Selection Of Building Materials Research Articles

Supporting sustainability assessment of building element materials using a BIM-plug-in for multi-criteria decision-making

The environmental crisis requires the immediate implementation of accurate and robust sustainable solutions throughout the building life cycle. Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) is a scientifically recognised method that integrates the triple dimensions of the life cycle approach, and thereby enabling the evaluation of the performance of mitigation strategies implemented in building projects. However, implementing the LCSA in buildings is limited by the weighting of environmental, economic, and social dimensions to select the best option regarding the numerous materials available. In order to fill this knowledge gap, the paper aims to present the developed Smart BIM3LCA tool, which supports multi-dimensional assessment during the project´s early design steps. Automatic integration of the LCSA, a multi-criteria decision-making tool such as TOPSIS, and building information modelling (BIM), was developed to support the selection of building materials. The BIM plug-in was then validated through its application to a multi-family residential building to select the most sustainable materials during the project´s early design stage.

Urban Planning Strategies for Coastal Cities in China in Response to Climate Change

Global climate change has increasingly posed a serious threat to coastal cities, rendering them particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of rising sea levels, more frequent and intense extreme weather events, and the shifting patterns of climate. Traditional urban planning methods, which had been the cornerstone of city development, were found to be inadequate in addressing these escalating challenges. The previous studies often failed to account for the critical importance of integrating climate factors into the planning process, leading to vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure and design. This study meticulously examined the limitations of these conventional urban planning approaches and explored the potential for adapting urban planning strategies in Chinas coastal cities to better respond to the looming threat of climate change. By conducting a thorough analysis of the impacts of high temperatures, floods, and other climate-related events, the study proposed a comprehensive series of response measures tailored to the specific conditions of the time. These measures included the integration of green policies into urban planning to enhance environmental sustainability, the strategic selection of building materials aimed at mitigating urban heat, and the enhancement of water resource management systems to alleviate the urban heat island effect. Moreover, the study closely investigated existing climate response measures through detailed case studies in Xiamen and Dalian, two prominent coastal cities in China. The primary objective was to significantly enhance the resilience of these cities, effectively reduce the risks associated with climate change, and promote a path towards sustainable development. Ultimately, the goal was to create more livable, safer, and sustainable urban environments that would be better equipped to face the challenges posed by an unpredictable climate future.

Criteria in Building Material Selection and The Role of Sustainability

Buildings have become the focal point of sustainability because they consume large amounts of natural resources, especially materials and energy, and produce waste throughout their life cycle. Efforts to make buildings sustainable begin with the sustainability of the materials that govern most of the construction management process. In this study, an attempt was made to determine the importance levels of the criteria to be considered in the sustainability of building materials. For this purpose, a survey study was conducted to evaluate the importance of 25 criteria, grouped under the headings of environmental, social, and economic criteria, in terms of sustainability. The survey was conducted with the participation of 50 people from different professions and with different demographic characteristics, and whether participant opinions differed according to demographic characteristics was examined through inferential analyses. The inferential analyses revealed that the views differed for the work experience and only on economic criteria, and that there was no differentiation according to gender, age, education level and profession. For this reason, it was decided that the results could be generalized, and the relative importance values of the criteria were determined. While water conservation ranks first among all criteria, including environmental, accessibility among social criteria and long-term savings among economic criteria have been determined to be the most important criteria. The results revealed which criteria should be taken into consideration in the sustainability of building materials in order to make the construction industry more sustainable. In this respect, it is evaluated that the study will be a guide for governments, local governments, building material manufacturers, designers, contractors and ultimately users.

The role of building mass configuration and material selection for mitigating the intensity of the urban heat island

The knowledge of urban heat island (UHI) mitigation for the materials and geometry of urban areas requires enrichment. This study compares to the thermal conditions on two different building mass configurations (Superblock and horizontal residential areas), that involve geometry aspect (density, orientation) and materials aspect (softscape, pavement, roof, wall). A surface urban heat island (SUHI) survey was conducted using Landsat thermal imagery, followed by ground surveys in selected areas. Data collected in both areas included air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, and globe temperature area. The results show that the superblock configuration had a low SUHI intensity due to the proportional orientation of East-West-North-South (0.56–0.44) and large shading (average of 0.31 m2). In contrast, in the dense residential areas, the intensity of SUHI was high because the proportion of East-West walls was wider than North-South (0.8–0.2), and the shading was low (average of 0.15–0.16 m2). Façade and ground heating occurred owing to the use of heavy-weight materials, which was indicated in the thermal imagery, with a solar heating index in a vertical cluster mass configuration of 21.7 and a horizontal grid of 55.9. Convective cooling occurred in a vertical geometry because the buildings generated turbulence that removed warm air, whereas it did not occur in a horizontal geometry. The convective cooling index for the vertical cluster mass configuration was 0.62, whereas that for the horizontal grid configuration was 0.09. This indicates that regional planning must incorporate geometric and material considerations to control the urban thermal environments.

Unveiling the Potential of AI Assistants: A Review of AI in Building Materials Selection

Unveiling the Potential of AI Assistants: A Review of AI in Building Materials Selection

Ecuadorian Woods: Building Material Selection Using an Entropy-COPRAS Comparative Analysis Based on the Characterization of Ecuadorian Oak and Guayacan Timber.

Considering that global awareness for sustainable development has risen to face environmental damages, different building materials have been considered from a mechanical perspective. In this sense, considering the richness of South America regarding its woods, the Guayacan and the Ecuadorian oak timbers have not been previously characterized. The present research has performed mechanical, thermal, and moisture content characterizations to acknowledge the benefits of considering these materials for the building industries. In this sense, Guayacan has been shown to have lower thermal conductivity, making it ideal for thermal insulation; the oak from Manabi showed the best compressive strength; while the oak from El Oro stands with the best tensile strength; and the oak from Loja showed the best modulus of elasticity. On the other hand, all the materials were compared by multicriteria decision methods to select the best, by using the COPRAS method driven by the objective entropy-weighted method, showing that the oak from Loja is the best choice considering the advantage that presents with the modulus of elasticity. In this sense, it is concluded that regarding the mechanical properties, there is not much difference for the compression, bending, and tensile strength; nevertheless, for the modulus of elasticity the oak from Loja stands out, making it a factor to be considered in the selection of a wood for building applications that is corroborated through multicriteria decision methods.

Selection of Building Materials Using Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process

Introduction Building materials play a vital role in the construction industry as they are directly related to quality, cost, constructability, and location-specific availability of material and skill. Selection of building materials is critical when there are too many alternatives. Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques are widely used to make such decisions simpler. For accurate decision-making, the selection of the appropriate MCDM method is very important. Most of the researchers used TOPSIS or AHP as MCDM techniques for decision-making in the construction industry. Methods In the present study, the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used as an MCDM technique. The criteria and alternatives were identified for decision-making. The alternatives selected were locations specific to Hanamkonda, Telangana state, India. The criteria and alternatives were chosen for the building materials like cement, bricks, sand, doors, pipes, and tiles. The weights were calculated for each alternative fuzzy AHP geometric mean method. The weights of alternatives were evaluated and ranked. Results The best materials for cement, bricks, sand, doors, pipes, and tiles were Portland pozzolana, burnt clay bricks, river sand, UPVC, UPVC/CPVC, and marble, respectively. Conclusion Thus, building materials can be selected using fuzzy AHP by the client for the successful execution of a project based on his/her preferences and the location of that project.

UNRAVELING THE INFLUENCE OF BUILDING MATERIALS CRITERIA (BMC) ON HOTEL’S OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

The core business of hotels lies in the hotel buildings design and its service operation. As the hotels are concentrating more on aesthetics values as one aspect of perceived experiential value, a careful selection of materials is urgently needed for hotel sectors. It is important to identify the crucial criteria in choosing building materials towards the hotel’s operational sustainability. Thus, this paper aims to analyze the significance level building materials criteria (BMC) towards hotel’s operational sustainability. A quantitative approach was adopted via questionnaire surveys to 116 operation and maintenance manager that worked in 29 green rated hotels throughout Malaysia. The data is analysed using SmartPLS 4, a software with graphical user interface for variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) using the partial least squares (PLS) path modeling method. Results from the SEM-PLS has supported three (3) hypothesis, that confirmed the manufacturers criteria, health criteria and resource management criteria, as the BMC variables has significance relationship towards hotel’s operational sustainability. This study significantly helps the developers, hoteliers, stakeholders, consultants, and designers to be aware of the applicability and suitability to be used in their projects. The findings provide practical insights for hotel operators and managers, offering guidance on selecting building materials aligned with sustainability goals. This operational focus can aid hotels in making informed decisions that enhance their overall sustainability performance.

Enhancing BIM Integration: A Comparative Analysis of Novel Composite Structure Documentation Methods

The proper selection and planning of building materials are crucial tasks in architectural design, as they fundamentally impact the functioning of the structure. In traditional design processes, this information is recorded in text form, typically using word processing software. However, this approach hinders the integration with modern, data-driven design methods and is incompatible with the increasingly popular building information modeling (BIM) processes. To address this, two new methods have been developed: one database-like method in the form of an Excel spreadsheet and the other as a dedicated web application. This article introduces and compares these methods based on pilot projects conducted by university students and an expert. Based on the results of the study conducted among students and expert, the database-like method proves to be the fastest. For students, creating a composite structure took an average of 14–20 min, while for experts, it took an average of 1.2 min. According to the evaluation of participants, the traditional method does not facilitate automatic communication with BIM, while both the database and web solutions promote it. The web-based solution, with its dedicated layout and functionality, offers additional advantages in this regard. The research underscores the importance of structured data in BIM and proposes new methods to streamline composite documentation processes during the design phase.

Simulation Training Using DIALux Evo Software for Estimation of Visual Comfort Level of a Building

This community outreach aims to conduct simulation training using DIALux Evo to estimate the visual comfort level in a room. Visual comfort is a crucial aspect of building design and management that can impact the occupant’s health, comfort, and productivity. However, it is often challenging for interior designers to accurately estimate the level of visual comfort. This activity involves the application of simulation technology using DIALux Evo. Participants will be provided with knowledge and skills in operating this software, covering tasks from designing rooms, placing objects, selecting building materials, and choosing artificial lighting, to analyzing, and visualizing the lighting level in a room, also will study SNI related to visual comfort. The program’s outcomes provide participants with the knowledge and skills to use DIALux Evo in estimating the visual comfort level before implementation. Finally, they can optimize space design, ensure appropriate lighting quality, and enhance the occupant’s comfort and health.

ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN HOT-DRY AND HOT-HUMID REGIONS OF IRAN

Iran is characterized by a diverse climate spectrum, covering a temperate and humid climate in the north of the country and in the coastal areas of the Caspian Sea, a cold climate in the west and in the Zagros mountain range, as well as hot dry and hot-humid conditions prevailing in the central part , in the east, in the Persian Gulf region and in the south of the country. This article focuses on the analysis of architectural features of school buildings in hot-dry and hot-humid regions of Iran, taking into account the specifics of the climate of these areas. The main attention is paid to effective orientation of buildings in relation to the sun, optimization of air conditioning systems, adaptation of lighting to the needs of educational spaces, use of green spaces to create shading, as well as selection of the form and design of school interiors and selection of appropriate building materials. Architectural solutions determined by the climatic features of these regions are being considered in order to increase energy efficiency and ensure user comfort. Considering that schools belong to the category of buildings with a high level of energy consumption, such as electricity, water and gas, adaptation of architectural design to climatic conditions can significantly reduce energy costs. The article offers an overview of suitable climate-adapted architectural solutions for school buildings in certain regions of Iran, emphasizing the importance of an integrated design approach in the context of modern requirements for energy efficiency and sustainable development.

SM-BIM: A NEW CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION-MAKING PROCESS BASED ON SMART MATERIALS AND BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING

ABSTRACT Because the construction sector exerts a considerable environmental effect, especially on building materials, a growing interest in environmental design and construction has emerged. The United Nations has set sustainable development goals (SDGs) for 2030 to protect the environment, including energy conservation and doubling the global rate of improving energy efficiency, because building materials significantly affect energy consumption. Thus, building-material selection at the initial design phase is critical, and random selection of building materials often involves subjectivity, uncertainty, and ambiguity. This process costs time and resources while resulting in the inefficient environmental performance of buildings. Therefore, this study proposes the use of building-information modeling (BIM) as a tool because of its importance in attaining sustainability to aid in the selection process of smart materials (SMs) based on specified criteria and make the selection process faster and more accurate. This method is accomplished through a theoretical study of SMs and using a conceptual framework through four phases for multicriteria decision-making to improve energy efficiency and reduce the energy consumption of buildings. To pursue SDG 7, a theoretical and deductive approach is used.

Determining the importance levels of criteria in selection of sustainable building materials and obstacles in their use

The construction industry has become the focal point of sustainability as one of the largest con- sumers of natural resources and waste producers. A sustainable construction industry is possible with the sustainability of building materials, which is the main factor controlling the construc- tion management process. In this research, the importance levels of a total of 17 criteria under the headings of economic, environmental, and social sustainability in terms of sustainability of building materials and the importance levels of 11 obstacles to the use of sustainable materials were investigated through a survey conducted with the participation of 60 people. Whether there were differences between the participants’ opinions was investigated through inferential analysis. In ranking criteria according to their importance level, the health of workers and cit- izens, safety in construction and operation, and toxic emissions took the first three places. The risks of higher initial cost, total cost, and extra time are the biggest obstacles to using sustainable materials. In addition, the obstacles were subjected to factor analysis, and a model consisting of four factors was created. The study revealed the criteria for sustainable material selection and the barriers to sustainable material use in a holistic manner. In this respect, it is evaluated that it will be a guide for governments, local governments, building material manufacturers, designers, contractors, and ultimately users to achieve a more sustainable construction sector.

A discussion on the application of green building materials in the renovation of buildings

With the continuous improvement of peoples living standards, enhancing living conditions has gradually become a consensus for many. In addition to choosing new construction, the renovation of some old buildings has also gradually become a topic of discussion. In the process of building renovation, the selection of building materials has become a general concern. Green building materials are gradually entering the public eye, and green buildings have become a widely favored type of construction. The use of green building materials has become a trend. This paper, through introducing the concept, necessity, and characteristic advantages of green building materials, takes the example of the renovation design of an expert reception center to explore the feasibility of using green building materials in six aspects: building doors and windows, energy-saving glass, building walls, building insulation materials, decorative materials, and wood structure materials.

Optimizing building material selection: A machine learning approach for efficient concrete compressive strength forecasting

Price changes in construction materials have a significant impact on building construction projects. Such price variations occur at random and at varying rates over time. A system that can estimate the magnitude and quantity of the change in material prices with reasonable accuracy is required. The primary goal is to create a machine-learning model that can predict the type of building material chosen based on environmental factors. The compressive strength of concrete is critical in defining its mechanical qualities. Long laboratory testing is needed to determine the compressive strength of concrete. The capacity of powerful machine learning algorithms to forecast concrete compressive strength speeds up these lengthy experimental methods while also lowering expenses. This study provides abilities to precisely anticipate and categorize numerous qualities and traits of distinct materials. The framework includes a broad dataset that details materials, composition, and performance characteristics. Machine learning algorithms such as logistic regression (LR), decision trees (DT), and random forests (RF) train models on the training data. The models are hyper-parameter tweaked and feature developed to achieve the most outstanding performance. The k-fold method is used throughout the training and assessment phase to guarantee robustness and reduce bias. The F1 score and Receiver Operating Characteristic-Area Under Curve (ROC-AUC) curve are two performance measures used to measure how accurate and predictive the trained models are. The study findings provide insights into the qualities of the materials, facilitating improved material selection, quality assurance, and decision-making in the building sector. In the analyses, the best accuracy value was 99.92%, and the precision value was 88.83% using the LR algorithm. As a result, it was determined that the LR algorithm had the least execution 57.826 ms, and is thus the most suitable for use in concrete compressive strength estimation.

The Possibilities of the Actual Orientation of the Green Building in Iraq

This research covers the zone between Iraq and Iran. The first investigated region is the 'Mesopotamian Marshes' or Iraqi-Iran Marshes, it's a wetland zone located in southern Iraq and partly in southwestern Iran. The other region is a desert district which includes a prominent part of the southern and western parts of Iraq and part of Iran. The last is the center city of Basra. The building materials were the most important building element that affected the conformation of vernacular habitats In this study, we needed to focus on the effects of ecological and energy-efficiency processes in creating vernacular habitats and the selection of optimal building systems and materials in this part of the world which can be an essential point for sustainable environmental building processes in the future. Reeds, clay, straw, bricks, and wood were the most popular building materials used by builders from this region. The impact of building material on the environment embodies the essential method implicitly significant in this research to effectively determine traditional building materials in the environment in addition to comparative analysis which presents an essential factor of our analysis in addition to the impact of environments on building systems. The main target of this study is to benefit designers and building engineers in their pursuit to find optimal and competent solutions suitable for specific local microclimates using traditional methods in the design process that are sustainable and ecological.

Envelope Building Material Selection for Arid Climate with a Specific Maintainability - Design Approach: A Case Study on Governmental Office Building

Envelope Building Material Selection for Arid Climate with a Specific Maintainability - Design Approach: A Case Study on Governmental Office Building

Application of Soy Wax Phase Change Material as Thermal Energy Storage in Wall Building

High solar radiation in the tropics area buildings and inappropriate selection of building materials cause an increase in room temperature which interferes with thermal comfort. This study aims to reduce the absorption of heat received in the building with the modification of building walls by adding Phase Change Material (PCM) as Thermal Energy Storage (TES). Soy wax is an organic PCM that is abundant in Indonesia, cheap, and has a melting point of 43.92°C and a freezing point of 38.49°C, which are the range of solar heat radiation in buildings. The application of soy wax on the walls of the building is carried out using a prototype room 80x105x60 cm made of Plywood with a 1 cm thickness of soy wax in the middle of the wall. The test was carried out by comparing the prototype without and with a layer of soy wax pack on the wall. Based on the tests carried out for 24 hours, it was found that the addition of soy wax on the prototype wall can decrease the room temperature to 37°C from 41°C during the day. The use of soy wax can absorb the heat received by the building by 10% at peak load and has a small heat transfer rate of 15.56 W so the heat transferred into the room is small. Soy wax walls function as insulators on the walls and can withstand heat absorbed from outside the building so that it is not completely transferred into the room.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS IN CONSTRUCTION

The construction industry is one of the largest exploiters of both renewable and non- renewable natural resources. It was inevitable that it would find itself at the centre of concerns regarding environmental impact. The process and operation of building construction consumes a great deal of materials throughout its service life cycle. The selection and use of sustainable building materials play an important role in the design and construction of green building. This chapter sets out to present an overview of sustainable building materials and their impacts on the environment. Materials used for the structure of buildings require properties of strength, whereas other parts, such as the envelope, are selected for their insulation or aesthetic properties. Comparisons become more complex when materials perform more than one function such as load-bearing walls that provide good thermal insulation. There is also a need to distinguish between finite resources and renewable resources when reviewing the sustainability of a material. Some materials, despite being non-renewable may be considered plentiful on earth; however, the consequences and impacts of mining them may be considered unacceptable. The effect of construction material selection will impact upon sustainability throughout the lifetime of both the material and that of the building itself. The need to maintain the building, replacing individual components, disposing of the old, and procuring the new will have environmental impact from cradle to grave. Keywords: Sustainable material, concrete, maintain, selection, renewable resource

Experimental evaluation of combustion performance in the three main anatomical sections of poplar wood

ABSTRACT The interrelationship and organization between the axial and transversal systems gives rise to three main views, namely cross, radial and tangential sections. This study investigated the differences in combustion properties of the three main anatomical sections of poplar wood and explains the reasons for the differences regarding wood microstructure, pore structure, heat conduction, and microstructure after heat treatment. The thermal conductivity of poplar wood in the cross-section (Wood-CS) was 0.1864 W/m. K, exceeding those of the radial (Wood-RS) and tangential sections (Wood-TS) by 47% and 38%, respectively. In the cone calorimeter test (CC), the peak heat-release rate (pHRR) of Wood-CS samples was 92% and 73% higher than those of the Wood-RS and Wood-TS samples, respectively. This is attributed to the differences in microstructures and the occurrence of macropores in different anatomical sections. This study explored the combustion performance and mechanisms of wood samples in the three main sections, providing crucial theoretical insights for flame retardant impregnation levels in treating wood and aiding in the selection of fire-resistant wood-based building materials.