Selection Of Building Materials Research Articles

Optimizing architects’ building materials’ specification strategy through knowledge management principles

PurposeThis study aims to avail architects with the potentials of knowledge management (KM) principles towards an optimal and effective procedural mechanism for the choice of building materials during design and construction processes.Design/methodology/approachIn all, 202 questionnaire forms were distributed in a survey. They were administered to practicing architects and Architectural firms in Nigeria. Thereafter, ANOVA, regression analysis and exploratory factor analysis with reliability and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.861 identified KM principles in specification writing for architects.FindingsThese findings show that the building material selection procedure can be optimized with efficient and conscious consideration of KM principles imbibed by architects in tune with global trends. The study serves as a guide to architects and other stakeholders on the effect of KM principles in deepening reflectiveness of the surpassing role of effective KM in specification writing in the construction industry.Originality/valueThis is perhaps the first empirical research that sought to understudy knowledge sharing strategies in architectural firms within the context of the study location Nigeria. The value of the research lies in optimization of architects’ building materials’ specification strategy through KM principles.

Principal component analysis of factors influencing pricing decisions of building materials in Ghana

The key factors that greatly affect the selection of building materials are the cost and other related factors such as properties of the materials. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that influence the pricing decisions in determining the price level of building materials in Ghana. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to both construction practitioners and building material merchants to collect data in Kumasi metropolis, Accra metropolis and Sunyani municipal assembly in Ghana. Factor analysis was performed to identify the main factors that influence pricing decisions of building materials. Six main factors were identified: market-, producer-, production-, economic-, political- and environmental-related factors. It is recommended that the identified factors should be controlled by stakeholders who are concerned with the identified factors that contribute to prices of the building materials in order to prevent the increased prices of building material. The study contributes to the literature in the area of building materials management.

A Study of Design for Reduction and Monitoring of Volatile Organic Compounds in Indoor Air: the Case of a Commercial Bank in Japan

The prevention of sick building syndrome necessitates the design and construction of buildings that can maintain low concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). This study aims to determine whether VOC concentrations in a new commercial bank can be reduced through the selection of building materials and monitoring of construction processes. The building was designed and constructed with close attention to the selection of architectural materials and supervision of construction. Twice during construction, indoor air samples were collected and their chemical compositions determined. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) guideline concentrations for VOCs were not exceeded for any of the specified chemicals, including toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, p-dichlorobenzene, tetradecane, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde. After construction, the total VOC concentration was 104 μg/m3. This value is substantially lower than the target value of 400 μg/m3 recommended by the MHLW. Construction of a bank building with low concentrations of indoor chemical substances can be achieved through the proper selection of architectural materials and construction site supervision.

Embodied Energy Assessment of Building Materials Used : Case Study Northern Cyprus

It is a well-known fact that global warming is the extraordinary threat facing the world. The main reasons of these are human activities. Human beings have been contributing to the global warming in different ways for many years. Right material and product selection are some of the most important factors in the process of eliminating the negative effects of constructions on the natural environment and users. The life cycle of building materials involves the processes in which the products are extracted from the source. These processes are the stages of production, transportation, construction, use, demolition and destruction. Making wrong decisions in the selection and use of building materials may cause negative effects in the environment. The major purpose of this study is to to examine the embodied energy of of the traditional and comtemporary building materials according to the characteristics of the local climate. It will answer the question of; “What the embodied energy of a house was in the past and now” in Northern Cyprus. It will help to find out building materials with low embodied energy. There is no published database prepared for or in Northern Cyprus. In order to measure and evaluate the embodied energy of buildings and construction products in the world, there are no integrated systems in the Northern Cyprus at this point, while different countries have unique systems depending on the environmental, economic and social conditions of those countries. Measuring and controlling the environmental performance of environmental development is essential for the sustainable development of the Northern Cyprus. By using the The Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE) program the embodied carbon statuses, embodied energy and transport energy and manufacture energy were discussed for each building material. As a result of this research it was found that locally produced or locally existing materials do not always give the best result in terms of embodied energy all the time. The energy consumption of building materials used in buildings and their associated carbon emissions will assist in the selection of environmentally friendly materials.

Alkylphenol and bisphenol A contamination of urban runoff: an evaluation of the emission potentials of various construction materials and automotive supplies.

Alkylphenol (AP) and bisphenol A (BPA) contamination of urban runoff has already been established. Potential sources of these contaminants in runoff are endogenous to the urban watershed and are mainly related to traffic and leaching from construction materials. This article summarizes the results of experimental work carried out on a selection of building materials, automotive materials, and consumables, which can be in contact with rain, to assess their potential emission of alkylphenols, alkylphenol ethoxylates, and bisphenol A into runoff. 36 samples of materials, new and used, across 7 major families of building materials (PVC, concrete, polycarbonate, SBS-modified bitumen, drainage materials) and automotive materials (body, tires) were subjected to leaching tests with methanol and then, for a selection of them, with water. Automotive fluids were also directly analyzed. The results demonstrate the ubiquitous presence of APs and BPA in urban materials and their extractable character with water. The compounds with the strongest emission rates were bisphenol A and nonylphenol. The most important BPA emissions into water (10 to 300ng/g) were measured for polycarbonate, tires, some car bodies, and PVC. Nonylphenol was leached in large quantities (1 to 10ng/g) from PVC, some concretes, SBS-modified bitumen, and body samples. The tires were the only materials having a strong emission in octylphenol (1 to 10ng/g). The analysis of automotive fluids confirmed the presence of BPA (0.3 to 5.5g/L) and nonylphenol (2.3 to 2.9mg/L) in brake fluids, while APs and BPA were found at trace levels in coolants and windscreen washer. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Development of a cellulose-based insulating composite material for green buildings: Case of treated organic waste (paper, cardboard, hash)

Buildings are responsible for 36% of the final energy consumption in Morocco [1-2], and a reduction of this energy consumption of buildings is a priority for the kingdom in order to reach its energy saving goals. One of the most effective actions to reduce energy consumption is the selection and development of innovative and efficient building materials [3]. In this work, we present an experimental study of the effect of adding treated organic waste (paper, cardboard, hash) on mechanical and thermal properties of cement and clay bricks. Thermal conductivity, specific heat and mechanical resistance were investigated in terms of content and size additives. Soaking time and drying temperature were also taken into account. The results reveal that thermal conductivity decreases as well in the case of the paper-cement mixture as that of the paper-clay and seems to stabilize around 40%. In the case of the composite paper-cement, it is found that, for an additives quantity exceeding 15%, the compressive strength exceeds the standard for the hollow non-load bearing masonry. However, the case of paper-clay mixture seems to give more interesting results, related to the compressive strength, for a mass composition of 15% in paper. Given the positive results achieved, it seems possible to use these composites for the construction of walls, ceilings and roofs of housing while minimizing the energy consumption of the building.

Green Building Materials Case Study of CIB Building Certification by Green Pyramid Rating System

The selection of building materials plays a key role to achieve the green buildings' targets. This paper presents the green building materials definition and its criteria of selection. It introduces the concept of the 'big 5' environmental impact categories, that have a fundamental impact on the earth's eco-system which are affected significantly by the materials selection. It explores the definitions and calculation methods for the impact of the building design on these big 5 categories includes: Global warming potential, Ozone depletion potential, Photochemical Ozone creation potential, Acidification potential and Eutrophication potential. Then the paper presents the evaluation criteria of the building materials according to the Egyptian Green Pyramid System showing the case study of CIB Building in Smart Village which was evaluated and accredit by GPRS version for banks and financial Institutions. The building has successfully achieved the highest Green level of GPRS. The conclusion shows that selection of building materials is an important issue which contributes in bringing dramatic improvements on the building performance and energy efficiency leading the way to greener buildings.

Investigating Factors Influencing Building Materials Selection in Nigerian Construction Industry

A building is a complex system and selecting appropriate building materials for a building project will have significant impact on the overall performance of building throughout its life cycle. This research therefore aim is to deepen the knowledge of building materials selection within Nigerian building sector, a task which is traditionally performed by architects. The research approach comprised of a questionnaire survey of the registered architects practicing in Nigerian construction industry. Purposive sampling techniques using maximum variation strategy were adopted for selecting the target survey respondents. The factors used to measure the selection of building materials are client’s demand, overall cost, climatic compliance, and maintenance demand. The Predictive Analysis Software (PASW) Statistics 17.0 (formerly SPSS statistics) was employed to analyse information from the survey. Empirical results indicate that maintenance demand is the most important factor that determines the selection of materials irrespective of the choice of client and climate. However, cost occupies a prominent role in the decision process. It also shows that most architects are not fully aware about the role of climate in determining the life cycle of materials in tropical environments. The compliance of materials to ever-changing climate does not constitute a major factor in the selection of materials in Nigeria.

Multi-criteria selection of building materials

Rational selection of building materials for their optimal performance and minimal environmental impact is complex, as materials are multi-functional. Beyond the primary function for which a material or product has been identified, such as insulation, the contribution to additional aspects of building performance may be conservatively overlooked. For example, important properties, such as latent and hygrothermal performance, are rarely considered when selecting insulation materials. Consequently, if materials are to be used optimally, there is a need for reliable and robust ranking methods based on a multi-criteria analysis. This will help to facilitate the most optimal selection of materials for building performance, environmental impact and occupant well-being. This paper describes four statistical methods of comparing and ranking different building materials. A critical appraisal of these methods is presented following implementation with a reference material data set. Finally, recommendations for future development and adoption of material selection tools are outlined.

العمارة والطاقة وتحدیات العصر الحالى ( دراسة إشکالیة توفیر وإنتاج الطاقة فى المبانى)

The research discusses how to conserve energy in the building within the global trend, in response to the energy crisis, which is limited by the current energy sources, and increasing consumption, energy consumption in the construction sector represents a high percentage of total energy consumption in some countries, which puts on the shoulders architectural a great burden. That the design method has an effective role in energy conservation, both at the level of city planning through the construction sites and design, or at the design building and selection of building materials. Therefore, it was necessary to study and evaluate the relationship between architecture and energy by studying the extent of energy consumption and its impact on the environment and the steps taken to energy conservation in building, in this framework the research presents experience and models of energy-saving buildings and take advantage of them. - The research focuses on the study of the most important techniques to try to produce energy in addition to rationalization from renewable sources that do not adversely effect on the environment and how to employ it in the building, it is also interested in monitoring all types of renewable energies that are closely related to architecture, such as solar energy of different types, wind energy and others, And the possibility of setting rules for the architectural or environmental designer in dealing with these techniques, Which requires special specifications in the building that deals with it to provide or produce energy efficiently, The research has reached guidelines for energy saving and production frameworks that can be applied in buildings in the Egyptian environment.

The Future of Green Building Materials in Egypt: A Framework for Action

Sustainable development has become a significant worldwide concern. The past few years have seen a lot of changes. Some of these affect how we do approach - and how we should approach - environmental issues. Because of their adverse impacts to sustainability, knowledge about building materials became a crucial dimension of green change in building and design. The problem is that in Egypt there is still no database for green building ma-terials. In spite that there are currently over 120 international green labelling programs for building materials worldwide, they cannot be locally used. This is because building materials and the way they are extracted, manufactured, used, transported, recycled or disposed differ from country to country. All these factors result in insufficiency of data & information on green building materials and those who are involved in the design, construction & man-agement of building materials are acutely lacking the basic information on materials that would allow them to make constructive changes. That's why the introduction of a system for specification, assessment & se-lection of green building materials is considered to be one of the corner-stones of promoting sustainable green building development in Egypt as an attempt to fulfil Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals developed by the United Nations to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by 2030. The aim of the research is to develop a framework for a system for evaluat-ing sustainability of building materials in Egypt to achieve greener steps to-wards sustainability with a new way of scoring sustainability of building materials that evaluates both positive & negative ecological, social & health and economic impacts through the whole life cycle. This system could be applied in the development of the New Cites that considers the unique chal-lenges of the region and the local market and could be applied all over the country taking into consideration the nature of each region with its available building materials and specific climatic conditions and the different regional priorities and requirements. The research was based on an inductive approach through studying & analy-sis of the life cycle of the building materials, the different aspects and crite-ria for the evaluation of green building materials, currently available re-sources of information about building materials in Egypt and the interna-tional & national reference values & benchmarks that could be used as a base for the new system. Findings will lead to a proposed framework of a system for specification and assessment of green building materials in Egypt. This framework de-scribes all the kind of information required and the procedures that should be taken for the development of the system from collecting data till the es-tablishment of online guide for green building materials and a digital library for accessible and reliable information on green building materials that ena-bles building designers, constructors and developers to make reasoned choices based upon the health & environmental impacts of their decisions and eases the use & selection of Green Building materials in Egypt over the coming years.

Assessment of material related embodied carbon of an office building in Sri Lanka

Buildings, due to their significant environmental footprint, are major contributors to global energy use and carbon emission. Although buildings consume more than 50% of raw materials in the construction sector of Sri Lanka, there is a notable lack of building energy and carbon related studies based on the country. The present study assesses the embodied carbon of a commercial office building in Sri Lanka, focusing on the material production phase of the building life cycle. The embodied carbon in the material production phase was found to be 629.6 kgCO2/m2 of the gross floor area of the building. Reinforced concrete and clay bricks are the major carbon emitting materials contributing to more than 70% of the total embodied carbon. It was found that in selecting building materials, both the mass materials and high carbon emitting materials should be given special attention. The study identified several important strategies for the reduction of embodied energy and carbon of buildings in Sri Lanka. Taking a proactive approach in mitigating embodied energy and carbon impacts of buildings will lead to energy efficient and low-carbon buildings, enabling Sri Lanka to take part in overcoming the global environmental challenges in future.

Test Results of a Non-Toxic Home

Background/Aim: People are exposed to the indoor environment of homes for as much as 90% of each day. Yet few epidemiological studies include homes. Could a “tight” house (low air changes per hour) built with routine methods – except for careful selection of low toxicity materials and systems – result in pollutants below the various recommended thresholds, as verified by routine industry test methods? Would a continuous ventilation system reduce any excess levels to below the recommended thresholds? Methods: Low toxicity building materials were selected according to manufacturer supplied information from specifications, product labels, and Safety Data Sheets. More sophisticated selection methods were not included. Measurements were after construction, 48 hours of ventilation, and then 48 hours with the house closed. Routine industrial testing occurred before occupancy. Pollutants focused on VOCs, CO2, and particle counts. Plus, professional sensors with data logging continued for 5 days. After the first 24 hours, the ventilation was turned off. After another 48 hours, the ventilation was turned on. Results: When the ventilation was off formaldehyde exceeded the recommended levels by 5 times. Several VOCs were above thresholds with one notably 29 times higher. Of the 28 possible chemicals, 22 were detected – only 2 of which were included in the manufacturer supplied information. All levels quickly dropped to below suggested thresholds when the ventilation was turned on. Conclusions: Careful selection of building materials did not result in pollutant levels below recommended thresholds. Information supplied by manufacturers were not always accurate or inclusive. It is therefore unlikely that lower exposure houses can be built simply by controlling building materials. Mechanical ventilation reduced the pollutants to below recommended thresholds. Additional studies of multiple houses of both controlled houses and uncontrolled houses, over time is needed for a more detailed profile.

The economic and technological efciency of building producton in view of contemporary industrial building materials

Efficiency of construction production, economic category, expressing the achievement of construction and installation organizations the greatest result of production while minimizing the cost of material and labor resources. This publication examines the possibility of improving the efficiency of construction production through the use of innovative building materials and methods of their application. The methodological problem of the use of building materials, their choice depending on the long-term economic prospects. The questions of risk and uncertainty in the selection of effective building materials are considered.

Interior surface materials as sources of indoor hygiene defects

The building design and material selection has to respect the environmental requirements of indoor air quality and indoor hygiene parameters. As the first stage of building design is the most important for final indoor air quality more and more by clear constructional architecture the benefit of environmental safety, good indoor air quality for health and productivity are dominant. Nowadays the interior surface materials have received greatest attention as sources of indoor air pollution. The major pollutants in indoor air are volatile organic compounds emitted from materials and building products. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are among the most complex and troubling indoor air pollutants. Manufactured and synthesized products often release large quantities of VOCs, some of the compounds they release, such as benzene, styrene, formaldehyde, and toluene, may be irritating, toxic, or even carcinogenic. VOCs emitted can become attached to other surfaces in the space, especially fabrics, and then be re-emitted over time. The impact of interior surface materials on air quality and indoor hygiene is discussed within the paper. The building design concerning to heath of occupants and hygienic performance regime can be realized only by interdisciplinary team of professionals respecting the environmental building and indoor design.

Multi-criteria analysis of the construction technologies in the aspect of sustainable development

The complexity of sustainability complicates the design work and requires the implementation of Integrated Life Cycle Design. Due to the need of balance between environmental, social and economic aspects and the multitude of analysis indicators, the assessment of existing buildings is a multi-criteria problem too. The aim of the study is to compare three construction technologies – two traditional solutions and an innovative technology – in the aspect of sustainable development. The assessment was limited to the building envelope materials and included in entirety of 13 environmental, social and economic indicators, characteristic for the first stage of building life cycle. The absence of explicit dominance of one technology over another in terms of these factors was a starting point for the multi-criteria analysis. Based on the comparison of given technologies by WSM and TOPSIS methods, the multi-criteria analysis was carried out and the most advantageous technology was indicated. The results allow for an indirect selection of building materials to fulfil the sustainability requirements for the building.

Study on the Influence of Building Materials on Indoor Pollutants and Pollution Sources

The paper summarizes the achievements and problems of indoor air quality research at home and abroad. The pollutants and pollution sources in the room are analyzed systematically. The types of building materials and pollutants are also discussed. The physical and chemical properties and health effects of main pollutants were analyzed and studied. According to the principle of mass balance, the basic mathematical model of indoor air quality is established. Considering the release rate of pollutants and indoor ventilation, a mathematical model for predicting the concentration of indoor air pollutants is derived. The model can be used to analyze and describe the variation of pollutant concentration in indoor air, and to predict and calculate the concentration of pollutants in indoor air at a certain time. The results show that the mathematical model established in this study can be used to analyze and predict the variation law of pollutant concentration in indoor air. The evaluation model can be used to evaluate the impact of indoor air quality and evaluation of current situation. Especially in the process of building and interior decoration, through pre-evaluation, it can provide reliable design parameters for selecting building materials and determining ventilation volume.

Evaluation of Experts’ Preferences for Selection of Suitable Industrialized Building Systems

Experts’ preferences for building material selection are a largely under-explored part of a material research. This study evaluates the experts’ preferences to identify the suitable industrialized building system for application in Addis Ababa. Ten industrialized building systems were considered as alternatives for comparison. These systems have been used in a housing development in different parts of the world. A relevant literature review and contextual analysis were conducted. An analytical hierarchy process and an Expert Choice Comparion platform were employed as a research technique and tool to evaluate the professionals’ level of preferences with regard to the housing systems. The findings revealed the most important preferential attributes and the suitable industrialized building systems for an application in housing development. The decision criteria and the experts’ preferential method used in this study can help decision-makers and housing developers in developing countries make effective evaluations and decisions.

How sustainable is disaster resilience?

PurposeThe intervention of many different organizations during the post-disaster housing reconstructions could also influence the sustainability of the overall socio-ecology of the affected areas. Different approaches in design, selection of building materials and construction technologies deployed in pursuit of disaster resiliency may cause undesirable adverse circumstances to the surroundings, which escalate its susceptibility to future calamities. Therefore, this paper aims to identify relevant key indicators which interpret construction sustainability in a post-disaster housing reconstruction context, and to further investigate the dynamic interactions of these indicators on the socio-ecological system to achieve holistic sustainable post-disaster housing reconstructions.Design/methodology/approachMethodology was divided into three main stages. The first stage involved content analysis of related research materials, whereas the second stage was allocated for empirical data collection from case study and interview sessions. Data obtained from the first and second stage were then used to develop a causal loop diagram in the third stage to identify dynamic interrelationships between the indicators and the variables within a post-disaster reconstruction system.FindingsFrom our results, the nexus of sustainability and disaster resilience is apparent and it is imperative to comprehend their dynamic interactions. The impacts of post-disaster reconstructions on the socio-ecological system are significant. Therefore, the adaptation of integrated sustainable construction approach in the housing reconstruction practice through system thinking will foster a holistic approach in the decision-making process and could reduce environmental damage. This also strengthens the interrelated socio-ecological systems, thus reinforcing disaster resilience in the built environment.Originality/valueThis research looks into the adaptation of integrated sustainable construction approach in the housing reconstruction practice through systems thinking approach. This will foster a holistic approach in the decision-making process and could reduce environmental damage. This also strengthens the interrelated socio-ecological systems, thus reinforcing disaster resilience in the built environment. This paper also looks into identifying relevant key indicators that interpret construction sustainability, which incorporate environmental, social and economic factors pertaining to the context of post-disaster housing reconstruction in Kuala Krai, Kelantan. The dynamic interrelationships and causal impacts between the indicators with other variables within the system were also established.

Multi-criteria Analysis of Factors for Application of Concrete Composites Considering Their Environmental Harmfulness

The analysis of factors is important in insight of the selection of proper building material with environmental added value. A comprehensive solution is possible if at the beginning there are all the relevant factors in detail characterized predominately that have got a major impact on the area in terms of environmentalharmfulness prevention. There are many groups of environmental factors. In this article only four factors are considered, i.e. contain of CrVI (mg/kg) and index of mass activity for radionuclides (Ra, Th, K) which are the most harmful. These factors can be evaluated by means of a supplementary tool, e.g. multi-criteriaanalysis, which improves and supports decision processes in the framework of construction bybuilding management, etc.