When I first picked the topic “Sustainability and Construction Materials” I thought it’d be easy because it seems like such a broad topic and had many things I could write about. In the end, however, I actually found it very difficult to write about because it is such a broad and complex topic made up of many components. I’m going to attempt to discuss all the basic ideas and implementations of “sustainability” in the construction world such as eco-friendly constructions methods and materials.
There are two dictionary definitions of the word sustainability; the first being “the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.” In that sense, you could interpret sustainability to mean that it needs to be efficient enough to maintain steady progress in our constantly evolving world so that construction will always meet the level of expectation in society. Construction companies have to think about the long-term durability and planning of projects and the surrounding area. The second dictionary definition of sustainability being “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.” According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.”
One of the main components of sustainability in construction is the materials you use. The Environmental Protection Agency promotes Sustainable materials management (SMM). Which essentially is a systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life cycles. It represents our changing society and general attitude about the use of natural resources and environmental protection. By looking at a product’s entire life cycle, we can find new ways to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources and reduce costs. Construction companies can use recycled materials in their projects to be environmentally conscience. Asphalt, concrete, and rubble are often recycled into aggregate or new asphalt and concrete products. Wood can be recycled into engineered-wood products like furniture, as well as mulch, compost, and other products. Metals including steel, copper, and brass are also valuable materials to recycle. Using recycled and reclaimed materials for construction projects can help decrease greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.as well as reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Construction and demolition (C&D) sites are great sources of recycled building materials. These locations are typically run by architectural salvage dealers, demolition contractors, C&D haulers, recycling companies and other entities.
Items found at C&D sites are generally cheaper than “virgin” material, and they may have “vintage” qualities that appeal to certain customers. Examples include:
• Doors and windows,
• Lighting and bathroom fixtures,
• Pipes and fittings,
• Appliances, and
• Vintage items such as hand-carved fireplaces or antique doorknobs.
In addition, it may be possible to recycle beams and other structural components, crush masonry for use in sidewalks or road bases or melt down scrap metal for reuse.
C&D sites can also be places to leave materials and walk away with a little extra revenue. For example, instead of simply demolishing a building, you might develop a “deconstruction” plan designed to preserve materials for reuse or resale. Following such a plan can reduce your hauling and disposal costs, too.
Byproducts for building
Too often, the byproducts of industrial processes are disposed of as waste even though they may be valuable sources of relatively inexpensive building materials. Consider fly ash, a byproduct of coal-burning power plants. It can be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly replacement for Portland cement in producing concrete. It can also be used to make cultured stone, carpet backing, flooring tile and tile underlayment.
Similarly, air-cooled blast furnace slag can help produce mineral or rock wool insulation. And spent foundry sand can be deployed as base material for building sites. Those used tires you’re pulling off vehicles and equipment? They can be recycled for rubberized walkways, carpet backing or foundation support.
These materials not only reduce costs, but in some cases also offer performance advantages. For instance, fly ash can improve the performance of concrete. And spent foundry sand can extend the construction season in colder climates because it doesn’t freeze as readily as most natural soils.
Potential advantages
As your construction company forges ahead into the new year, consider the potential advantages of recycled and reclaimed building materials. Just be sure to check any items salvaged for lead paint or other toxic substances that may render them unusable.
In the construction world, each and every construction project has the potential to make a huge contribution to a more sustainable future for our beloved earth. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that “buildings in developed countries account for more than forty percent of energy consumption over their lifetime (incorporating raw material production, construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning).” In addition to this “for the first time in human history over half of the world’s population now lives in urban environments.” It’s apparent that sustainability of buildings is necessary to achieve long-term environmental, economic and social benefits. Sustainable construction’s goal is to meet all the present day needs for housing, working environments and infrastructure without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs in times to come. It incorporates components of economic efficiency, environmental adequacy and social responsibility. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Green Building Council, construction and operation of all buildings in the United States result 72 percent of electricity resources, 39 percent of total energy used, 3 billion tons of raw materials annually, and 17 percent of freshwater flows. The rate at which things are changing now-a-days we don’t really have time on our side. With urban living on the rise worldwide, the population of people living in urban areas around the word go up by almost one million people every week and there’s an urgent need to come up with clever ideas that optimize the sustainable performance of the buildings that we live in.