LO2: Discuss the environmental and sustainability factors which impact on and

influence the material choices for a construction project?

Material Environmental profiling and lifecycle assessment:

An environmental profile methodology developed by the BRE is used to define and analyse the
environmental impacts of building materials throughout their lifespan. Everything from
extraction through disposal is covered here, with an emphasis on the four most important
processes:

 Extraction of the substance is covered by ISO 14040 and 14044.

 ISO 14025 – processing –
 In EN 15804 – how to utilize the material
 EN 15978 – the location and method of disposal of the material

Using environmental profiles, specifiers may quickly and easily compare the environmental
impacts of various construction materials. The manufacturer's product will have the necessary
environmental performance thanks to this certification. Since it's simpler for the architects to
choose the best materials, this is a major advantage.

Lifecycle assessment:

A life cycle assessment is performed on materials, services, and products to determine their
possible impact on the environment throughout the duration of their intended use. The whole
life cycle assessment (LCA) measures and quantifies the energy, materials, waste, and
pollutants created by a product or activity over the course of its complete life cycle. A Life Cycle
Assessment may be used to analyses the environmental impact of a product as well as the
potential financial savings (LCA).
LCAs may be used to investigate the environmental impact of chemicals such as plastic. The
production of plastic items involves the use of biological resources such as coal, natural gas,
salt, and crude oil. Oil refineries use distillation to separate crude oil from its impurities, which
is the first step in the manufacturing process. Polymerization and polycondensation are two of
the most widely used processes in the production of plastics today. Because it is the second
largest user of plastics after retail, the construction industry has a significant reliance on plastics
in order to develop ecologically sustainable structures. PVC windows, PVC water pipes, and
plastic foam insulation are just a few examples of the many different kinds of plastics that are
utilized in building. The usage of plastic foams to insulate your home is a cost-efficient and
effective option. Plastic pipes, which have a lower embodied energy than concrete or iron
pipes, save construction enterprises money while also reducing pollution since they are simpler
to carry. In UK water system, switching to more modern plastic pipes might reduce leaks while
also saving a significant quantity of water and energy.

Management of waste:

In the UK, there is a substantial amount of plastics recycling, and researchers are working hard
to figure out the best ways to recycle it. For this reason, the industry strives to recycle as much
waste as possible in order to save resources while also protecting the environment. Recyclable
plastics may be recycled in one of two ways:

 Recycling plastics mechanically is the easiest means of doing so. Molding granules are used
to create new goods once the polymers have been softened by heating. There are many
steps involved in the collection process, including sorting, baling, and finally cutting the
material into smaller pieces. After that, chemicals and/or other raw materials are added,
and the final product is extruded and cut into pellets that are ready for use.
 Feedstock recycling is the other option. Polymers are broken down into their constituent
elements using heat or pressure. Chemicals and new plastic materials may be synthesized
using these parts.

Environmental certification and product labelling have several advantages:

An environmental product declaration (EPD) is a quantifiable representation of a product's
environmental performance that is accepted in numerous countries. According to the European
Standard EN 15804, the preparation of product declarations for building materials that take
environmental factors into account is governed. LCA (life cycle assessment) is used to establish
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for products (EPD). Despite the fact that the EPD of
a product is often utilized for marketing reasons, it may also be used internally to improve
production techniques or increase overall efficiency in the manufacturing process.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) encourages building product manufacturers to
continuously improve their environmental performance as a means of promoting the use and
supply of environmentally friendly construction materials. EPD does this by providing verifiable
and accurate information on environmental aspects of building products that is not misleading.

When it comes to EPD, you'll learn things like:

 A product's environmental impact throughout the duration of its whole existence, based
on credible facts and information.
 Concerns about environmental safety as well as appropriate recycling and disposal
procedures should be expressed publicly. "
 International standards and related regulations must be met before the data may be
used. Materials needed for construction ISO 14025 (2006) and EN 15804 (2007) are
examples of environmental product declaration (EPD) standards (2007). (2013)
 Continuous improvement measures may be built on this foundation. Product
authenticity in terms of the environment performance may be shown by EPD-publishing
manufacturers, who are likely to become more motivated towards ongoing
development.
 The development of PCRs may be rewarded with financial incentives.
 EPD has several advantages:

 As a result, suppliers will be in a better position to find new ways to reduce costs and
vulnerability to these trends if they use processes such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).'
 Customer needs: Suppliers that use LCA and publish EPD demonstrate their
commitment to continuous development, providing a platform for interaction with
specifiers, designers, and consumers.
 EPD suppliers must guarantee that the evidence they provide to represent their
products' environmental performance is reliable, current, and representative.
 EPD-compliant goods are becoming more widely accepted by environmental rating
systems across the globe, allowing design teams to include EPD into their products.
 Information Modeling for the Construction Industry (BIM) Additional chances for whole-
building whole-of-life assessment present themselves if demand for faster BIM
deployment and usage increases.

Discuss the benefits of product declaration and environmental certification

In the construction sector conducting an LCA provides a number of tangible benefits:

Reduce environmental impact by:

 Evaluating building site options to select the lowest impact choice.
 Comparing the environmental impacts of renovating rather than demolishing and building
anew.
 Comparing design alternatives to choose the lowest impact ones.
 Identifying a building’s environmental hotspots and taking action to reduce them.
 Calculating the lifetime impact of building materials and products to help find the most
sustainable options.

Comply with whole life carbon regulations:

Governments are increasingly recognizing the need to legislate to reduce whole life carbon
(that is operational and embodied carbon emissions) in construction. LCAs are a mandatory
part of many of the new laws and policies.
Create cost-efficient benchmarks:
LCA can be totally automated from existing design data and fully integrated into the workflow
without disrupting it or slowing it down. This enables cost-efficient benchmarking.
Improve transparency:
Clients, investors, tenants and others are increasingly seeking transparency over a building’s
environmental impacts. LCA is the most reliable and transparent way to do this.

Environmental Impact of Construction Materials:
Building and construction activities worldwide consume 3 billion tonnes of raw materials each year, whic
h is 40% of total global use. The UK's annual construction output requires 170 million tonnes of primary 
materials and products, 125 million tonnes of quarry products and 70 million tonnes of secondary recycl
ed and reclaimed products. To manufacture and deliver these products, 6 million tonnes of energy are c
onsumed and 23 million tonnes of C02 are emitted.  The main materials used in construction are steel an
d concrete, both of which have a high embodied energy.

The choice of materials and building elements for any building will mainly be made on the basis of therm
al properties, structural properties and cost. As well as the energy implications of the materials, other fa
ctors to be considered include:

 The implications of mineral extraction to derive the basic product
 The pollution and energy consequences of the manufacturing/production process
 Toxicity of product and chemicals etc. used in manufacturing process e.g. global warming poten
tial/ozone depletion potential
 Waste issues at all stages of the production and construction processes]
 Distribution/transport issues
 life-cycle and recycling options at the end of its expected life

Waste management stages:

The waste hierarchy presents waste management stages commencing with the most preferable
option to the least preferable option. Waste prevention is the most preferred option, followed
by reuse, recycling, recovery including energy recovery and as the last option is safe disposal.
 Source Typical waste generators Solid waste content

Construction New construction sites, road repair, renovation Wood, steel, concrete,
and sites, demolition of buildings rubble, dirt etc.
demolition

Disposal of construction Waste Material at site:

(i) General

Waste materials including, but not restricted to refuse, garbage, sanitary wastes industrial
wastes and oil and other petroleum products, shall be disposed of by the Contractor. Disposal
of combustible materials shall be by burying, where burial of such materials is approved by the
Project Engineer by burning, where burning of approved materials is permitted; or by removal
from the construction area. Disposal of non-combustible materials shall be by burying where
burial of such materials is approved by the Project Engineer or by removal from the
construction area. Waste materials removed from the construction area shall be dumped at an
approved dump

ii. Disposal of Material by Burying

Only materials approved by the Project Engineer may be buried. Burial shall be in pits and the
location, size and depth of which shall be approved by the Project Engineer. The pits shall be
covered by at least 0.6 metre of earth material prior to abandonment.

ii. Disposal of Material by Burning

All materials to be burned shall be piled in designated burning areas in such a manner as will
cause the least fire hazards. Burning shall be through and complete and all charred pieces
remaining after burning, except for scattered small pieces, shall be removed from the
construction area and disposed of as otherwise provided in this Clause.

The Contractor shall at all times, take special precautions to prevent fire from spreading beyond
the piles being burned and shall be liable for any damage caused by this burning operations.
The Contractor shall have available, at all times, suitable equipment and supplies for use in
preventing and suppressing fires and shall be subject to all laws and regulations locally
applicable for pre-suppression, suppression and prevention of fires

iii. Disposal of Material by Removal

Material to be disposed of by removal from the construction area shall be removed from the
area prior to the completion of the work under these specifications. All materials removed shall
become the property of the Contractor.

Entity Responsibilities

Contractors
Provide a minimum of two garbage
receptacles to allow for wet and dry waste
segregation. An additional bin for hazardous
waste is highly recommended.
- Develop a site specific Waste Management
Plan for the activities the Contractor is
undertaking.
- Site specific Waste Management Plan must
be aligned with the full site WMP and must
be approved by the IPDC HSE prior to work
commencing.
- Educate all members of staff on the waste
hierarchy.
LO3: Present material choices for a given building using performance properties,
experimental data, sustainability and environmental consideration?

Concrete Slump Test:

Using the concrete slump test, new concrete properties may be determined The test examines
the new concrete's workability empirically. In this case, it focuses on measuring the uniformity
of concrete mixes. The ease with which the test can be administered and the ease with which
the equipment used to administer it can be understood explain

Principle of Slump Test:

An inverted cone of compacted concrete is subjected to gravity and the outcome of a slump
test is used to gauge how it will behave. In order to get a better sense of how workable a
concrete mix is, it evaluates its consistency.

Slump Test Apparatus:

 Cone of slumber,
 Metric system, "
 Testing rod for temperature (steel)

Procedure of Concrete Slump test:

1. Cone-shaped mould with a height of 300mm (12 in) is used for the concrete slump test a
100-millimeter-wide hole at the top and a 200-millimeter-wide base (4 in).
2. For testing purposes, three layers of concrete are stacked in an open-top container with
the workability of each layer being evaluated.
3. Using a 16 mm (5/8 in) diameter rounded-end steel rod, each layer is subjected to a 25-
time temperature cycle.
 4. In order to level the top surface of the mould once it has been entirely filled with
concrete, a screening and rolling action of the temping rod is used.
5. To prevent the mould from shifting during the pouring process, grips or foot rests
brazed to the mould may be used to secure the mould to the base of the concrete
mixer.
6. After the concrete has been levelled and the cone has been raised vertically, the
unsupported concrete will begin to sink.
7. The fall in height of slumped concrete's center is referred to as "slump."
8. This is done by placing the cone next to the slump concrete and putting the temping rod
over the cone such that it also touches the slumped concrete.
9. To show the difference in height between concrete and mould, a scale has been used
It's common to round off measurements to the closest quarter-inch, which is around 5
mm.

Precautions in Slump Test:

Every test should begin with a wet mould and base and a clean immediate area around the
base of the cone to minimize the impact of variations in surface friction on the drop of the
concrete..

Types of Concrete Slump:

The slumped concrete varies depending on the profile of the slumped concrete.

1. Collapse Slump
2. Shear Slump
3. True Slump

Collapse Slump:

In a collapsing slump, the concrete crumbles to the point of destruction. In general, a collapsing
slump indicates that the mix is overly moist or has a high workability. Because of this, the
concrete mix is either too moist or an overly workable blend for which slump testing would be
inappropriate..

Shear Slump:

Shear slumps occur when the top layer of concrete shears away and slides to one side. OR

Shear slumps occur when a cone falls down an inclined plane by just one-half of its
circumference. For a valid result, concrete must be retested once the shear slump is taken into
account..

1. Fresh samples are gathered and tested if a shear or collapsing slump is seen.
2. Lack of cohesiveness in the mix is evident if the shear slump lingers, as it often does with
severe mixes.

True Slump:

Concreting merely slows down and flattens out while in a slump.

1. For a variety of experiments, this is the only slump that can be utilized.
2. No difference can be seen in the somewhat dry range between mixes of differing
workability when the mixtures are of stiff consistency.

Applications of Slump Test

1. This test is used to check that the same batch of concrete is consistent under field
circumstances and to determine the impacts of plasticizers.
2. This test is very beneficial on the job site for checking the variance in the ingredients
supplied into the mixer from day to day or hour to hour. If slump increases, it might be a
sign that aggregate moisture content has increased unexpectedly.
3. Another possibility is that the grade of the aggregate has changed, such as a lack of
sand.
 4. A droop that is too high or too low offers the mixer operator an early notice and allows
them to correct the problem.
5. The extensive usage of the slump test may be attributed to its broad range of
applications and ease of use.

Results of test:

Degree of Slump Compacting To what use concrete is best suited.

workability
(mm) Factor

Very Low O-25 O.78 Road construction uses very dry mixtures.
Powered machines vibrate roads.
Low 25-50 0.85
Use for foundations with just minor
reinforcing of low workability mixtures
Motorized machines shake roads manually.

Medium 50-100 0.92

Crushed aggregate flat slabs compacted by
hand using medium-workability mixtures.
Vibrations are used to compress and
reinforce areas of normal reinforced
concrete.

High 100-175 0.95

Concrete with high workability; for sections
 with crowded reinforcing rods. For the most
part, vibration is not a good fit.

Factors influencing Slump Cone:

Concrete Slump value is influenced by the elements listed below:

1. The water-cement ratio of concrete.

2. Fine and coarse aggregates are graded according to their size, shape, moisture content, and
other characteristics.
3. The usage of plasticizer, superplasticizer admixture, and the order in which they are mixed in.
4. A measure of the concrete's void to air content.
5. After the concrete has been mixed.

Materials used in the construction of a building's structure:

 Plastics:

It is referred to as by its common name the great bulk of what we term plastic is made up of
synthetic polymer-based materials, which are produced in large quantities. Because of its
versatility, strength-to-weight ratio, durability, corrosion resistance, and other
characteristics, it can be used to carry out a wide range of jobs in the construction industry.
In order to produce low-density components, plastic may be mounded or expanded, and it
can also be dissolved in solvents or spread as emulsions. It may also be manufactured in a
variety of shapes and sizes, including pipes, cables, coverings, and sheets. The fact that
plastic is both lightweight and strong makes it a good building material for construction
sites since it is simple to transport and move about. Because it has the ability to seal firmly,
it is also resistant to corrosion and the effects of the weather. Because plastic is flexible, it
 can be easily extruded, bent, and shaped into many shapes and forms. It is also possible to
just take plastics from the environment and reuse them. The high embodied energy of
plastics, as well as their low elasticity modulus, make them unsuitable for load-bearing
applications in many instances. Certain plastics are problematic for the environment
because of their difficulties in recycling, their persistence in the environment after disposal,
and concerns about the chemical additives used to make plastics flexible and fire-resistant.

 Concrete:

Concrete is often cited as one of the most plentiful building materials on the planet.
Because it produces a product that resembles stone, it may be employed in a number of
applications. While concrete is really a combination of numerous components including
cement, it is commonly misunderstood for cement by the general public. Concrete is a
popular building material because of its durability and versatility, which is especially
advantageous owing to the minimal maintenance and repair expenses associated with it.
Concrete is a widely used construction material that can be found in a variety of structures
ranging from office buildings and condominiums to bridges and highways. It is capable of
supporting both complicated and basic structures for the sake of usage and beauty. Due to
the fact that concrete is a long-lasting product that needs little or no maintenance or repair,
it is a very useful resource for the preservation of natural resources. Concreting is one of the
most durable and long-lasting building materials available on the world. To summarise,
concrete is also rustproof, burns and rots, and it may be utilised to construct high-rise
structures due to its inherent properties. Because of this, concrete is superior to other
building materials such as wood when it comes to long-term durability and performance.
Concrete is often used in road construction because of its long-term resilience and, as a
result, lesser likelihood of potholes. Concrete is a more ecologically friendly alternative than
other building materials since it needs less maintenance than other materials. Concrete is a
more robust and long-lasting material for constructing foundations and walls than other
types of construction materials. When it comes to long-term projects, aesthetics and long-
term durability go hand in hand. Because of the qualities of concrete, it is less expensive to
 construct and maintain buildings. In addition, the resistance to rot of concrete helps keep
allergens and pollen out of a structure, and the temperature in the building can be better
managed, all of which helps to cut costs and enhance efficiency. Given the fact that
limestone, the principal element of concrete, is a naturally available resource with a nearly
unlimited supply, the manufacture of concrete consumes just a small amount of embodied
energy when compared to other construction materials. Because of the ability of concrete
to retain and absorb heat, the construction is exceptionally energy efficient in terms of
preserving money and energy consumption.

 Steel:

A strong and durable material, steel is commonly used in the construction industry because of
its proven strength and longevity. Commercial carbon steels do not corrode when exposed to
room temperature and dry air, but they do corrode when exposed to moist and contaminated
environments. This might result in structural issues that are potentially dangerous to the
general population. They do not rust on their surfaces under normal weather conditions
because of the high concentration of alloy components such as chromium found in the more
recently created stainless steels. If you're making anything, stainless steel is a popular material
to use since its advantages exceed its disadvantages in most cases. Mechanical properties such
as electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as magnetic susceptibility, are crucial for stainless
steels that are employed in engineering and other industrial applications. Stainless steel has
stronger high-temperature resistance than carbon steel, which is a disadvantage. However,
despite their relative significance, the physical properties of steel may have a considerable
influence on the decision to choose a certain material. Another benefit of steel's usage is that it
is resistant to fracture when minute defects are discovered. Steels, on the other hand, are just
slightly more susceptible to fatigue failure. To avoid failure, it is possible to identify early
symptoms of fatigue and treat the damaged region with a surface treatment.

Evaluate the performance of a given building in respect of its human comfort requirements.
With regard to human comfort, evaluate the performance of selected materials; use
calculations to show performance of materials for human comfort.

Based on a person's level of comfort, the performance of various materials is evaluated..

U – Value:

We can determine a material's level of comfort for humans based on its U value.

Thicknes Resistance U value = a/b

material s (a) (b) k m^2/W
0.77
Clay bricks .100m W/m⋅K 0.12987013
0.04
Glass wool .100m W/m⋅K 2.5
1.13
Concrete blocks .100m W/m⋅K 0.088495575
0.50
Plaster .100m W/m⋅K 0.2

In the table, there is a clear relationship between the different materials and their U values,
allowing us to make an informed choice about how to best use them.

The same principles apply to altering the sound of the building so that no echoes can be heard,
hence increasing the degree of comfort in the space. It is possible to realise the higher degree
of comfort that may be reached via the use of lighting systems with lower levels of intensity and
brightness. As a result of the considerable influence light has on human behaviour.

The bigger the U-value, the greater the amount of heat that may escape.
For example, a concrete wall with a thickness of 30 cm and a resistance of 1.13W/m.k has a U
value of 0.26, but a brick wall with the same thickness but a resistance of 1 W/M.K has a U
value of 0.30.

The U-value of single-glazed windows is lower than the U-value of double-glazed windows.

Consider the structure mentioned in task 2 (10 story block the ground floor and first floor
being a mix of retail and office space.) The dimensions of the flats. The dimensions of each
flat are 9m wide by 20m deep and the height is 8.5m. There are six flats on each floor which
have only one set of windows and they have an area of 25m2 .The door into the flat opens
into a central lobby which leads to stairs at each end and a set of lifts. The U value of the
walls is 0.25 watts/OCm2 and the windows are double glazed and have a U value of 1.2
watts/OCm2 When the outside temperature is 50C, how much heat is needed to keep the flat
at 200C assuming that the neighbors above, below and at each side and the lobby are all at
200C? How much heat is needed to maintain that temperature?

Solution

Formula Q = (ΣUxAx) × ΔT 

Area of wall = (w x h) m2 – area of window

= (9 x 8.5) – 25

= 51.5 m2

Now putting values in formula

Q = ((0.25 watts/OCm2 x 51.5 m2) + (1.2 watts/OCm2 x 25 m2)) * 15 OC

 = 643.12 watt heat is required to maintain 20 OC temperature inside the flat.

 Heat requirements for end flats (not top end flats) with an extra 8.5 x 20 m wall and
35m2 of windows are much higher. We assume that both walls and windows retain
their U-values.

Solution

Formula Q = (ΣUxAx) × ΔT 

Here additional wall of area = 170 m2 and additional window area = 35 m2

Q = ((0.25 watts/OCm2 x 51.5 m2) + (1.2 watts/OCm2 x 25 m2) + (0.25 watts/OCm2 x 135 m2) +

(1.2 watts/OCm2 x 35 m2)) x 15 OC

= 1779.3 watt is needed for end flats

Each of the flats has forced ventilation which changes the air once every 30 minutes. If the
specific heat of air is 1kj/m3C0 calculate how much heat is lost when the outside air is at 50C.

Solution

Formula H loss = C * m * ΔT

C= specific heat of air

 m = mass of air that is removed per second from the flat.

Mass= volume * density

Density of air at 2O OC 1.2O41 kg/m³

Mass = (1/3O*6O) * (9 * 2O * 8.5) * 1.2O41

= 1.O2 kg/sec

Now heat loss = 1kj/m3C0 * 1.O2 kg/sec * 15 OC

15.3 kj/ m3 sec

 In order to demonstrate how sustainable materials might enhance a building's

environmental rating, evaluate the employment of passive and active measures to
decrease resource consumption.

A higher environmental score is achieved through the use of ecologically friendly materials
in the construction of the structure. As a consequence of the high level of market demand
for the building, people flock to it, increasing its popularity index. As a consequence of
climate change, people are no longer ready to make concessions on products that are
hazardous to the environment. It is possible, for example, to increase the energy efficiency
of our building by installing thermal insulation sheets. Construction materials that are
environmentally friendly and do not harm the environment are becoming increasingly
popular in industrialised countries as a result of people's desire to reduce their impact on
the environment while using air conditioners and heaters. Sustainable construction
materials, which are environmentally benign and do not harm the environment, are
becoming more popular in industrialised countries as a result of people's desire to reduce
 their impact on the environment while using air conditioners and heaters. Water
purification systems are in place throughout the facility, which improves its overall grade.

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