Environmental Life Cycle Analysis of Earthen Building Materials

Mateus, Ricardo; Fernandes, Jorge Emanuel Pereira; Teixeira, E.R.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-803581-8.11459-6

Cited by 22 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Authors also confirmed in their research that the mud home has higher thermal performance in allweather than a brick or CI Sheet house because the inside air temperature is less impacted by the outside temperature. So, it is supported by different studies that, vernacular materials offer lower embodied energy than those currently used in the building industry since they are locally accessible, need extremely low-intensive energy manufacturing processes, and do not need to be transported over larger distances (Khan & Kabir, n.d.) (Mateus et al, 2020). And the present study found consistent results with the previous studies.…”

Section: Literature Reviewsupporting

confidence: 93%

A study of vernacular building materials in Bangladesh based on embodied energy and environmental performance

Rahman,

Wah,

Nargis

2023

IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci.

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Concerns over climate change have driven the need for decarbonization of the building sector all over the world. It is proven that manufacturing building materials consumes a substantial amount of non-renewable energy and releases carbon emissions. For this reason, it has become an essential need for finding clean and energy-efficient alternative building materials. In Bangladesh, vernacular houses in rural areas are made of locally found materials like mud, bamboo, thatch, wood, and others and are always used in the construction of houses without any industrial processing, these dwellings are composed of materials with very little or no embodied energy (E.E). However, there has been a significant change in the construction of houses and the use of materials in rural Bangladesh in the last two decades. Concrete, brick, metal sheets, and many other industrial materials have taken possession of indigenous technology and bio-based materials. As a result, environmentally sustainable traditional houses have been transformed into energy-intensive houses. This research aims to study vernacular building materials in Bangladesh to identify their embodied energy, climatic performance, thermal conductivity, and durability for constructing low-carbon and less energy-consumed buildings. Based on several case studies, field surveys, and literature reviews the assessment has been conducted, showing that these materials are highly efficient in terms of embodied energy and can also ensure great thermal comfort. This study also evaluates the durability of these materials and depicts that by enhancing their durability, these materials can act as the best-performing building materials in all aspects.

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Section: Literature Reviewsupporting

confidence: 93%

A study of vernacular building materials in Bangladesh based on embodied energy and environmental performance

Rahman,

Wah,

Nargis

2023

IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci.

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“…The more similar interventions are virtuous and effective, the less impactful the materials are. Furthermore, a local material (whether vernacular, traditional or new) can intrinsically satisfy economic sustainability due to its territorial availability and capacity to generate work [13,28] In discovering (or rediscovering) unconventional materials, however, we often encounter technical and application difficulties due to the absence of standardized production and of use and certification procedures. For these reasons Giuffrida [29], while speaking of raw earth, suggested that the reduction of the environmental impact must be pursued from a supply chain perspective.…”

Section: Design Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Compared with industrially produced materials, which possess a very high embodied energy, the vernacular ones present low environmental impacts [12]. Lately, the interest in these materials has increased considerably because, in addition to the environmental advantages, they allow social and economic benefits since their local production has lower costs, also creating jobs [13]. However, the growth in the diffusion of these materials was not accompanied by an adequate standardization process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clay-Based Products Sustainable Development: Some Applications

2021

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Clay has a low environmental impact and can develop into many different products. The research presents two different case studies. In the first, the clay is the binder of raw earth doughs in order to produce clay-bricks. We investigate the effects of natural fibrous reinforcements (rice straws and basalt fibers) in four different mixtures. From the comparison with a mix without reinforcements, it is possible to affirm that the 0.40% of basalt fibers reduce the shrinkage by about 25% and increase the compressive strength by about 30%. Future studies will focus on identifying the fibrous effects on tensile strength and elastic modulus, as well as the optimal percentage of fibers. In the second study, the clay, in form of brick powder (“cocciopesto”), gives high alkaline resistance and breathability performance, as well as rendering and color to the plaster. The latter does not have artificial additives. The plaster respects the cultural instance of the original building. The research underlines how the use of a local (and traditional) material such as clay can be a promoter of sustainability in the contemporary building sector. Future studies must investigate further possible uses of clay as well as a proper regulatory framework.

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“…Its availability and insulating properties have turned it into an excellent constructive solution throughout human history. At the end of its life, the earth can be easily recycled to produce new products, or it can be disaggregated and returned to the natural environment with a negligible environmental impact [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prediction of Wall and Indoor Hygrothermal Properties of Rammed Earth Folk House in Northwest Sichuan

et al. 2022

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The climate crisis is one of the most important problems today. In the process of human building, the use of cement, steel, and other industrial materials in the process of building construction and recycling has brought a huge burden to the natural environment. Earth is one of the oldest building materials, its availability and insulation make it an excellent constructive solution in human history. Among several existing earth construction techniques, rammed earth is one of the most relevant. In this paper, a numerical model of the rammed earth folk house in Mianyang was established, and an experimental device was built to verify it. With the typical meteorological year data of Mianyang in northwest Sichuan, the heat and moisture transfer in rammed earth wall, as well as the indoor thermal and moisture environment were numerically simulated. The results show that the rammed earth wall weakens the temperature fluctuation of the inner surface of the wall and makes the peak temperature of the inner surface of the wall lag the outer surface. The relative humidity in the center of the rammed earth wall can be maintained at about 60%, both in winter and summer. The moisture absorption and desorption capacity of rammed earth walls without inner decorative materials is about three times that of gypsum board, and the use of a waterproof coating will render the rammed earth wall almost unable to adjust the indoor relative humidity. Additionally, the use of decorative materials will increase the fluctuation range of indoor relative humidity and the risk of mold breeding.

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Environmental Life Cycle Analysis of Earthen Building Materials

Cited by 22 publications

References 12 publications

A study of vernacular building materials in Bangladesh based on embodied energy and environmental performance

A study of vernacular building materials in Bangladesh based on embodied energy and environmental performance

Clay-Based Products Sustainable Development: Some Applications

Prediction of Wall and Indoor Hygrothermal Properties of Rammed Earth Folk House in Northwest Sichuan

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