Abstract
Decreasing the demand for natural aggregates is doubly justified by the significant contribution of the construction industry to the unsustainable development path of the natural environment, and the projected global increase of the consumption of construction aggregates. Extensive research has been carried out on the physical and mechanical properties of concrete which incorporates plastic as aggregates; yet, no single study has been able to draw on structured research which demonstrates the improved sustainability performance of plastic-based aggregates to support sustainable development in the construction industry for a project seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The goal of this research is to explore the potential benefits that green processed lightweight aggregates (PLA) can provide to a project seeking LEED certification in accordance with the requirements of LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction. The objectives are to: (1) determine which LEED credit requirements can be met through using the studied material; (2) provide a comprehensive analysis of the applicable attainable LEED credits, given the existing technical information of the selected material, and (3) provide guidelines to maximize further credit attainment. To this end, the findings indicated that the use of PLA as a total replacement for coarse aggregates in lightweight concrete applications would contribute to earning directly up to 8 points (out of 110 total points) towards LEED certification. Such significant number allows for the potential increase of the project’s certification by one level. This is the first study of its kind to investigate the improved sustainability performance of recycled plastic aggregates from a LEED point of view. Moreover, the guidelines provided by the research will enable developers to maximize the financial and environmental benefits of their buildings through the reduced lifecycle cost and the enhanced LEED score. This research should encourage project teams to incorporate the knowledge of sustainable practices, and play an active role in sustainable development.
Highlights
The rapid increase in urbanization in developing countries is coupled with an unprecedented growth rate of the global building sector [1,2] With this, the world is expected to reach an alarming approximate area of 230 billion square meters of new construction over the 40 years [1]
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) points are not earned for the use of a particular sustainable building material or product, but the use of processed lightweight aggregates (PLA) as a total replacement for coarse aggregates in lightweight or product, but the use of PLA as a total replacement for coarse aggregates in lightweight concrete applications would contribute to earning points towards LEED certification based concrete applications would contribute to earning points towards LEED certification on the following guiding parameters: based on the following guiding parameters:
This paper examines the potential benefits green processed lightweight aggregates (PLA) can provide to a project seeking LEED certification in accordance with the requirements of LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction
Summary
The rapid increase in urbanization in developing countries is coupled with an unprecedented growth rate of the global building sector [1,2] With this, the world is expected to reach an alarming approximate area of 230 billion square meters of new construction over the 40 years [1]. The application of sustainability principles within the construction industry has been advocated by researchers within the past decades [4], which has become of exceeding relevance at the present time due to the increase in global cement production, and related carbon dioxide emissions, in addition to the rising demand for natural resources, such as water, aggregate, limestone, and energy [3]. Concrete is one of the most common building materials used in the construction and infrastructure industries [6] with a global annual production of 20 billion tons in 2015 [7]. The validity of the argument is further emphasized by the projected global increase of 2.3% per year of the consumption of construction aggregates to reach 47.5 billion metric tons by 2023 [13]
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