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BCT XXX – 9/16/2012

Sustainability of

Building MaterialsAlexander C. Schreyer

Lecturer, Assistant Director, BCT Programwww.alexschreyer.net

Sustainability of Building Materials

Sustainability can be defined as:

“Meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet 

their needs.”

Some facts:

• Buildings Consume 40% of World Energy

• Generate 1/3 of World CO2 Emissions

• US Buildings Use 1/6 of Total Freshwater

• House construction: 3‐5 lbs of waste / s.f.

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Sustainability Considerations when Selecting Materials

• Origin & Manufacture of Building Materials– Plentiful? Renewable? Recycled content? Energy expended to acquire? Manufacturing pollutants & waste?

• Construction of the Building– Energy expended to acquire & install? Pollutants generated? Waste generated & can it be recycled?

• Building Maintenance– Energy use over its lifetime? Material impact on indoor air quality? Maintenance required? Maintenance materials toxic? Recyclable? Fire & smoke properties?

• Re‐Use or Demolition– Re‐use option exists? Recycling of building materials?

Evaluating Materials – Life‐Cycle Analysis

Cradle‐to‐grave:

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Evaluating Materials – Life‐Cycle Analysis

Cradle‐to‐gate:

Evaluating Materials – Embodied Energy

BTU/lb

Steel – virgin 13,758

Steel – recycled 4,342

Aluminum – virgin 82,115

Aluminum – recycled 3,482

Cement 3,353

Concrete 430

Wood (KD lumber, dressed) 1,075

Wood (glulam) 1,978

Wood (plywood) 4,471

Source: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/cbpr/documents/pdfs/ee‐coefficients.pdf

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Evaluating Materials – Embodied Energy p.2

BTU/lb

Glass (float) 6,836

Brick 1,075

Plastics:ABS  47,721

low density Polyethelene (LDPE)  44,282

polyester  23,087

polystyrene, expanded  50,301

polyurethane  31,814

PVC  30,095

Paint 38,865

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Material Production Examples

Steel – Production

• Raw materials:

– Iron ore Iron

– Coal Carbon, reduces iron oxides

– Limestone Helps remove impurities

– Recycled scrap steel

– Alloying agents (Mn, Si, P, Cr,…)

• Production of structural shapes:

– Two‐step furnace process

– Cast into Billets first

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Concrete – Portland Cement Production 

• Raw Materials:– Calcium Oxide Limestone, Sea shells

– Iron, Silica & Alumina Clay, Shale, Blast Furnace Slag

– Gypsum

• Process:– Grind Ingredients (wet or dry)– Burn in Kiln  Clinker– Pulverize Clinker

Concrete – Contents 

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Wood – Sawn Products Production 

Wood – Engineered Wood

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How Green is Wood?

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Forestry and Harvesting

Approx. 8% of global forests are certified(33% of N. American and 50% of European forests)

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)– Forest Management Certification– Chain‐of‐custody certification

• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)• American Tree Farm System (ATFS)• Canadian Standards Association (CSA)• Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) schemes

Forestry and Harvesting

FSC Forest Management Certification principles cover:

1. Compliance with laws and FSC Principles2. Tenure and use rights and responsibilities3. Indigenous peoples' rights4. Community relations and worker's rights5. Benefits from the forest6. Environmental impact7. Management plan8. Monitoring and assessment9. Maintenance of high conservation value forests10. Plantations

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Wood Products – Where does the energy go?

Wood Products – Energy sources

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Commercial (office) building

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Where does LEED fit in here?

USGBC LEED Evaluation System

“Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design”

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• Materials‐relevant points:

– Construction Activity

– Energy Performance

– Building Re‐use

– Regional Materials

– Renewable Materials

– Low‐Emitting Materials

USGBC LEED Evaluation System

Thank You. Questions?