An Empirical Investigation into Water Footprint of Concrete Industry in Iran

Abstract

Reduction of water consumption of concrete production is of particular importance within the construction industry to take steps toward sustainable construction materials. However, a lack of available benchmark metrics has made it difficult for governments to identify areas to target for water consumption reduction and even to provide a basis to analyse water consumption impacts of concrete production on their national environment. This chapter looks at water footprint of concrete industry based on a life cycle assessment approach. A comprehensive water footprint model of concrete production is provided. Elaboration is paid to the raw materials (cement and aggregates), energy, transportation and human’s food, as important factors affecting water footprint of the concrete industry. A large cement plant, a concrete plant and an aggregate producer in Iran are analysed and effects of different parameters on the water footprint model are evaluated based on a sensitivity analysis method. The chapter shows that the water consumption intensities of cement, aggregate and concrete productions account for 2.126, 0.583 and 0.967 m3/ton, respectively demonstrating that the concrete industry should be treated as a high water consumer industry. The chapter demonstrates that shifting to a high contribution of renewable energy is one effective solution for the water consumption problem of the concrete production. In addition, the chapter illustrates that the personnel’s food contributes to 6850, 565,000, and 22,610 m3 water footprint, in the investigated concrete, cement and aggregate plants in 2017, respectively; showing the effect of human management on the water footprint reduction. This chapter will be of interest to those seek sustainability in concrete production.