A Life Cycle Thinking Framework to Mitigate the Environmental Impact of Building Materials

Beijia Huang,Xiaofeng Gao,Xiaozhen Xu,Jialing Song,Yong Geng,Joseph Sarkis,Tomer Fishman,Harnwei Kua,Jun Nakatani

doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2020.10.010

Abstract

Summary Urbanization and population growth have contributed to a tripling of building material consumption from 2000 to 2017. Building materials have a range of environmental impacts throughout their life cycle, from extraction, processing, and transport of raw materials to building construction, use, and eventual demolition and waste. Mitigation measures that target specific materials or value chain stages may therefore have incremental or even adverse net environmental effects. In this perspective, we develop a framework for applying life cycle thinking to identify key impacts and corresponding mitigation approaches, inform building design and material selection, and ensure effective treatment and recycling of construction and demolition wastes. Life cycle evaluation can also be used to assess and avoid environmental trade-offs among life cycle stages. Challenges for implementing these life cycle principles include collecting and integrating inventory data for products, managing multiple stakeholders within the construction industry, and monitoring end-of-life impacts; measures for overcoming such challenges are discussed.

Highlights

Rapid urbanization and population growth has resulted in soaring consumption of building materials.[1,2] Global consumption of building materials tripled from 6.7 billion tons in 2000 to 17.5 billion tons in 2017; concrete, aggregates, and bricks are the most commonly used building materials (Figure 1A)
We argue that environmental impacts of building materials and mitigation approaches must be evaluated through life cycle thinking to avoid strategies that can mitigate environmental impacts in one stage but may have more adverse impacts in other life stages
We propose extending life cycle assessment (LCA) to include life cycle thinking (LCT) to explore roadmaps for mitigating the environmental burdens of building materials

Summary

Introduction

Rapid urbanization and population growth has resulted in soaring consumption of building materials.[1,2] Global consumption of building materials tripled from 6.7 billion tons in 2000 to 17.5 billion tons in 2017; concrete, aggregates, and bricks are the most commonly used building materials (Figure 1A). Acquiring complete building life cycle inventory (LCI) data over the material lifespan is challenging, as it would require sustained data collection over a long period and from different stakeholders.[32] This challenge is especially true when integrating building material LCI of demolition and waste treatment with the manufacturing process stages.

Results

Conclusion