The comparative evaluation of per capita energy and carbon footprint in Vila houses and apartment buildings using computer modeling and its validation with field data

Building and their related activities are important sources of the environmental pollutants, regarding the fact that during the process of building and materials manufacturing a considerable amount of carbon is produced and disposed to the atmosphere. Virtual carbon footprint related to this industry is not confined to the process of building and manufacturing, it actually includes the operation time and dismantling too. In this study, the per capita energy consumption and the carbon footprint of three buildings in Mazandaran province during one year of operation have been estimated and compared with each other. So, a house, two-story, and five-story apartments with the same structure in Babolsar have been modeled in Design-Builder, and energy consumption and carbon footprint during one year of operation have been assessed comparatively. The results of modeling indicate that along the one-year operation of the house, two-story and five-story apartments, 8490, 4878, and 4881kg carbon (kg per occupant) have been produced and released into the atmosphere. Furthermore, the per capita, energy consumption of the house has been estimated more than those of apartments significantly, and this fact illustrates a vast difference between the detrimental effects of houses and those of apartments during operation time on the environment.