The Impacts of Material–Energy–Water–Carbon Nexus on the Sustainability of Lighting Technologies
2021
Elshkaki, Ayman
Lighting technologies including fluorescent lamps (FL) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are significant enough to reduce buildings’ energy demand and associated CO₂ emissions. These technologies however require several metals that have limited availability, produced as companion metals in a small number of countries and classified as hazardous, and their production is associated with significant energy, water, and CO₂ emissions. This paper discusses material–energy–water–carbon nexus impacts on the sustainability of lighting technologies and provides comprehensive assessment of their materials inflows, outflows, and stocks and associated energy, water, and CO₂ emissions using a dynamic material flow-stock model and several scenarios for regional buildings’ floor area and lighting demands; lighting technologies’ market share and luminous efficacy; and energy, water, and emissions intensities. The highest demand for metals compared to current production or reserves is expected for Ga, Ge, Y, and Ag. The highest energy, emissions, and water demands are associated with Al, Cu, and Y. Although increasing LED technology market share increases cumulative energy, emissions, and water (EEW), increasing technologies’ luminous efficacy reduces EEW by 31% and increasing lifetime reduces EEW by 37%. Changes in EEW intensities reduced energy by 14%, emissions by 26%, and water by 2%. Increasing luminous efficacy and lifetime and reducing intensities reduce energy by 55%, emissions by 60%, and water by 49%.
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