Embodied carbon and cost analysis to identify the most appropriate wall materials for buildings: whole life cycle approach

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.