Environmental and ventilation performance of an Acoustic Metamaterial Window (AMW): supporting dataset
Description
This dataset provides environmental and ventilation performance data underlying the study of an Acoustic Metamaterial Window (AMW) — a passive, naturally ventilated window that combines noise insulation with airflow. It supports the associated article in *Building and Environment* (Elsevier) and is organised for direct reuse. The environmental data report a Life Cycle Assessment of the AMW assembly, computed in SimaPro 7.3.3 using the ReCiPe Midpoint (H) V1.06 and ReCiPe Endpoint methods, with impact indicators following EN 15804. Impacts are broken down across the three modelled processes — steel threaded rods, PMMA laser cutting, and FDM-printed PLA metamaterial units — and are provided both as endpoint characterisation values (per impact category, in DALY, species.yr and USD2013) and as endpoint single scores (in Pt). The ventilation data compare the passive AMW (fan power P = 0 W, so VETI = 0 Wh/m³) against commercial mechanical extract (MEV) and heat-recovery (HRV) units, using the Ventilation Energy-Time Index (VETI = P/Q) and room air-change time referenced to an 81 m³ room (EN 16798-1). A use-phase sensitivity analysis estimates the operational CO₂ emissions avoided when the AMW displaces mechanical ventilation, under low/medium/high scenarios; these values lie outside the A1–A3 cradle-to-gate boundary and are not additive with the production-stage GWP results (ISO 14044). Files are provided as machine-readable CSVs (dot decimal separator, UTF-8), alongside the source Excel workbook with live formulas and the methodological appendix. A README documents all files, units, methods, and the suggested citation. Full data-source references are included. Keywords: acoustic metamaterial window; natural ventilation; life cycle assessment; ReCiPe; EN 15804; embodied carbon; VETI; building acoustics.
Files
Steps to reproduce
Life Cycle Assessment (Tables 31–32). The AMW assembly was modelled in SimaPro 7.3.3 as three unit processes: (1) steel threaded rods, (2) PMMA panes with laser cutting, and (3) FDM-printed PLA metamaterial units. Foreground inventory (material masses, cutting/printing energy) was compiled from the as-built AMW prototype; background data were drawn from Ecoinvent v3.6 within SimaPro. Impact assessment used the ReCiPe Midpoint (H) V1.06 method and the corresponding ReCiPe Endpoint method (hierarchist perspective). Reporting of impact categories and units follows EN 15804. Endpoint results were exported at two levels: characterisation (per category, in DALY for Human Health, species. yr for Ecosystems, USD2013 for Resource scarcity) and single score (aggregated to points, Pt). To reproduce, rebuild the three processes with the same inventory, run ReCiPe Midpoint (H) and Endpoint, and export characterisation and single-score tables; values are reported per full AMW assembly. Ventilation performance (Fig. 11a, 12b). Fan power P [W] and airflow Q [m³/h] for commercial mechanical extract (MEV) and heat-recovery (HRV) units were taken from manufacturer datasheets (Elicent, Vortice, Helty; full citations in AMW_references.csv). The Ventilation Energy-Time Index was computed as VETI = P/Q [Wh/m³], and room air-change time as t_room = V_room/Q × 60 [min], using a reference room V_room = 81 m³ (30 m² × 2.7 m, per EN 16798-1). For dual-flow HRV units, the extraction-side equivalent (≈ total power ÷ 2) was used as the comparison baseline, since the passive AMW displaces single-flow extraction only. The AMW is passive (P = 0 W → VETI = 0 Wh/m³). Avoided operational CO₂ (Fig. 11b). A use-phase sensitivity analysis estimated CO₂ avoided when the AMW displaces mechanical ventilation: CO₂_avoided = P × h × d × L / 1000 × EF_grid, evaluated under Low/Medium/High scenarios (operating hours/day, compatible days/year, service life, and grid emission factor; see AMW_Fig11b_scenario_assumptions.csv). Grid factors: 0.233 kg CO₂e/kWh (Italian mix, Ecoinvent v3.6/GSE) and 0.295 kg CO₂e/kWh (EU27, IEA 2023). These values lie outside the A1–A3 cradle-to-gate LCA boundary and are not additive with the production-stage GWP results (per ISO 14044). Data files. Numerical results were exported to CSV (dot decimal separator, UTF-8). The source Excel workbook retains live formulas for the ventilation and avoided-CO₂ calculations, allowing every value to be traced to its inputs. No custom code is required; results can be regenerated in SimaPro (LCA) and any spreadsheet tool (ventilation and CO₂ metrics).
Institutions
- University of BolognaEmilia-Romagna, Bologna