Table of Contents
|
Understanding Sustainable Construction Materials Role of Sustainable Construction Materials Challenges and Solutions Sustainable Practices in Construction Conclusion References |
Sustainable management can help balance the needs of a community to make money through buildings with the needs of its people and the environment, ensuring it remains liveable for today’s and future generations.
Sustainable materials and practices can build today's structures that will be beneficial for tomorrow. These buildings would be longer-lasting, greener, and better in terms of energy consumption and waste reduction, conduciveness as places of economic activity—business, work, education, residence, recreation, and the quality of life for their occupants and users.
This guide digs deeper into sustainability in construction as an ongoing, evolving, pressing concern against the backdrop of the climate crisis. Explore materials, practices, and concepts that would make these buildings able to meet the practical, environmental, and regulatory standards of construction and real estate and whose life cycle will have a low impact on the environment.
Understanding Sustainable Construction Materials
Sustainability encompasses the life cycle of the building and its building blocks. For a building material to be considered sustainable, consider the following attributes.
Recyclability and reusability
Materials that can be recycled or reused mean a waste reduction. In 2018, 600 million tons of debris from Construction and Demolition (C&D) were generated, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
C&D waste includes materials such as brick and clay tile, wood products, concrete, and steel used in buildings.
Renewable Sources
Plants can be grown and regrown to be sources of construction materials. That is not the case for plastic-based building products sourced from fossil fuels. Unless the said plastic is recycled, recyclable, or plant-based, virgin plastic requires fossil fuel extraction and processing.
Manufacturing
Construction products can be made with fewer resources or have less environmental impact. For example, source plants that are native to the area require less water to grow and can be cultivated for more than one purpose. Moreover, available resources in the area require lower transport costs and create local jobs.
Embodied greenhouse gas emissions (embodied carbon) are those GHG emissions associated with a material’s extraction, production, transport, and manufacturing, according to the EPA. Embodied carbon can also include the disposal of the material.
The agency relates that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has a $350 million investment toward lowering the embodied emissions of construction products.
Manufacturers, real estate developers, and others may be able to access grants and tools that will help them reduce the embodied emissions from the cradle to the grave of concrete, steel, etc.
Durability
A sustainable version or alternative of a building material should have a comparable if not longer lifespan than its conventional counterpart. For reference purposes, a wood door is expected to last from 30 to 40 years and a door made of steel 60 to 75 years.
Material Toxicity
A product’s risk to health and safety has to be balanced with its purported long life or benefits. Take, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a ubiquitous material in building and construction, and health risks such as cancer from exposure to PVC.
Certification
Labels and ratings from third-party organizations help buyers ascertain that the products they are using are eco-friendly, sustainable, and true to their claims.
Role of Sustainable Construction Materials
Sustainable materials for buildings can lower the construction industry’s environmental impact, as follows:
- The industrial sector may be responsible for about a third of the annual GHG emissions in the US. (EPA)
- Buildings account for 35% of total energy-related emissions in the US, and residential and commercial buildings have an almost equal share of the figure. (National Building Performance Standard (BPS) Coalition)
- Construction materials and products manufacturing constitute 11% of annual GHG globally. (EPA)
Reducing the environmental impact of materials is one of the six guiding principles for sustainable federal buildings by the Council on Environmental Quality (2020 Guiding Principles).
The other principles are:
- Employing integrated design principles
- Optimizing energy performance
- Protecting and conserving water
- Enhancing the indoor environment quality
- Assessing and considering building resilience
The use of sustainable construction materials will also be pivotal in achieving the US’s carbon emission targets.
Examples of Sustainable Construction Materials
Here are three sustainable materials for construction applications, their top benefits, and limitations:
|
Construction Materials |
Advantages |
Limitations |
|
Bamboo is commonly used in scaffoldings, bridges, roofs, and walls |
|
|
|
Recycled steel. According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, the industry recycles about 70 million tons of steel scrap every year to make new steel. |
|
|
|
Reclaimed wood is from a reclaimed material or one that would have been disposed of as waste but has been reused or recycled instead. |
|
The Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) focuses on the life cycle of a product, from the extraction of materials to its end-of-life management, according to EPA. This approach examines how the product is used or reused, which could bring about the following benefits.
Environmental Benefits
The construction industry’s carbon footprint is a constant and continuous concern. GHG emissions can be examined through lifecycle assessments, and actions can be undertaken to lower the carbon footprint of a building product.
Sustainability is premised on resources being finite and declining and on maximizing and using them effectively and carefully for generations to come. So, if there are better, more creative, or more productive ways of using available raw materials, that would be beneficial to all.
Economic Benefits
There is also an economic incentive for manufacturers to make green products or shift to more sustainable practices. The US government has a Federal Buy Clean Initiative to support low-carbon, American-made construction products. The federal government is the world’s biggest purchaser, spending $665 billion through federal contracts in the fiscal year 2020.
Building owners and managers may enjoy cost savings from building green buildings or retrofitting them due to lower maintenance costs. Some owners have also reported an increased property value, based on 2018 building trends. A 2021 survey shows consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for a green property.
Social and Health Benefits
Sustainability and quality of life are intertwined. Choosing sustainable building materials that don’t contain substances that irritate the lungs, such as asbestos, improves indoor air quality. This is crucial because Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors.
A healthier indoor environment is also reflected in the health and safety of those who reside or work in those buildings.
Buildings built with sustainability in mind also consume fewer resources through energy-efficient and water-efficient fixtures. These buildings can also have renewable energy sources and mechanisms for managing and reducing waste.
Challenges and Solutions
The construction industry’s move toward sustainability is not unmet with challenges, as expected of a complex and extensive industry. However, potential solutions can overcome these challenges.
Barrier 1
Cost: Green products are generally expensive due to the added cost of being free of carbon emissions or made using clean technology. Heat pumps, for example, are more energy-efficient than their conventional counterparts; however, there’s a high cost for retrofits.
Solution: The landmark climate law IRA is funding clean energy and solutions to tackle the climate crisis through research and development, manufacturing, and more. It has a total government investment of $515 billion from 2023 through 2032, for which private companies may be able to tap in the form of grants, loans, tax credits, or other incentives.
Barrier 2
Cost: Either sustainable materials are not readily available or are priced higher due to only a few niche entities making them. It’s also possible that the available supply is not enough to meet the market's demands.
Solution: Policies and uniform standards create an environment for sustainable construction to flourish, such that environment-friendly building materials become more available and affordable to a certain extent.
Barrier 3
Cost: An organization’s mindset toward sustainability may be due to limited knowledge about its intricacies and processes, lack of regulations compelling them to adopt green materials and practices, or minimal incentives to implement new changes because their current tools and technologies work for them.
Solution: Increase education and training, which can start at school. Green building standards in the US are a mix of mandatory and voluntary standards. Incentive programs may be available on a local, state, or federal level.
Here are two examples of sustainable construction in action:
- In 2019, TCF Center was named the largest LEED-certified building in Michigan. Built in the 1960s, the convention center had a Green Committee as early as 2011, making obtaining green certifications and sustainable operations possible. Now known as Huntington Place, the building has received many awards, including the USGBC Community Safe Haven Award.
- The Bullitt Center in Seattle, WA, is said to be the world’s greenest commercial building. It has a long list of impressive features, but what’s most interesting is the products used in the building. It took over two years to identify products that did not have Red List chemicals.
Sustainable Practices in Construction
The construction industry is said to be the single largest resource consumer in the world. In addition to sustainable materials, let’s look at key practices that can reduce the built environment's impact on the community.
Recycling and reusing materials is part of the sustainable management of construction materials. The steel industry has been recycling scrap to make new steel.
Plastic waste can also be recycled as building materials, such as bricks and blocks, to conserve depleting resources such as natural aggregates. Aggregates can also come from concrete recycling. Wood from previous structures is also given a new life as furniture, ceilings, and more.
Materials recovered from C&D can be reused in the new construction or donated to others. Deconstruction ensures the components are intact and can be reused or recycled.
Sustainable project planning also ensures that sustainability is effectively integrated into the construction project and its impact is measured through TBL or triple bottom line, which encompasses the social, environmental, and economic aspects.
A project management team has to be on board from the very beginning of the project. This study explores the challenges that the team can face, including higher costs of materials and processes and how these can be addressed to complete the project.
Technology has indeed made it easier to design, build, and maintain sustainable buildings.
Innovations in recycling materials, manufacturing low-emissions products, harnessing sources of renewable energy, and automating processes have helped reduce resource consumption and waste while keeping the buildings operational and efficient.
Conducting life-cycle assessments with software keeps one on track with carbon goals, environmental regulations, and certifications.
Regulation and legislation help advance and standardize the adoption of sustainable infrastructure starting from the federal government.
The Federal Sustainability Plan envisions all federal buildings to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045 with a 50% reduction of emissions by 2032. Central to this goal is the Federal Building Performance Standard. It has been said that federal buildings represent more than 25% of the US Government’s greenhouse gas emissions, arising from activities such as water heating, space heating, and cooking.
An executive order issued in January 2021 called for federal infrastructure to be sustainable and reduce climate pollution. Another executive order in December 2021 outlined a government-wide sustainability goal. These executive orders are among the main bases for the current sustainability path laid out by the federal government.
Certifications for Sustainable Buildings
The 2020 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Buildings can help federal agencies meet their requirements.
According to the US General Services Administration (GSA), those entities can tap a third party to certify the sustainability of their buildings, new or existing, including:
- LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a widely used green building rating system. GSA, for example, uses LEED.
- BREEAM, or Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology, is another global certification standard for existing buildings.
- Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International’s 360 Office Program is a global standard that evaluates a commercial building based on sustainability, energy, building operations and management, life safety and security, training and education, and tenant relations and community involvement.
Clean energy infrastructure is a key trend in 2024. According to Deloitte’s analysis, “sustainability is a business imperative in construction whose upfront costs may be balanced through long-term efficiency strategies.”
So far, the industry is responding through materials and underlying technologies that could be the next big thing in sustainable construction.
This team of researchers at Michigan State University is aiming to make building materials green and living. This biomaterial combines innovative construction materials and microbes that “can thrive to naturally remove greenhouse gases and repair damage,” per the article. The microbes will then be responsible for making the material eco-friendly and self-healing.
Hempcrete is another biomaterial combining hemp, water, and lime binder. It is a lightweight, less energy-intensive alternative to traditional blocks or bricks used in homes and buildings. The bio-based material can also be used as infill material and insulation.
At the core of the hempcrete is the hemp plant, a renewable, carbon-storing, easy-to-grow resource. Hempcrete is in an appendix to the US Residential Building Code as a non-structural building material.
Conclusion
Sustainable building materials are consciously designed and made to have a low impact on the environment. These materials can be recyclable, reusable, manufactured with renewable or fewer resources, durable, and free of carbon emissions and toxic substances.
Using sustainable materials helps grow a healthy community with buildings that pose minimal threat to the environment, are safe to live or work, and can be economically viable to stakeholders.
Sustainable materials management offers a perspective on how to use or reuse these materials effectively. Reusing and recycling remain a cornerstone of sustainable construction. Technology also plays a part in designing and operating energy-efficient buildings.
Adopting sustainable construction faces barriers such as costs and the materials’ limited availability. These challenges can be overcome through key policy and regulation. The US is moving along with its sustainability plan and has key investments in climate response, clean technology, and more.
The industry is also seeing the rise of bio-based materials that can build better buildings of tomorrow.
References
2024 engineering and construction industry outlook. (2023, November 29). Deloitte Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/engineering-and-construction/engineering-and-construction-industry-outlook.html
Amarnath, N. (2023, October 20). Heat pumps are hot, but commercial retrofits face cold realities. Facilities Dive. https://www.facilitiesdive.com/news/commercial-heat-pump-retrofits-cold-costs/697325/
Ayarkwa, J., Opoku, D. J., Antwi-Afari, P., & Li, R. Y. M. (2022). Sustainable building processes’ challenges and strategies: The relative important index approach. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 7, 100455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2022.100455
American Iron and Steel Institute. (2021, August 19). Recycling - American Iron and Steel Institute. https://www.steel.org/sustainability/recycling/
Aspen Institute. (2023, April 21). Procurement lessons from the world’s biggest purchaser - The Aspen Institute. The Aspen Institute.https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/procurement-lessons-from-the-worlds-biggest-purchaser/
Bergman, R. D. (2010). Using reclaimed lumber and wood flooring in construction : measuring environmental impact using life-cycle inventory analysis. US Forest Service Research and Development. https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/37173
Bergsagel, D., & Heisel, F. (2023). Structural design using reclaimed wood – A case study and proposed design procedure. Journal of Cleaner Production, 420, 138316.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.138316
Bui, Q., Grillet, A., & Tran, H. (2017). A bamboo treatment Procedure: effects on the durability and mechanical performance. Sustainability, 9(9), 1444. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091444
CCPIA. (2023, April 25). Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Commercial Building Systems and Components - CCPIA. Certified Commercial Property Inspectors Association. https://ccpia.org/estimated-life-expectancy-chart-for-commercial-building-systems-and-components/
Comparison of green building standards | US EPA. (2023, May 2). US EPA.https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/comparison-green-building-standards
Construction and demolition debris: Material-Specific Data | US EPA. (2023, November 22). US EPA.https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/construction-and-demolition-debris-material
Crownhart, C. (2023, August 15). How a half-trillion dollars is transforming climate technology. MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/08/16/1078014/ira-funding-one-year-climate-technology/
Davenport, M. (2023, October 16). “Biomanufacturing” helps building materials go green. MSUToday. https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2023/biomanufacturing-helps-building-materials-go-green
Decay resistance of Bamboo (Gigantochloa scortechinii) compared to 24 Malaysian Hardwood. (n.d.). https://www.fao.org/3/xii/0039-b4.htm
Dodge Construction Network. (2023, July 6). World Green Building and Construction Trends 2018 | Dodge Construction Network. https://www.construction.com/resource/world-green-building-trends-2018/
Emamverdian, A., Ding, Y., Ranaei, F., & Ahmad, Z. (2020). Application of bamboo plants in nine aspects. The Scientific World Journal, 2020, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7284203
Fact sheets on designing for the disassembly and deconstruction of buildings | US EPA. (2023, September 5). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/smm/fact-sheets-designing-disassembly-and-deconstruction-buildings
Federal Buy Clean Initiative | Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer. (n.d.). https://www.sustainability.gov/buyclean/
Fossil fuels, the building industry, and human health - Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. (2021, February 18). Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/fossil-fuels-the-building-industry-and-human-health-evaluating-toxicity-in-architectural-plastics/
Gates, B. (2021, May 24). Bill Gates: How ‘Green Premiums’ can help us solve climate change. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2021/02/16/bill-gates-climate-change-research-green-premiums/
Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings | US EPA. (2023, November 22). US EPA.https://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/guiding-principles-sustainable-federal-buildings
Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool. (n.d.). https://sftool.gov/learn/about/631/guiding-principles-sustainable-federal-buildings
Indoor air quality | US EPA. (2023, July 14). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality
Inflation Reduction Act programs to fight climate change by reducing embodied greenhouse gas emissions of construction materials and products | US EPA. (2023, December 22). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-programs-fight-climate-change-reducing-embodied
International Code Council. (2023, April 26). Educating future construction workers on Sustainability shape - ICC. ICC.https://www.iccsafe.org/building-safety-journal/bsj-dives/educating-future-construction-workers-on-sustainability-shape/
Lotus, J. (2022, September 22). IRC Approval of Hempcrete in US building codes Sept. 2022 — HempBuild Magazine. HempBuild Magazine. https://www.hempbuildmag.com/jump-page-1/approval-hempcrete-irc
National BPS Coalition. (2023, November 13). National BPS Coalition - National BPS Coalition.https://nationalbpscoalition.org/#about
Net-Zero Emissions Buildings by 2045, including a 50% reduction by 2032 | Federal Sustainability Plan | Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer. (n.d.). https://www.sustainability.gov/federalsustainabilityplan/buildings.html
Northey, A. (2022, July 8). Hempcrete. Extension La Crosse County.
https://lacrosse.extension.wisc.edu/2022/07/08/hempcrete/
Pradha, S. S., & Saranya, K. (2023). Recycling Plastic Waste into Construction Materials for Sustainability. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1210(1), 012016. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1210/1/012016
Sourcing reclaimed material for use in FSC Product Groups or FSC Certified Projects. (n.d.). InFSC.org. Forest Stewardship Council.https://us.fsc.org/preview.fsc-standard-for-sourcing-reclaimed-materials.a-474.pdf
Sustainable Materials Management Basics | US EPA. (2024, January 23). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/smm/sustainable-materials-management-basics
Sızırıcı, B., Fseha, Y. H., Cho, C., Yildiz, İ., & Byon, Y. (2021). A Review of Carbon Footprint Reduction in Construction Industry, from Design to Operation. Materials, 14(20), 6094.https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14206094
The value of green buildings. (n.d.). Deloitte. https://www2.deloitte.com/ce/en/pages/real-estate/articles/the-value-of-green-buildings.html
The triple bottom line: what it is & why it’s important. (2020, December 8). Business Insights Blog. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-the-triple-bottom-line
United Nations. (n.d.). The climate crisis – a race we can win | United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/un75/climate-crisis-race-we-can-win
What is Embodied Carbon? | US EPA. (2023, September 28). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/what-embodied-carbon
What is Sustainability? | UCLA Sustainability. (n.d.). UCLA Sustainability. https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/what-is-sustainability/
The White House. (2022, December 8). FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris administration announces First-Ever Federal Building Performance Standard, catalyzes American innovation to lower energy costs, save taxpayer dollars, and cut emissions. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/07/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-first-ever-federal-building-performance-standard-catalyzes-american-innovation-to-lower-energy-costs-save-taxpayer-dollars-and-cut-emissions/
The White House (2021, December 8). Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/08/executive-order-on-catalyzing-clean-energy-industries-and-jobs-through-federal-sustainability/
worldsteel. (2023, March 3). Steel core green economy. - worldsteel.org. worldsteel.org. https://worldsteel.org/about-steel/key-messages/steel-core-green-economy/