In this thesis, the environmental footprint of energy-efficient single-dwelling buildings was analysed based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. The analyses were based on a representative building, which was designed according to data from 95 buildings that met the Eco Fund requirements. The calculations focused on design and climate-related influencing factors. For the former, we focused on common materials and designs of the load-bearing structure and thermal insulation materials of the external walls. The building designs were evaluated in three Slovenian climate types (temperate continental, sub-Mediterranean and sub-alpine). Through non-stationary energy modelling the impact of thermal inertia was also considered in the analyses. A total of 21 building design variants were considered, divided into five groups; timber filigree (KVH) and solid (CLT), brick masonry (OP), autoclave aerated concrete block (POR), and reinforced concrete (AB). The designs in each group differ in the type of thermal insulation materials used for the external walls. The analyses focused on the embodied impact of the product stage and the operational impact of the energy use stage. Given the influence of the climatic conditions of the sites and the differences in thermal inertia, the embodied environmental footprint of the product stage emerged as the main hotspot, determining the differences between the environmental impact of the evaluated building alternatives. The operational impact due to the building energy demand influenced one half of the evaluated environmental indicators, for which a 20 % increase in energy demand could neutralise the benefits due to lower embodied impact of the production stage. Methodological assumptions need to be considered when evaluating the study results. The variability of material LCA data strongly influenced the results and can affect the perception of environmental superiority.
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