This course on sustainable construction materials aims to serve those professionals involved in construction in order to help them assist in achieving a sustainable environment. In addition to covering some fundamental properties of traditional construction materials that are used in construction, this course devotes concepts to sustainability, including life-cycle assessment, embodied energy, recycled and reclaimed aggregates, and durability of construction materials.

1. Introduction to Sustainability
SHOWAIB AHMED CHOWDHURY
Lecturer
Department of Building Engineering & Construction Management
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology(RUET)
BECM 4151
Sustainable Materials and Green Buildings

2. Sustainability
 Sustainability is a broad term covering economic, social, and
environmental issues that should be shaping the future of our planet
and those living on it.
Environmental: Protection and restoration of natural resources, habitats and
ecosystems.
Social: Ethical social responsibility and promotion of equality, well-being and
social justice.
Economic: Equitable and fair distribution of economic resources.
 Sustainable development is defined as ‘a development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs’ .
 Many governments throughout the world have set targets to reduce
the release of harmful gases (CO2, SOx, NOx) into the atmosphere,
as highlighted in the COP21 conference held near Paris in Dec.
2015.

3. Aims of this course
This course on sustainable construction materials aims
to serve those professionals involved in construction
in order to help them assist in achieving a sustainable
environment.
 In addition to covering some fundamental properties
of traditional construction materials that are used in
construction, this course devotes concepts to
sustainability, including life-cycle assessment,
embodied energy, recycled and reclaimed aggregates,
and durability of construction materials.

4. Sustainable Construction
 The construction industry consumes large amounts of raw
materials.
 The construction industry is one of these sectors due to its direct
influence on heavy natural resource consumption as well as
environmental and human impacts.
 The extraction, processing and transportation of these resources
emit high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, thus
contributing to the pollution of the environment.
 As applied to the construction industry,
The attainment of sustainability is ensuring the provision of
sustainable practices that include, ensuring user satisfaction and
well-being; respect for people; protecting the natural environment;
and reductions in the reliance on nonrenewable energy and natural
resources.

5. Sustainability issues : Construction
industry
• Global warming : Significant GHG emission emanates from
industrialization including construction activities, such as
extraction, manufacturing, transporting, installing, use, maintenance
and disposal of construction materials and products. Most of the
embodied energy in construction materials is a result of CO2
emitted from the use of fossil fuels for the generation of energy at
different phases of the construction life cycle.
• Loss of biodiversity and natural habitats: As a result of clearance
of land for construction or extraction of construction materials. This
results in the loss of species and ecosystems or environmental
quality that supports their existence

6. Sustainability issues : Construction
industry
• Air pollution: Pollutants (often <10 μm in diameter, thus making
them invisible) are emitted from construction and material
extraction activities such as mining of aggregate, production of
electricity, operation of equipment, manufacturing processes and
transportation of materials/products.
• Acidification: Activities that contribute to this include fossil fuel
burning for the manufacturing and transportation of construction
materials. Emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide from
fossil fuel combustion contribute to acid rains which affect
ecosystems through a dry or wet deposition process.

7. Sustainability issues : Construction
industry
• Deforestation and arable land loss: Urbanization is a leading
cause of depleting forest resources and loss of arable land for food
production. Forest and agricultural lands are cleared to make way
for construction of buildings and infrastructure.
• Water resource depletion and pollution: Construction activities
and related extraction of natural resources require large amounts
of water for processing. Impermeable surface of built
infrastructure also reduces groundwater recharge

8. Sustainable Solutions
 Increased awareness: Global warming is now well acknowledged
especially after global efforts towards reductions in greenhouse emissions
since the agreement on the Kyoto Protocol.
 Legislation and regulation: Worldwide policies, notable within the EU
and to some extent the United States, have promoted the incorporation of
sustainable practice within the construction industry, a principal focus
being the reduction of waste and recycling of material and responsible
sourcing. These efforts also include the reengineering of products with
new material compositions, including green chemistry to aid reduction of
waste and pollution.
 Demand for sustainable practices: This includes efforts by professional
institutions to increase competence of members through the publications
of policy documents and best practice guides. This has also led to an
evolution of standards and criteria, particular schemes for assessing and
certifying construction processes and products.

9. Construction materials and
Sustainability
 Construction materials constitute a major aspect of the
delivery of buildings and infrastructure which includes steel,
iron, concrete, wood and glass and so on.
 In the past, the critical factors that influenced the choice of
construction materials were predominantly based on cost,
availability and aesthetics.
 However, with the increasing emphasis on being sustainable it
is important to consider the wider impacts of selected materials
on various sustainability indicators.

10. Construction materials and
Sustainability
Some of the drivers of this requirement include an increasing need
to attain the following specific objectives:
 Resource efficiency : Materials with high reusability or
recyclability to aid a reduction in continuous extraction of
resources for new materials. This may also include a principle of
reliance on more durable materials, which will last over the
lifetime without a need for replacement.
 Energy and carbon : This involves less reliance on materials
that require fossil sources of energy for their manufacturing . The
procurement of materials locally could contribute to this through
elimination of transportation costs
 Human or environmental health risk: This includes materials
with the least impact on construction worker health and safety as
well as long-term user health.

11. Construction materials and
Sustainability
 Support social and general well-being: This refers to a
need to select materials with cognizance to their ability to
contribute to social and general well-being. Consideration
must be given to the contribution of materials to
economic or social sustainability including employment.
 Support for sustainable processes: Some materials may
not be necessarily sustainable but support overall
construction or usage operations with less net
contribution to the environment . This includes materials
that require low energy or water consumption on site.

12. Life-cycle phases

13. Sustainability concerns: Life-cycle
phases
 Raw material extraction: The extraction of raw materials include
mining, harvesting, clearing and dredging which collectively cause
destruction of ecosystems and habitats and generation of waste as well
as excessive use of energy.
 Raw material processing: Processing of extracted materials requires
large amounts of energy, most of which is currently generated from
nonrenewable sources that often associated with high levels of GHG
emissions.
 Manufacturing: Fabrication, assembly or finishing require the use of
chemicals and solvents with intolerable levels of toxicity involve
substantial use of nonrenewable energy.
 Transport: The transport sector contributed approximately 23% of total
energy-related CO2 emissions in 2010. Distances, modes of transport
and local availability of materials are critical factors in the determination
of the sustainability of a construction material

14. Sustainability concerns: Life-cycle
phases
 Construction: Potential use of heavier equipment on sites that
may increase site energy consumption. Workers are increasingly
exposed to toxins and pollutants from construction materials and
running of site equipment.
 Operation and maintenance: Over 80% of GHG emissions
occur during the operation of facilities. Materials directly
contribute to the energy performance of facilities due to their
mechanical properties including insulation or thermal
characteristics.
 Refurbishment
 Demolition
 Recycling