Masonry Construction as a Solution for Healthy and Resilient Buildings: A Life Cycle Thinking Based Evaluation

Abstract

AbstractAccomplishing sustainable construction is a challenging task. Building sustainability entails green building design and construction, assessing both environmental factors and financial benefits. Therefore, subsequent buildings expected to be constructed based on local context and purpose. Moreover, factors such as resource scarcity, climate change, and adaptability are changing the construction industry. Therefore, occupant health and resiliency alongside with TBL have been receiving predominant significance in building construction and operation. Alternative wall construction methods will be compared using a sustainability index. The aim of this research is to examine masonry construction as an environmentally sustainable solution for Institutional (ICI) building construction in Canada. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) assessment was used to compare popular interior wall construction methods, according to ISO 14044. LCA of alternative interior wall construction techniques conducted using SimaPro software. The comparative results show that masonry construction is the greener construction alternative. The study considered cradle to gate and cradle to grave system boundaries for alternative interior wall construction techniques. Results indicated that the wood stud gypsum wall is the greener technique in the cradle to gate system boundary. In the cradle to grave system boundary, the concrete block-masonry wall is the greener construction technique due to the ability to reuse the waste materials. This research informs the construction sector in enhancing the sustainability of ICI buildings construction.KeywordsMasonry constructionLife cycle thinkingSustainable constructionTriple bottom line analysis