Analyze Differences in Carbon Emissions from Traditional and Prefabricated Buildings Combining the Life Cycle

Construction, as an important producer of energy, material, and waste emissions, the high energy consumption problem has not been solved. Prefabricated buildings have become more and more popular and promoted in China in recent years. This study takes prefabricated buildings and traditional cast-in-situ buildings as research objects and divides the buildings into five stages: factory building materials production, component transportation, field installation, use, and demolition. In addition, the paper presents the calculation method of carbon emissions in five stages of construction. By calculating the carbon emissions of the two buildings in five stages, the total carbon emissions of the two buildings and the differences in carbon emissions are obtained. In particular, in this case, the prefabricated buildings and traditional cast-in-situ buildings were constructed at the same time and in the same place. It is concluded that prefabricated buildings can reduce carbon emissions by about 86 kg per square meter compared with traditional cast-in-situ buildings. In all stages of carbon emissions, the field installation stage produces the most carbon emissions. Prefabricated buildings consume more concrete, steel bar, and diesel and fewer wall materials than traditional cast-in-situ buildings.