ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Life Cycle Assessment of a Single-family Passive House: Environmental Performance Compared with a Conventional Residential Model
1
Faculty of Civil and Transport Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poland
2
Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy, Poznan University of Technology, Poland
Submission date: 2025-10-11
Final revision date: 2026-03-11
Acceptance date: 2026-03-17
Online publication date: 2026-03-24
Publication date: 2026-03-24
Corresponding author
Maria Ratajczak
Faculty of Civil and Transport Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Pl. M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 5, 60-965, Poznań, Poland
Faculty of Civil and Transport Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Pl. M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 5, 60-965, Poznań, Poland
Civil and Environmental Engineering Reports 2026;36(1):111-125
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This paper delves into the critical intersection of sustainable development in terms of the residential building with a particular focus on passive house designs and their environmental impacts. Passive houses are distinguished by their exceptional energy efficiency, relying minimally on active heating and cooling systems, which makes them a leading model in sustainable residential construction. Through this research, this paper aims to shed light on the environmental implications of passive house designs by employing Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) as a key evaluative tool. The primary objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis of a single-family passive house, comparing its environmental performance against a more conventional Base model. The analysis specifically targets the stages A1-A3, which focus on materials, and B6-B7, which focus on the operational energy use and water consumption. By concentrating on these crucial stages, this investigation provides a detailed assessment of the long-term environmental benefits and trade-offs associated with passive house construction.
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