination of LCA and performance analyses may be used for envelopes' assessment. • Envelopes with embedded structural elements are preferable to sandwich structures. • Durable yet sustainable claddings are crucial for paper-based envelopes' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]