Miljöpåverkan av digitalisering av byggnader

As buildings increasingly integrate digital technologies to optimize energy use, it becomes critical to evaluate the environmental trade-offs of these systems. ICT-based heating control systems offer the potential for improved efficiency and reduced emissions, but also introduce new material and energy burdens throughout their life cycle. This study conducts a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of such a system installed in a Swedish residential building, using the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) and Cumulative Energy Demand methods in SimaPro. The analysis covers manufacturing, use, and end-of-life stages across four key impact categories: Cumulative Energy Demand, Global Warming Potential, Freshwater Ecotoxicity, and Human Carcinogenic Toxicity. Results indicate that the use phase dominates total energy consumption, accounting for 88% of the system’s life cycle demand of approximately 13,048 kWh, due to continuously powered components like the embedded PC and router. Meanwhile, toxicity-related impacts are primarily driven by the manufacturing stage. Real-world data showed a post-installation reduction in heating energy use from 392 MWh to 258 MWh over one year, leading to an emissions reduction of 6,950 kg CO₂ eq. In comparison, the system’s total life cycle emissions were only 817 kg CO₂ eq, resulting in a carbon payback time of less than two months. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings under alternative electricity mixes and product lifetimes. Overall, while digital systems do introduce environmental impacts, their potential for substantial energy and emission savings supports their role in sustainable building operations, if implementation is paired with thoughtful design and long-term planning.