Preliminary study on the use of Big Data for environmental benchmarks of residential buildings in Flanders

Abstract Building construction and operation both have a high environmental impact. In Flanders (Belgium), public authorities defined clear targets for improved building energy performance, but strategy to reduce (embodied) impact is still lacking. Environmental benchmarks based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) been identified as means limit embodied impacts. Such are often derived with bottom-up approach consisting of statistical analysis the stock, which usually modelled limited set representative buildings or archetypes. this paper, data-driven applied data from Flemish Energy Performance Buildings (EPB) database. recent study, EPB database were clustered geometric energy-related parameters, each cluster selected. This resulted in 54 newly built residential Flanders. The distinguishes itself other existing sets because it was automatically generated large Up until now, has only used evaluate financial feasibility performance levels preliminary an LCA performed assess life cycle impacts five sample cases view benchmarking. includes two detached, semi-detached, one terraced house, all solid line requirements 2014. results show that score comparable benchmark values obtained Belgian Further, geometry compactness key whereas materialisation more influence Next research steps will focus modelling cases, including different types, levels, potential mitigation strategies. study concludes promising define dwelling stock.