SUSTAINABILITY
"Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs."
-- United Nations World Commission
on Environment and Development
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION
The construction industry has been notorious for contributing to landfills and depleting raw materials. The industry contributes
28% of landfill material from construction and demolition waste. The industry consumes 40% of the world's natural resources,
many of which may be depleted within 50 years.
Sustainable construction is concerned with preserving finite resources of raw materials by developing products and practices
that are environmentally friendly in respect to their manufacture and application. The design of the built environment is another
important factor that can contribute to excessive waste of material and energy efficiency of the building.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Manufacture
* Local products. The transporting of materials from the manufacture to the distributor and to the construction site consumes large amounts of fossil fuel. Products that are of equal quality should be purchased from the nearest supplier. Using products that are locally available can greatly reduce the fossil fuel emissions from the transport vehicles. A reduction in fossil fuel cost reduces the cost of doing business between the parties involved.
* Recycling materials.
-Preserves natural resources. Recycling materials reduces the consumption of raw materials. For example,
most metal products can be easily melted down into their base elements. The raw material can then be forged
or molded into a f...
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...e slag, a byproduct of steel manufacturing
* phosphogypsum, phosphate mining tailings
* recycled concrete
Traditional concrete begins to deteriorate after 50 years. Many of the alternative materials above will increase the life cycle of
concrete substantially. The idea of alternative materials in concrete was discovered because researchers were interested in the
longevity of Roman ruins as compared to the modern- day concrete. It was found that the Romans used volcanic ash in their
concrete mix.
Earth block
Earth block is a method of construction that is suitable for third world countries. The process is labor intensive, but not
technologically advanced. Earth block is composed of a mixture of 10% Portland Cement and any available earthen material
compressed under high pressure to form a block. The resulting block is durable and consistent.
Harmful emissions from the landfills escape into the air we breathe. The soil and water are also contaminated from our
The Romans used a certain material to make these buildings last. They invented a new k...
The problems of landfills have become a bit of an issue in our world today that needs to be addressed. “The U.S. alone there is 3,091
Throughout the construction industry, technology plays a role to help ease the completion of a project to all of the parties involved. The amount of technology application in the industry supports the belief that technology has a positive impact on project productivity. One of the main materials used in the construction industry that surrounds us every day, in which we overlook, is concrete. Concrete is an art form, in which it takes time and talent in order for it to be used efficiently, to produce its high strength and longevity. However, the downfall of this material is that it is extremely costly and nearly impossible to form it to an aesthetically pleasing surface. In spite of this, what if I told you that there is hope? That the dream of a material made of concrete, producing the same qualities, can be formed to any shape, and used anywhere was a reality.
In recent development, sustainability has become an integral concern in the performance of architectural principles and technology, in which conscious approaches to energy and ecological conservation involves strategies during the design, construction, and operation of buildings. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Building Sector is the largest contributor to most of the energy consumed: in the United States by itself, buildings consume 47.6% of all energy produced and is responsible for 44.6% of CO2 emissions in 2010 (“Problem…” 1). In terms of sustainability, initial decisions in the design process can significantly help deliver results. Evaluations and explorations through the impact of materials, such as concrete, wood, bricks, masonry, and steel, can help improve reductions in energy through its applicability to a building. While wood and steel are simply identified for their strength, durability, and functionality in structures, accentuating these materials’ embodied energies and recyclability offer a more comprehensive understanding of their overall impact in sustainability — and ultimately reveal how both have advantages and disadvantages depending on the context.
Concrete "Pozzolana was used to make mortar and also, when mixed with lime and strengthening materials such as chips of rock and broken brick, concrete" (Kamm, n.d,). Concrete, of course, is a material that most people are familiar with. Today, concrete can
Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objects of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimal waste, and create healthy, productive environments (“Sustainable Design”). Focusing primarily on the sustainable design principles, there are five, including: low-impact materials, energy efficiency, quality and durability, design for reuse and recycling, and renewability. As sustainability appears to become the necessary trend in architecture, the question concerning the cost versus outcome of “going green” really an investment or a waste of time and money comes to mind. With our research provided below, we believe the expenses may truly be with the investment in the end.
Sustainable concrete materials and sustainable steel reinforcement have been introduced to civil engineers to get closer to the sustainable development. Sustainable buildings constructed with use of these materials have shown an increased service life and the final cost has been reduced due to them.
Cement is a finely ground powder binder, a material that sets and hardens and can bind other materials together, when mixed with water it forms a hardening paste of calcium silicate hydrates and calcium aluminates hydrates. it evokes highly diverse reactions. Cement is used in mortar (a combination of sand and roughly burnt gypsum) and concrete (bulk rock-like building material made from aggregate, sand, and water). By modifying the raw material mix and the temperatures utilized in manufacturing, compositional variations can be achieved to produce cements with different qualifications. Cement, chemically speaking, is a product including lime as the primary ingredient, but it is far from the first material used for cementation. The Babylonians and Assyrians used bitumen to bind together burnt brick or alabaster
Despite the fact that novel technologies are continuously under development to complement existing practices in coming up with greener buildings, the universal intent is that such structures are designed to diminish the general effect on the built environment on health of the humans in addition to the natural environment via: Diminishing environmental degradation, pollution and waste, improving productivity of the employee and guarding occupant health, efficient usage of water, energy, in addition to other resources.
The primary source of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is the household sources, which accounts for 55 to 65 percent of the total Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated. This is closely followed by the commercial sources (EPA, 2011) while Commercial and Institutional Waste locations accounts to about 35 to 45 percent of total MSW (EPA, 2011) generated globally. The industries contributes a very miniature part of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) since most industries recycle and manages most of its own solid residuals by recycling, reuse, or self-disposal in industrial waste landfills. Nevertheless some industrial waste still end up in MSW landfills sites.
Sustainable buildings are becoming somewhat of a necessity in the world today. As the demand for green building develops, so does the demand for green building materials. Just as the old techniques and building materials seem to disappear in the assembly of things, they are now making a come back. Green building focuses on the efficiency of major resources like water and energy. As the cost for sustainable materials and products are on the decline, building green seems to be the most cost effective kind of design and construction. Looking specifically at green materials and their impact on the production of structures, it is evident that they are a prime choice for building material. The use of green materials should be promoted because they are better for the environment, more healthful for the consumer, and better for the economy.
Further, “In 2008, nearly 13 tonnes of waste were generated by Canadian households. Of this, more than 8.5 million tonnes were disposed of in landfills or incine...
Traditional methods of waste disposal have proven to be ineffective and have caused harmful effects on the environment. The most popular and inexpensive way to get rid of garbage is burial, but burying your problems does not necessarily mean getting rid of them. Landfill sites pose as severe ecological threats as these mass garbage dump yards overflow with trash and frequently contaminate our air, soil and water with hazardous wastes. About 400 million tons of hazardous wastes are generated each year1. A large-scale release of these materials can cause thousands of deaths and may poison the environment for many years. For example many industrial companies around the world cannot afford to enforce the strict pollution regulations set by many developed countries. This usually forces these types of companies to move to developing countries where pollution regulations are very lenient. These developing countries knowingly accept environmentally hazardous companies usually because they are in desperate need of employment. The harmful effects of these companies were clearly illustrated in the 1960s and 1970s when residents living near Minamata Bay, Japan, developed nervous disorders, tremors, and paralysis in a mysterious epidemic. The root was later found to be a local industry that had released mercury, a highly toxic element, into Minamata Bay. The disaster had claimed the lives of 400 people1. Since 1970 you can bet that a lot more than 400 people have died as a result of waste disposal. If the type of waste disposal were cheaper and effective we wouldn’t have to deal with waste problems, which still plague mankind today.
The United States produces “about 8.25 billion tons of solid wastes each year” (Russell 1). People do not realize the impact they have on our planet and environment. When people throw anything in the trashcan, they are contributing to the destruction of our planet. The number landfills in the United States are decreasing, but the amount and volume of waste being thrown into the new landfills is increasing (Russell 4). Because of this escalating amount of garbage, Methane which contributes to global warming is an outcome of these landfills (Russell 7). As a result, our planet is suffering because of this epidemic. The garbage being put in the landfills could be recycled, but not enough businesses, ...