Stone rocks are a valuable building material

There are differences in the definitions of Alternative Building Materials (ABM) and differences in the terminologies that are used in describing ABM by different researchers in the construction industry. ABM is a generic term, which is characterised of or relating to a class or group of building materials, not really specific. It encompasses building and construction materials that in literature are referred to by different names such as alternative materials, local building materials, unconventional building materials, alternative residential construction materials, sustainable building materials, indigenous building materials, vernacular building materials, green building materials, environmentally responsible building materials, eco-friendly building materials, etc. The research employed systematic literature review and content analysis to generate and analysedall the necessary information as the methodology. A working (operational) definition of Alternative Building Materials is being offered as building materials that are an alternative to conventional building materials in the form of total or partial substitution of the materials or its constituents for the purpose of reducing the cost, addressing environmental issues or dealing with lack of conventional materials. The characteristics of ABM have been identified to include low or no chemical emissions that can lead to poor indoor air quality, recycled content (post-consumer and pre-consumer), no CFC, HCFC, or other ozone depleting substances content, low embodied energy, locally produced, possibility of repairs and replacements with local means and social acceptability amongst others. Some of the benefits of utilizing ABM include; low embodied energy (often leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions), ease of construction, widespread availability and low cost. Keywords: Alternative Building Materials, Definition, Adoption, Terminology, Characteristics DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-11-03 Publication date: November 30 th 2020

Civil buildings in Lithuania consume one half of final energy or about 70% of heat generated in thermoelectric and heat power stations. However, energy is necessary not only for exploitation but also for the creation of buildings: manufacture of building materials, transportation and construction. For global energy saving in the construction industry, at the state level, it is important to determine an optimum ratio between energy requirement for building creation and exploitation. Taking into account the durability of buildings for the evaluation of strategic relation ships between energetics and construction industry it is reasonable to use a physical building life cycle energy requirement model, because the reliability of an economical prognosis is usually lower than that in physical processes. In this work generalised ratios are suggested for energy requirement by the main building materials, which can be used in the calculation of a physical building life cycle model. In collecting this information three sources were used, namely: from Lithuania, former USSR and Western countries. In the beginning we hoped that the collected information would show higher energy needs for the production of building materials in Lithuania and other former USSR countries than those in developed countries, where manufacturing technology is more modern, and energy saving measures have been implemented earlier. After collecting more data, it was evident from foreign—literature that in Western countries the energy needs are bigger because they are based on other energy needs estimation levels. In the estimation data of energy needs for the Lithuanian building materials industry the levels of technological processes are not clearly described. In this case an application of such data for a physical model of life cycle cost estimations cannot be used directly. For a more detailed analysis 10 building materials were chosen: silicate brick, ceramic brick, rockwool, polyctirol, cement, timber, steel, glass, concrete, ferro-concrete. Energy requirements are classified according to 4 levels of full technological processes, i.e.: for the main process, for raw materials, for machines and for machines that produce these machines. Taking into account the indetermination of the information of data sources, the values can be recommended only for a tentative evaluation. More precise values can be obtained by a detailed analysis of the Lithuanian industry. For building construction industry prognosis one monitoring for building and insulation material manufacturing processes is necessary taking into account different technological levels and processes.

The relevance of the study is to identify the potential for creating innovative building materials that can improve the quality and efficiency of construction and furniture production. The purpose of the study is to analyse the market of sheet building materials, explore the possibilities of using plant materials in construction and furniture industry, and compare the properties of the latest building materials with the existing ones. The analysis of literature sources included a search and evaluation of new developments in the construction industry, as well as an analysis of statistical data on the production of architectural materials in Ukraine, using information resources and Internet search services. To evaluate the consumer properties of innovative building materials, the author used quality assessment methods using visual perception and special tools, in accordance with the established regulatory documentation. Important issues aimed at using resource-saving technologies in construction and developing the latest (environmentally-friendly) building materials are considered. The current state of the Ukrainian market of building sheet materials and the properties of industrial hemp are investigated in order to determine the most cost-effective use of hemp raw materials as an effective basis for the creation of building materials for various purposes. The suitability of the raw materials was determined and assessed, experimental samples of chipboards with different fillers were obtained, and the physical, mechanical and aesthetic characteristics of the finished products were investigated. The research will contribute to the development of the hemp processing industry, as well as enterprises that produce goods for various functional purposes from hemp, which will provide conditions for combining the agricultural sector and the construction industry, i.e. building a closed production cycle

Technological progress has introduced many innovations and technologies in the field of building industry. Construction industry is growing at a rapid pace due to the rapid advancing economy and rising standards of living and to meet the requirements of people in India. Due to rapid urbanization, the demand for brick as filler material in buildings has been increasing exponentially. This rapid increase leads to increase in use of natural resources which are depleting alarmingly without the source to replenish it. The traditional bricks are the main building materials that are used extensively in the construction and building industry. The Porotherm bricks are recently one of the newly adopted and suitable materials in the building construction. In this paper, an overview of Porotherm bricks with reference to its potential as a novel building material has been presented. The paper also presents a comparative cost analysis of Porotherm bricks with the Concrete bricks with its suitability and potential use in the building construction industry.

Introduction. In the modern world, the issues of sustainable development and rational use of natural resources are becoming increasingly relevant. One of the main directions in this area is the use of recycled materials in various sectors of the economy, including construction. The construction industry, being one of the most resource-intensive sectors, has a significant impact on the environmental situation. The need to reduce the negative impact on the environment leads to the search and implementation of innovative approaches to the production and use of building materials. In this regard, recycled materials, which are waste products of production and consumption, are becoming a valuable source of raw materials for the construction industry. This article discusses the theoretical and practical aspects of the use of secondary resources in construction. The advantages and disadvantages of using recycled materials are analyzed, as well as promising areas of research and development in this area. Special attention is paid to the issues of economic efficiency and environmental safety of the use of the recycled materials in construction. Aim. Analyzing the possibilities of using of the recycled materials in construction and developing of the recommendations for expanding of their using, taking into account the economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable development. Materials and methods. This study, aimed at exploring the possibilities and prospects of recycled materials using in modern construction, is based on a comprehensive methodology that includes an analysis of existing theoretical developments, regulatory documentation, empirical data, as well as the results of experimental and practical research in the field of the use of recycled materials in construction. The results were summarized and systematized, which made it possible to formulate conclusions and recommendations for expanding the use of recycled materials in the construction industry. Results. Data on the current state of the use of recycled materials in construction are presented, the main problems are identified and ways to overcome them are proposed. Conclusions. The introduction of the principles of sustainable construction, in particular the use of recycled materials, will make it possible to create economically efficient, socially significant and environmentally safe facilities. To successfully realize the potential of recycled materials in construction, a comprehensive solution is needed, including the development of a regulatory framework, stimulating innovation, raising awareness and changing consumer preferences. Only with the joint efforts of the state, business and society it is possible to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly construction industry.

It is known that dozens millions tones of contaminated phosphogypsum (by-product of fertilizers industry) in Morocco, Togo, USA, Canada, Russia, Korea, China, India, Israel, Jordan and other countries are disposed annually. The review of the suggested processes of purification shows that no effective technologies are known for phosphogypsum processing and utilization in construction industry. The central problem of phosphogypsum is slightly elevated radioactivity of the phosphogypsum (radium content is usually 16-22 pCi/g), because other chemical impurities can be extracted relatively easy, for example, by using phase transformations between different kinds of calcium sulfate hydrate and filtering the solution. Traditional technologies of purification of phosphogypsum from radium are not effective, because of the similarity of chemical properties of radium sulfate and calcium sulfate, when the contaminant salt is isomorphously introduced in the gypsum crystals. The authors suggest a principally new technological approach to purify phosphogypsum from radioactive and other contaminants, which make possible producing environment-conscious building binders. As preliminary laboratory tests showed, the radium content in phosphogypsum decreased from 20 to 0.4 pCi/g, and from gray contaminated phosphogypsum having 1.5% of P2O5 and 0.7% of sulfate/phosphate/silicofluoride salts of number of metals pure gypsum of white color containing the traces only of these impurities and of P2O5 was obtained. The economical, geographical and environmental aspects of processing phosphogypsum for environment-conscious construction are discussed. 1. A problem of utilization of phosphogypsum in construction One of the important features of the modern trends in engineering sciences is the destruction of the barriers between separate fields of engineering science and creation of new technologies in their interfaces. An accumulation of huge stocks of industrial by-products in developed countries plays the role of catalyzer of this process. Israel has recently joined the countries accumulating a significant amount of industrial by-products, including those containing slightly elevated amounts of radioactive impurities. The most known example is phosphogypsum by-product from phosphorous fertilizers production. This by-product is usually stockpiled within the special areas. The problem of phosphogypsum will become soon an international ecological problem, because a huge amount of it are accumulated in Florida, USA (more than 1 milliard (!) tons), in Europe, where the contaminated phosphogypsum is discharged into the Rhine river close to the North Sea, and in other parts of the world. Many valuable materials are lost in this by-product. Moreover, it must be emphasized that many of them will serve future generations as good raw materials in producing electrical energy, chemical, building, and other useful products. The building materials industry seems to be the largest among all the industries, which is able to reprocess the greatest amount of this industrial by-product and benefit man. However, the key problem restraining the utilization of phosphogypsum in construction is radiological effect on the human population. 2. Radiological constraints of using phosphogypsum and other industrial by-products in construction As can be seen from Table 1 adopted from [1], radioactivity concentrations found in phosphogypsum and in some other industrial by-products are often significantly higher in comparison with most common building materials. Table 1 : Typical and maximum activity concentrations in common building materials and industrial by-products used for building materials in the EU Typical activity concentration (Bq/kg) Radium equivalent Maximum activity concentration (Bq/kg) Radium equivalent Material Ra Th K Bq/kg pCi/g Ra Th K Bq/kg pCi/g Most common building materials (may include by-products) Concrete 40 30 400 114 3.1 240 19

The increasing number of new construction projects requiring high-quality building products, which, in turn, emit enormous amounts of CO2, runs counter to European and global climate goals. The increasing occupation of valuable landfill space is also an ecological problem. To meet these challenges without having to lower living standards, more ecological building materials should be used in the future. Geopolymers or alkali-activated materials, which, unlike conventional building materials, can be produced and used without a prior burning or calcination process, offer a comparatively low-CO2 alternative. Significant CO2 emissions can already be saved by using this technology. The aim of this work is to investigate whether geopolymers can also be produced from construction and demolition residuals generated by the construction industry in order to counteract the problem of the increasing use of landfill space and, at the same time, to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the production of building materials. For this purpose, various residual materials from the construction and demolition industry are investigated by means of XRF, XRD, and IR spectroscopy for their setting behavior by alkaline activation. At the same time, the characteristic values of compressive strength, flexural strength, bulk density, and thermal conductivity, which are important for building materials, are determined in order to test the possible applications of the resulting materials as building materials.

It’s well known that due to increase in population and abundant use of materials, there is a scarcity of materials in the construction industry. In this modern era, people prefer to have a modern construction which made usage of conventional building materials abundantly. Though increase in the usage of these materials leads to the scarcity, it also opens way for an unsustainable environment. In order to overcome this both scarcity and environmental issue and to develop an eco-friendly environment, many researchers were going on to replace these building materials by any other natural material. Bamboo is one of the exact alternative materials to be replaced in the construction industry because of its mechanical and chemical properties. Bamboo has a major application in the construction industry and used in roofs, flooring, foundations, trusses etc. Bamboo is preferred as the best sustainable material and suggested for low cost housing projects. In this paper all the physical and mechanical properties of bamboo reinforced structural elements, influence of bamboo materials in cement and geopolymer concrete is reviewed.

Material choice is critical for ensuring sustainability in the construction industry. Higher carbon embodiment materials contribute towards greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Decisions on sustainable material selection depend on multiple criteria and variables, thus creating a difficulty to determine the best choice. Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques have the potential to address this challenge. However, there is limited data that reviews MCDM in choosing building and construction materials. This study aims to review the MCDM methods employed in the sustainable selection of building materials within the construction industry. This systematic literature review (SLR) incorporates meta-analysis and thematic mapping through applying “PRISMA framework” and “Bibliometrix”, respectively. This study explored and analysed the records published from 2010 to 2023. This work identified the critical steps for addressing decision problems in building material selection: Establishing criteria, ranking the hierarchy, comparing the selection criteria, and enabling consistency indices. Moreover, one of the most used MCDM methods, i.e. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was particularly found particularly useful for the selection criteria and weight assignment of variables regarding the waste, recycled, and composite materials. The involvement of several criteria and alternatives raised the complexity of decision problems, leading to the use of Hybrid MCDM. Hybrid MCDM techniques possess the capacity guide informed decisions for the sustainable material selection in the construction industry.

Fungal growth, commonly known as mould, poses a significant challenge in humid tropical climates, especially in coastal regions where moisture retention is high. This study evaluated the extent of fungal colonisation of various building materials used in traditional and modern residential structures across coastal Karnataka. Field investigations were conducted through surveys, visual inspections, and microscopic analyses in locations such as Udupi, Manipal, Kaup and Barkur. This research aimed to identify susceptible materials, characterise dominant fungal species, and assess the health impacts on occupants. In this study, a contrast was observed between modern and traditional constructions: certain materials and architectural features appeared more resistant to moisture-related deterioration. In our sample, occupant-reported symptoms (sneezing, coughing and musty odours) were more frequently reported in buildings finished with cement-based materials. This study underscores the importance of material selection and passive design strategies in mitigating fungal proliferation and promoting healthier indoor environments, while enhancing the durability of buildings in monsoon-affected coastal regions.

The object of research is the construction industry in Latvia. This branch of the national economy of Latvia has experienced significant downturns and ups in recent years. The study of the causes and consequences of these fluctuations is important for the country's economy. Among the significant shortcomings can be called a high level of shadow economy in construction, the use of poor-quality building materials, a shortage of labor at all levels of the industry, a long bureaucratic way in the preparation of documents. Improvement of the Latvian construction industry is possible with the involvement of foreign experience. On an example of the countries of Scandinavia one of the important stages of formation of qualitative and ecological construction is considered. In the Nordic countries, since 1989, a system of eco-labeling of buildings has been applied to buildings commissioned. These documents confirm the use of high-quality building materials, energy efficiency of the building, certification of the company and used materials. Documents on eco-labeling are necessary for residential buildings, private houses and all types of educational institutions and kindergartens. This means that only materials that have been rigorously selected for quality and chemical composition are used for construction. Using the experience of working with Scandinavian clients, the author has studied the experience of implementing the eco-labeling system of buildings, as well as collected the necessary information to study the research topic and determine the approaches to the Nordic experience in the construction industry in Latvia. The introduction of eco-labeling of buildings and passports into private homes, multi-storey residential buildings, schools, kindergartens and other educational institutions will lead to the use of better construction materials and also to an understanding of the responsibility of general construction contractors, construction companies, and suppliers of building materials. Also, the use of environmental building materials in residential and educational institutions will lead to better health of the population, in particular, to reducing allergies and diseases of the respiratory system. The introduction of eco-labels and passports for buildings should be introduced at the state level, and the requirements of the European Union for the use of environmental materials in construction should be adapted for Latvia. It is important to competently and systematically develop a model for the introduction of modern management approaches to the construction industry based on the experience of advanced countries. Toughening requirements for all stages of the construction process, using safe building materials, as well as strengthening labor protection requirements, will improve the quality of the entire construction industry as a whole. The introduction of eco-labeling systems will take time, but will lead to positive results.

Introduction. In construction science, the name of Professor Boris Grigoryevich Skramtaev is widely known to the engineering community of the country and far beyond its borders. He actively participated in the formation and development of the Russian scientific school of concrete and reinforced concrete. The construction industry actively implemented the innovation of researcher Skramtaev and his colleagues, using precast concrete proposed by scientists on large-scale construction sites, introducing new types of cements developed by them for the construction of residential and industrial facilities.
 
 In Boris Grigoryevich's informative biography, in addition to research on hydraulic engineering, coarse-porous and high-strength concretes, participation in the development of inorganic binders is vividly reflected. He devoted a lot of time and effort to leading research teams, the results of which are impressive by today's standards. Thus, during the difficult for the country war period, scientists under the leadership of Professor Boris Grigoryevich Skramtaev contributed to the full and timely provision of domestic industry with building materials, primarily high-quality concrete and reinforced concrete, even in extremely difficult periods for the construction industry during the Great Patriotic War and the post-war restoration of the national economy.
 
 The aim of this article is to conduct an author's analysis of the fruitful scientific activity of Professor B.G. Skramtaev, to confirm his talent as a leader of research teams. To trace the biography of the outstanding Russian scientist Boris Grigoryevich Skramtaev, the founder of the Russian school of reinforced concrete, who made a great contribution to the creation of modern building materials, various types of concrete, which were actively used in the construction industry.
 
 Results. The article examines and analyzes the newly discovered biographical data about Professor B.G. Skramtaev, analyzes the influence of the environment in which the scientist's worldview was formed, the motives of his active and fruitful activity in the field of concrete science. For the first time, the responses of representatives of the scientific community and heads of interested ministries of the country about B.G. Skramtaev's popular textbook "Building Materials", which has undergone five reprints, has become a reference book for several generations of students and engineers.
 
 Conclusions. The source base of the research has been expanded, archival documents and materials that were previously unknown or little known to the scientific community have been introduced into scientific circulation. Several materials have been found confirming the heuristic outstanding abilities of researcher B.G. Skramtaev in the field of concrete science.
 
 The role and place of scientific activity of Professor B.G. Skramtaev as a theorist on the creation of new promising concretes and mixtures for the construction industry are determined.
 
 In the article, the scientist B.G. Skramtaev is shown as a versatile and in-depth researcher, the author of numerous textbooks and monographs, relevant articles on the topics he studies. For example, his 1952 textbook "Building Materials" reflects the priority of Russian science and technology more fully than previous editions. It presents the achievements of Soviet construction materials technology and changes in outdated terminology on building materials. The fifth edition provides new data on materials and reinforced concrete parts for prefabricated construction, takes into account the basic principles of the draft Schedule, replenishes the section "Achievements of domestic science and practice", reflects the works successfully implemented in practice in 1950–1952, including personal works of the authors, especially in the field of new cements, concrete technology and building solutions.
 
 The conclusions obtained as a result of the analysis of the material contribute to the study of the originality of the versatile personality of B.G. Skramtaev, his phenomenon in scientific thought in the field of concrete science and building materials in the period of the 1930s–1960s.

Review of energy efficient features in vernacular architecture for improving indoor thermal comfort conditions

The III International Scientific and Practical Conference “Advanced Building Materials and Technologies” (MCMT2020) is devoted to considering the latest experience in scientific and innovative activities in the field of building materials and technologies, discussing modern scientific achievements and world trends in the use of local raw materials for the construction industry, the formation of a comfortable urban environment and economic aspects in construction. The conference was organized by the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University and became a traditional platform for discussing modern issues of the construction industry development with the invitation of leading experts from Russia, Australia, Armenia, Belarus, Germany, China, Lithuania, Mongolia, Poland and the Czech Republic.The topics of reports at the conference are presented in three main areas: Actual issues of building materials science, Actual issues of design of building structures, Environmental and economic aspects of construction in the formation of a comfortable urban environment. The following topics are considered: aspects of the development of building materials science, issues of mechanical behavior of elements of building structures and ways of their optimization, important aspects of ecology and safety of development of urban areas, promising approaches to making management decisions and minimizing risks in the construction industry.The Conference proceedings contain selected articles that represent the significant results of the conference. We are grateful to all authors who recognized MCMT2020 as a suitable forum to present their latest developments and learn about new trends in the field of engineering and construction technology.In a difficult epidemiological situation, it was possible to unite the world’s leading specialists in the construction industry. The organizing committee of the conference expresses its sincere gratitude for all-round assistance and support to the Rector’s office of the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, to Rector of the Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, to the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Kaliningrad Region, LLC Proftechnologies, LLC Technoservice, Stachema Polska, Stieblich Hallenbau GmbH Germany.We would like to express our gratitude to all reviewers and topic editors for their important work, which has ensured the high quality of scientific reports.Last but not least, we sincerely thank the entire team that participated in organizing the MCMT2020 conference.The chairman of Program Committee Prof. Maria A. Dmitrieva Conference Coordinators Associate Prof. Lidya V. Shershova - vice-chairman of the Organizing Committee, Head of the Center for Precision Construction Equipment, IKBFU, Kaliningrad, Russian Federation. Prof. Maria A. Dmitrieva - vice-chairman of the Organizing Committee, Head of the Department of Urban Planning, Land Management and Design IKBFU, Kaliningrad, Russian Federation. Anastasiia V. Sharanova - secretary of the organizing committee, Head of the Laboratory of Building Materials, IKBFU, Kaliningrad, Russian Fedearation.

Nanotechnology, defined as the science of very small matter called nanomaterial, comprises the study of chemical and physical properties of particles which are structured in sizes ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers. At this size range, nanomaterial exhibits superior chemical and physical characteristics as compared to those displayed while existing in normal size. To date, multiple nanotechnology research centers within the United States are investigating the potential use of different types of nanoparticles as carbon nanotubes (CNT) in the construction industry to attain superior characteristics of building materials, improve their durability and increase the life span of different structures, and minimize the life cycle cost of construction projects. The major impediments to the widespread implementation of nanotechnology include high nanomaterial cost, lack of industrial experience, and absence of standard specifications for building materials incorporating nanoparticles. This research paper presents a review for the advance in nanotechnology applications in the construction industry in the United States, current research and industrial projects regarding nanoparticles incorporation in building materials as cement, attained advantages as concrete high tensile strength, lower permeability, and improved long-term performance. In addition, the challenges impeding further development of nanotechnology in construction research and industry are overviewed. Significant achievements are anticipated for the near future due to the growing attention of the nanotechnology on a state and federal level within the United States.