In this study, we examined various heat generation systems for single-family houses for the Office for Environmental Protection and Energy (AUE) of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft. Life Cycle Assessment has been used to assess the environmental impacts of the entire lifecycle of heat generation systems. The heat requirement of a single-family house with an energy reference area of 196m2 was selected as a functional unit.
It turned out that the heat generation systems all perform similarly well with regard to the overall environmental impact. In heat pumps, the JAZ is the decisive factor in the environmental balance. Heat pump systems are more environmentally friendly than pellet and ground gas systems, taking into account the UCTE current mix only from a JAZ of 5 and higher. The use of solar collectors and photovoltaic cells always makes sense from an environmental point of view. The less energy required, the more influential their use as support to the main heat generating system. It is therefore best to isolate the house optimally and to install sun collectors or photovoltaic cells.
The results of the study serve as a basis for further decision-making in the area of heat production systems.
