2.4 . Energy efficiency and waste reductions Sustainability and energy efficiency in buildings are relatively recent issues in Iran ; however , they are becoming increasingly important . One of the main barriers toward applying energy efficiency plans are the very low prices of energy . Energy efficiency regulations became mandatory for all buildings in urban areas in 2010 ( IFCO 2015 ). The government has also reduced the majority of fuel subsidies , which has considerably increased the prices revealing the importance of energy efficiency to the society . Yet , compared to the UK , energy costs are much lower in Iran . According to the Iranian Fuel Conservation Company ( IFCO ), building costs in Iran increase by less than 5 % if energy efficiency requirements are applied correctly . Such extra immediate costs are returned in about three years ( IFCO 2009 ). UK building regulations have much higher energy efficiency standards than the Iranian ones , which could make UK MMC products comparably expensive if transferred to Iran . Therefore , transferred MMC should be modified and adapted to comply with the Iranian standards and requirements to reduce the costs .
Table 2 : Waste reduction potential of offsite methods of construction ( Hartley and Blagden 2007 ) |
Offsite Method / Products |
Waste Reduction ( Est .) |
Concrete Panel Systems |
20-30 % |
Timber Frame System |
20-40 % |
Precast Floor Systems |
30-40 % |
Pods ( Kitchen , Bath ) |
40-50 % |
Precast Cladding |
40-50 % |
Structural Insulated Panels |
50-60 % |
Volumetric Systems |
70-90 % |
Furthermore , MMC can mitigate the environmental impacts of the Iranian construction industry by reducing the energy and material wastes during construction on site . Up to 70 % of consumed energy in gas and electricity , and water is wasted during the construction processes ( Gharazi 2004 ) and around 20 % of building materials are wasted on site ( Figure 4 : Construction material storage and waste in Iran ( left ) and the UK ( right ).) ( Shakeri 2004 ). The wastes can be reduced by up to 90 % in the factory ( Table 2 : Waste reduction potential of offsite methods of construction ( Hartley and Blagden 2007 )). Therefore , introducing some MMC , which benefit from a controlled factory environment , will considerably decrease environmental impacts of the Iranian construction industry . Moreover , as described above , increased building lifespan thanks to the higher quality , not only helps to reduce the overall costs but also reduces the CO2 emissions and embodied energy of buildings during their lifecycles .
Figure 4 : Construction material storage and waste in Iran ( left ) and the UK ( right ).
Feasibility of Application of Modern Methods of Construction in Iran 25