Life cycle environmental and cost analysis of a building insulated with different insulation materials: a British case study

Purpose To evaluate the whole-life environmental and economic performance of four insulation materials used in the UK, hemp fibre, wood fibre, glass wool and extruded polystyrene (XPS), by comparing their embodied and operational impacts within a consistent regulatory and modelling framework. Design/methodology/approach A like-for-like assessment was conducted for a representative British single-family dwelling by integrating dynamic energy simulation with life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) within a cradle-to-grave framework aligned with EN 15978 and EN 15804. Operational energy demand (Module B6) was simulated using DesignBuilder/EnergyPlus. Embodied impacts across Modules A1–A5 and end-of-life Modules C1–C4 were calculated in One Click LCA using Environmental Product Declarations and aligned generic datasets. Whole-life costs were evaluated over a 70-year study period using discounted cash-flow analysis. Findings Operational energy dominates whole-life impacts for all insulation options, with annual energy use ranging from 11,598 to 11,833 kWh and minimal variation due to equivalent regulatory U-value targets. Whole-life global warming potential is similarly close (≈2,342–2,418 kgCO2e/m2, excluding Module D), with hemp fibre and glass wool showing slightly lower values. Embodied impacts (A1–A5) differ more clearly, favouring hemp fibre and glass wool over wood fibre and XPS. LCC results are tightly clustered (NPV ≈ £49.2k–£49.4k; ≈ £1.89k/year), suggesting cost is not a key differentiator. Originality/value The study offers a UK-specific integrated comparison combining dynamic simulation, LCA and LCC, highlighting that while insulation choice affects embodied carbon, major carbon reductions depend primarily on reducing and decarbonising operational energy.