Carbon Footprint of Panelized Construction: An Empirical and Comparative Study

Compared with the conventional stick-built construction method, panelized construction offers greater sustainability in terms of energy, waste, and emissions reduction. The empirical research presented in this paper addresses the carbon footprint of panelized construction by quantifying and comparing the carbon emissions during the framing stage between panelized and conventional stick-built construction methods. The data for quantifying the emissions of panelized construction are collected from a prefabrication plant, Landmark Building Solutions (LBS), whereas the data for conventional construction are drawn from previous research of one of the coauthors. The framing phase of panelized construction, including panel fabrication in the plant, panel transportation to the site, and panel erection onsite is investigated and compared with the stick-built method. The associated emission comparison includes operational emissions and embodied emissions; the former has to do with direct emissions during fabrication and construction, and the latter is related to resources during the process, measured in terms of embodied emissions. Different research methods, such as reviews of accounting records and discussion with experts in a task-group setting, are customized to different elements. The research results indicate that carbon emissions are reduced significantly through the use of a panelized construction method compared to the conventional stick-built method.