Life Cycle Emission Analysis and Case Specific Mitigation Strategies for Hostel Buildings in the Lower Himalayan Region.

Abstract

Buildings account for a significant share of global carbon emissions, yet comprehensive lifecycle frameworks for assessing their full environmental impact remain limited in the Indian context. The study evaluates the environmental impact of a residential building in the lower region of north India. This case specific framework integrates life cycle assessment (LCA) in terms of operational energy analysis, embodied energy accounting, and carbon emission estimation. A detailed material and energy inventory was compiled, with embodied energy coefficients and emission factors sourced from peer-reviewed literature. Results indicate that the operational stage dominates the building's carbon profile, contributing 73% of total lifecycle emissions driven primarily by occupant metabolic CO₂ and electricity consumption. The total carbon footprint is estimated at 12.77 million kg CO₂ equivalent, with brick and reinforced cement concrete identified as the most energy and emission intensive materials. Three mitigation strategies were evaluated: replacing grid electricity with photovoltaic panels reduces electricity related emissions by 96%; substituting LPG with kitchen waste biogas achieves a 15.6% reduction in cooking emissions; and plantation of 90 mature trees enables full carbon sequestration. Collectively, these measures reduce the building's lifetime emissions by approximately 38%. The proposed framework offers a replicable, case specific approach to carbon assessment and mitigation planning, applicable to other residential buildings seeking to align with sustainable construction goals.