Edwin Zea Escamilla

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Zea Escamilla

First Name

Edwin

ORCID

0000-0002-8677-161X

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Publications 1 - 10 of 50

Uncovering the Circular Potential: Estimating Material Flows for Building Systems Components Reuse in the Swiss Built Environment
Xiong, Shuyan; Zea Escamilla, Edwin; Habert, Guillaume (2024)
Accelerated Design - Proceedings of the 29th CAADRIA Conference
The construction industry plays a critical role in global resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable development practices. However, a key challenge in this area is the lack of effective models for resource use that align with circular economy principles. This gap hinders efforts to achieve sustainable resource management, especially in the face of increasing urbanization and material demand. To address this issue, our study presents a Parametric Predictive Model (PPM) to improve resource efficiency, specifically targeting the often-underestimated building systems. The model takes a bottom-up approach, utilizing local databases to accurately assess material stocks of building systems, thereby improving the granularity of data on material composition. Using advanced machine learning algorithms, the model processes both categorical and non-categorical data. The output, an enriched comprehensive database can support more informed decision making in sustainable resource recovery and allocation, but also contribute to the broader goals of reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency in the built environment.
Environmental Savings Potential from the use of Bahareque(mortar cement plastered bamboo) in Switzerland
Zea Escamilla, Edwin; Habert, G.; Lopez Muñoz, L. (2013)
Life cycle assessment (LCA) of the industrial production of structural glued laminated bamboo
Liu, Kewei; Jayaraman, Durai; Shi, Yongjiu; et al. (2024)
Journal of Cleaner Production
Bamboo is a promising bio-based construction material for achieving China’s carbon neutrality goal. This study developed methodological approaches for life cycle assessment (cradle to gate) of structural glued laminated bamboo (SGLB) produced from moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), including measuring and calculating biogenic carbon storage and emissions during the manufacturing process. Primary data was collected through experiments and field investigation resulting in development of world’s first life cycle inventory (LCI) of SGLB; background data from Ecoinvent 3.10 was used, and the analysis was performed using OpenLCA 2.1: IPCC 2021 method AR6. Uncertainty analysis was conducted using Monte Carlo Simulation. The results illustrate that SGLB can store 1140 kgCO2e/m3, which is more than twice biogenic CO2 emitted (467 ± 9.1 kgCO2e/m3) during its production. Electricity, adhesive, and transportation are the top three emission sources, among which electricity contributed to 71% of the final emission and was mainly consumed at the fine-planed bamboo strip processing factories. The production process generates around 60% of bamboo co-products, which can be effectively used for heat and power co-generation that can drastically reduce the carbon emissions to 156 kgCO2e/m3. In addition, maximal use of sea transportation between factory gate and consumer can further mitigate carbon emission. Further research on the end-of-life scenarios of SGLB in structures, and research on SGLB produced from other bamboo species in Africa, Latin America, and Southeastern Asia need to be undertaken.
Comparative assessment for biogenic carbon accounting methods in carbon footprint of products: a review study for construction materials based on forest products
Tellnes, Lars G.F.; Ganne-Chedeville, Christelle; Dias, Ana; et al. (2017)
iForest
The forest and building sector is of major importance in climate change mitigation and therefore construction materials based on forest products are of great interest. While energy efficiency has had a large focus in climate change mitigation in the building sector, the carbon footprint of the construction material is gaining relevance. The carbon footprint of construction materials can vary greatly from one type to another, the building sector is consequently demanding documentation of the carbon footprint of the materials used. Using an environmental product declaration (EPD) is an objective and standardised solution for communicating the environmental impacts of construction products and especially their carbon footprint. Nevertheless, it is challenging to include the features of forest products as pools of carbon dioxide. There is currently a focus on research into methods for the accounting of sequestered atmospheric carbon dioxide and also implementation of these methods into technical standards. This paper reviews the recent research and technical standards in this field to promote a common understanding and to propose requirements for additional information to be included in EPDs of forest-based products. The main findings show the need for reporting the contribution of biogenic carbon to the total on greenhouse gas emissions and removals over the product’s lifecycle. In order to facilitate the implementation of more advanced methods from research, the EPD should also include more detailed information of the wood used, in particular species and origin.
Bamboo: An Engineered Alternative for Buildings in the Global South
Zea Escamilla, Edwin; Archilla, Hector; Nuramo, Denamo Addissie; et al. (2019)
Bioclimatic Architecture in Warm Climates
Bamboo is the only Graminea adapted to the life as forest. Bamboos can be found around the globe and are naturally occurring in Africa, America and Asia in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate areas around the equator. Bamboos are giant grasses that propagate rapidly by the expansion of underground rhizomes. In general, bamboos are known for their rapid growth with a rate of up to 25 cm/day in certain species of woody bamboos such as Guadua angustifolia Kunth (bamboo). Although there are some species of solid bamboos, morphologically bamboo can be generally described as a hollow tapered tube (culm), with internodes separated by nodes, which is supported by an intricate rhizome system (Fig. 15.1). The culm is the main organ of the aerial part of bamboos, which is also comprised of branches, sheaths and foliage leaves, with flowering occurs sporadically. The rhizome and culm neck form the subterranean part. Culms store about 80% of the carbohydrates required by young plants for their growth, whilst rhizomes store the remaining 20%.
Speeding up post-disaster reconstruction: material choice or roof design?
Celentano, Giulia; Zea Escamilla, Edwin; Göswein, Verena; et al. (2018)
Non-Conventional Materials and Technologies – NOCMAT for the XXI Century. Materials Research Proceedings
Industrial or Traditional? Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Bamboo Based Housing Solutions
Zea Escamilla, Edwin; Habert, Guillaume (2015)
‘Smartifying’ Construction for Circular and Zero-Carbon Biobased Buildings (SmartBioC)
Archila, Hector F.; Lashley, Rebecca; Lamond, Jessica; et al. (2023)
RILEM Bookseries ~ Bio-Based Building Materials: Proceedings of ICBBM 2023
SmartBioC focuses on creating a user-friendly digital tool that allows users to select and specify biobased materials and building components for a modular housing unit based on a set of performance indicators including carbon footprint, thermal performance, cost, social value, health and wellbeing. The ultimate aim of the tool is to speed up the uptake of circular biobased materials to provide zero-carbon, healthy and socially and economically viable solutions for the construction industry. Smart construction integrating the use of digital technologies and modern methods of construction (MMC) has the potential to improve the affordability, efficiency, and sustainability of new and refurbished buildings. Aligned to a circular economic model, opportunities exist to optimise the use, reuse, and disposal of biobased materials within the expanding MMC housing market, thereby improving carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change. Together with industry partners, SmartBioC’s research team is using the UK’s Design Council’s Beyond Net Zero Framework of exploring, reframing, creating and catalysing to facilitate a collaborative and iterative process where the end-user is at the centre and determines the final outcome. SmartBioC ‘explores’ data obtained on biobased materials and ‘reframes’ it for alignment with indicators relatable for end-users. A BIM Object library of MMC premanufactured components with alternative biobased material configurations ‘created’ using Autodesk Revit is then exported into gaming platform Unity. Rapid prototyping and testing in Unity allow distribution of a web-based tool (html) for user feedback and development purposes (catalysing). User-friendly digital tools like SmartBioC give end-users, designers, decision-makers and specifiers, the ability to select circular biobased materials whilst visualising their design in 3D, along with information about the environmental, economic and social impacts of their choices. The adoption by the construction industry of zero-carbon, healthy and socially and economically viable biobased building solutions is imperative if the catastrophic impacts of predicted global warming are to be averted.
Schnelles und langsames Wachstum
Zea Escamilla, Edwin; Göswein, Verena (2022)
Touch Wood: Material, Architektur, Zukunft
Environmental Savings Potential from the Use of Bahareque (Mortar Cement Plastered Bamboo) in Switzerland
Zea Escamilla, Edwin; Habert, G.; Lopez Muñoz, L.F. (2014)
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Edwin Zea Escamilla

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