Evaluating the environmental maintenance impact (EMI): a carbon life cycle assessment (LCA) of the Singgora roof tiles repair in heritage buildings

Abstract

Purpose

Heritage buildings are consistently impacted by technical and pathological issues associated with their maintenance and conservation such as diminish of building's authenticity and damaging environmental impact. This paper aims to evaluate the environmental maintenance impact (EMI) of the Singgora roof tiles repair in heritage buildings. The EMI is an evaluation upon embodied carbon expenditure during maintenance phase, thus important in repair efficiency appraisal.

Design/methodology/approach

Calculation procedures within selected boundaries of life cycle assessment (LCA) and arbitrary period enabled evaluation of the EMI of Singgora roof tiles repair in heritage buildings during the maintenance phase.

Findings

Evaluation of the EMI could be appreciated as a carbon LCA of Singgora roof tiles repair and has been recognised in embodied carbon expenditure reduction in the form of CO₂ emissions mitigation. Importantly, the evaluation underpins decision-making for heritage buildings repair.

Practical implications

EMI evaluation encompasses all building types and forms, thus comprehends the associated applied methodologies. Moreover, the evaluation reflects the emerging environmental challenges of sustaining resilient buildings globally.

Social implications

EMI evaluation highlights options that may be adopted in repair. Indirectly, this implicates heritage building preservation and place's identity protection. Significantly, the evaluation supports environmentally focused conservation and promotes a sustainable repair approach.

Originality/value

EMI evaluation of this paper may devoted to the holistic understanding of the complex relations between Singgora roof materials and their environmental performance. Meanwhile, the application of a carbon LCA had dictated integration of multidisciplinary of heritage buildings maintenance and conservation.

Citation

Kayan, B.A. and Ashraf, N.N. (2023), "Evaluating the environmental maintenance impact (EMI): a carbon life cycle assessment (LCA) of the Singgora roof tiles repair in heritage buildings", International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, Vol. 41 No. 5, pp. 905-925. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-07-2021-0101