Abstract:
Construction industry is one of the main exploiters
of natural resources. During building construction, a large
amount of Embodied Carbon is released to the atmosphere.
Thus, this research was aimed to determine the significance of
whole life Embodied Carbon (EC) in the selection of wall
materials for use in building construction. To achieve this aim,
mixed research approach was used. A comprehensive literature
review and ten expert interviews were conducted first as a part to
find out the significance of EC to the construction industry.
Subsequently, a questionnaire survey and a base model building
consisting of work studies, a desk study and a documentary
review were used to collect the required data. The data collected
were analyzed to find out the most suitable material out of the
three types of wall materials selected. The results of the analysis
indicate that eco interlocking brick is the most suitable wall
material (compared to cement block and conventional brick) in
terms of EC and initial and maintenance cost. The study also
provides a firm base for future researchers engaged in the studies
to find out the EC content of building materials.
Citation:
I. G. N. Anuradha, B. A. K. S. Perera and H. Mallawarachchi, "Embodied Carbon and Cost Analysis to Identify the Most Appropriate Wall Materials for Buildings: Whole Life Cycle Approach," 2018 Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference (MERCon), 2018, pp. 43-48, doi: 10.1109/MERCon.2018.8421911.