Embodied and operational impacts of window joinery materials: scenario-based analysis Available to Purchase

Embodied energy (EE), embodied carbon (EC), and operational energy (OE) are essential indicators for evaluating the sustainability of building envelopes. This study examines how window joinery materials and glazing configurations affect these impacts in residential buildings, underlining the necessity of a life cycle assessment approach to inform sustainable design decisions. A scenario-based analysis was conducted on a model residential building in Edirne, Türkiye. Fifteen scenarios were generated by combining aluminium, timber, and polyvinyl chloride joinery with five glazing types. Embodied impacts for Stages A1–A4 were calculated using ICE v3.0 data and transportation distances, while OE for Stage B6 was estimated through the TS 825 simulation software. Results reveal that material choice and glazing configuration substantially shape the energy and carbon profile of window systems. Aluminium joinery produced the highest EE and EC values, whereas timber alternatives yielded the lowest; in particular, Scenarios AL2–AL5 exhibited EE levels up to 436% higher than Scenario TI1. Increasing cavity thickness reduced OE but elevated EE, highlighting the trade-offs between embodied and operational performance. These findings demonstrate that optimal window design requires integrated evaluation of both embodied and operational impacts to achieve balanced environmental performance and long-term sustainability.