Eco-efficient Construction and Building Materials reviews ways of assessing the environmental impact of construction and building materials. Part one discusses the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to building materials as well as eco-labeling. Part two includes case studies showing the application of LCA methodology to different types of building material, from cement and concrete to wood and adhesives used in building. Part three includes case studies applying LCA methodology to particular structures and components.

Table of Contents:
Contributor contact details Woodhead Publishing Series in Civil and Structural Engineering 1: Introduction to the environmental impact of construction and building materials Abstract 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Environmental impact assessment 1.3 The European Construction Products Regulation (CPR) 1.4 Outline of the book Part I: Life cycle assessment (LCA), eco-labelling and procurement 2: Mineral resource depletion assessment Abstract 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Definition and classification of mineral resources 2.3 Trends in mineral use and depletion 2.4 Dynamic analysis of mineral resource use and depletion: the Hubbert peak model 2.5 From grave to cradle: A new approach to assess and account for mineral depletion 2.6 Conclusions 3: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of sustainable building materials: an overview Abstract 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The environmental impact of building materials 3.3 Life cycle assessment (LCA) and sustainable building materials 3.4 Conclusions 4: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of the building sector: strengths and weaknesses Abstract 4.1 Introduction 4.2 The overall strengths and limitations of life cycle assessment (LCA) 4.3 Strengths and weaknesses within LCA methodology 4.4 Conclusions 5: Using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to develop eco-labels for construction and building materials Abstract 5.1 Introduction: life cycle thinking and eco-labels 5.2 Life cycle assessment (LCA) 5.3 Types of eco-labels and their relation to LCA 5.4 Environmental certification programmes for buildings 5.5 Future trends 5.6 Sources of further information and advice 6: The EU Ecolabel scheme and its application to construction and building materials Abstract 6.1 Introduction 6.2 The EU Ecolabel and the European Commission policy for sustainability 6.3 History and goals of the EU Ecolabel scheme 6.4 EU Ecolabel establishment procedures and criteria 6.5 EU Ecolabel and green public procurement (GPP) 6.6 EU Ecolabel and national ecolabelling schemes 6.7 EU Ecolabel for eco-efficient construction and building materials 6.8 Future trends 6.9 Sources of further information and advice 6.11 Appendix: abbreviations 7: Environmental product declaration (EPD) labelling of construction and building materials Abstract 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Regulatory framework 7.3 Objectives and general principles 7.4 Environmental product declaration (EPD) methodology 7.5 EPD programmes around the world 7.6 Product category rules (PCR) for construction and building materials 7.7 Case studies: EPD for construction and building materials 7.8 Conclusions 8: Shortcomings of eco-labelling of construction and building materials Abstract 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Typical shortcomings of eco-labels 8.3 Building materials 8.4 Eco-labelling of buildings 8.5 Conclusions 9: Green public procurement (GPP) of construction and building materials Abstract 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Green public procurement (GPP) and sustainable public procurement (SPP) as policy instruments 9.3 Policy context in the EU 9.4 Policy context in selected countries 9.5 The need for a paradigm shift 9.6 Implementing GPP/SPP in the construction sector 9.7 Key concerns for progress towards SPP Part II: Assessing the environmental impact of construction and building materials 10: Assessing the environmental impact of conventional and ‘green’ cement production Abstract 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Environmental impact of ordinary Portland cement 10.3 Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) 10.4 Alternative binders 10.5 Balancing function and environmental impact 10.6 Conclusions and future trends 11: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of concrete made using recycled concrete or natural aggregates Abstract 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Life cycle assessment (LCA) of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) 11.3 Influence of different phases in the production process for natural and recycled concrete 11.4 Research on the use of natural and recycled aggregates in concrete 11.5 Analysis of the influence of the transport phase 11.6 Analysis of the influence of CO2 uptake during the life cycle of concrete 11.7 Conclusions and future trends 11.8 Acknowledgement 12: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of building thermal insulation materials Abstract 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Thermal insulation materials and their properties 12.3 Life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis of thermal insulation materials 12.4 The ecological benefits of thermal insulation of external walls of buildings 12.5 The economic benefits of thermal insulation 12.6 Conclusions 13: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of phase change materials (PCMs) used in buildings Abstract 13.1 Introduction to phase change materials (PCMs) and their use in buildings 13.2 Investigating the use of PCMs in buildings 13.3 Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology 13.4 PCM impact and selection 13.5 LCA of buildings including PCMs: case studies 13.6 Improvement in PCM use 13.7 Problems in undertaking an LCA of buildings including PCMs 14: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of wood-based building materials Abstract 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Forestry and wood production 14.3 Wood product manufacture 14.4 Building with wood materials 14.5 Integrated energy and material flows 14.6 Wood products and climate change 14.7 Wood building materials: past and future 14.8 Sources of further information 14.9 Acknowledgement 15: The environmental impact of adhesives Abstract 15.1 Introduction: growth in the usage of adhesives 15.2 Environmental implications of the growth in adhesive use 15.3 Adhesives, adhesion and the environment 15.4 Reduction of environmental impact 15.5 A technical ‘fix’ for the environmental crisis 15.6 Energy demand and supply 15.7 The stationary state: limits to growth 15.8 Conclusions and future trends 15.9 Acknowledgement 16: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of road pavement materials Abstract 16.1 Introduction 16.2 Life cycle assessment (LCA) for roads 16.3 LCA for motorway construction 16.4 LCA for motorway use and maintenance 16.5 LCA for the demolition/deconstruction of motorways 16.6 Conclusions and future trends 16.7 Acknowledgements 16.9 Appendix: abbreviations Part III: Assessing the environmental impact of particular types of structure 17: Comparing the environmental impact of reinforced concrete and wooden structures Abstract 17.1 Introduction 17.2 Environmental strengths and weaknesses of using wood and concrete in construction 17.3 Life cycle assessment (LCA) for wood and concrete building design 17.4 Using LCA to compare concrete and wood construction: a case study 17.5 Selection and adaptation of LCA tools 17.6 Life cycle impact assessment and interpretation 17.7 Future trends 17.8 Sources of further information and advice 18: Assessing the sustainability of prefabricated buildings Abstract 18.1 Introduction 18.2 A brief history of prefabricated buildings 18.3 Types of prefabrication technologies 18.4 Assessing prefabricated buildings 18.5 Case study: sustainability assessment of prefabricated school buildings 18.6 Conclusions, recommendations and future trends 18.7 Sources of further information and advice 18.8 Acknowledgments 19: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of green façades and living wall systems Abstract 19.1 Introduction 19.2 Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology 19.3 Interpretation and analysis of LCA results 19.4 Interpretation of the LCA analysis 19.5 Conclusions 19.6 Acknowledgements 20: Assessing the environmental and economic impacts of cladding systems for green buildings Abstract 20.1 Introduction 20.2 The need for green buildings 20.3 The role of cladding systems in making buildings green 20.4 Implementation: assessing the eco-efficiency of cladding systems in Bahrain 20.5 Interpretation and conclusions 21: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of windows and window materials Abstract 21.1 Introduction 21.2 Modern window construction 21.3 The life cycle of a window 21.4 Previous window life cycle assessment (LCA) studies 21.5 The influence of timing on the results of window LCA 21.6 Use of advanced technology 21.7 Selection of environmentally friendly window materials 21.8 Current developments and future trends 22: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) structures Abstract 22.1 Introduction 22.2 Life cycle assessment (LCA) data and impact assessment method 22.3 Impact assessment of raw materials used in ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) 22.4 Impact assessment of UHPC at material level 22.5 Impact assessment of structures made with UHPC 22.6 Cost of UHPC 22.7 Conclusions and future trends 23: Life cycle assessment (LCA) of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in civil applications Abstract 23.1 Introduction 23.2 Life cycle assessment (LCA) method 23.3 LCA of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites: case studies Results and discussion Results 23.4 Summary and conclusions Index