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Sustainable building materials adviser: A Web-based tool for architects
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Sustainable building materials adviser: A Web-based tool for architects
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INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type o f computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back o f the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6” x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/321-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. NOTE TO USERS The original manuscript received by U M I contains indistinct, slanted and or light print. All efforts were made to acquire the highest quality manuscript from the author or school. Microfilmed as received. This reproduction is the best copy available UMI Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Copyright 1998 SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS ADVISER: A WEB-BASED TOOL FOR ARCHITECTS By Ilaria Mazzoleni A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF BUILDING SCIENCE May 1998 Ilaria Mazzoleni Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 1 3 9 1 0 9 1 UMI Microform 1391091 Copyright 1998, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE UNIVERSITY PARK LOS ANGELES. CA 90089-0291 ‘ Ihis thesis, w ritten 6y under the direction o f h 'Thesis Committee, and approved 6y a ft its memhers, has Seen pre sented to and accepted 6y the (Dean o f The School o f Architecture in p a rtia l fu lfillm e n t o f the requirements fo r the degree o f D ean Date. THESIS COMI Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. To my fam ily, w ithout whom m y dream s could not have taken o ff Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank: Professor Marc Schiler, for his support and patience in trying to resolve my thoughts. Professor Douglas Noble for his cheerful encouragment. Professor James Steele, Professor Karen Kensek, Professor Katherine Diamond, Professor Goetz Schierle, and Professor Pierre Koenig, all of them have been really helpful during my studies in the Building Science program. My parents Bruna and Gianfranco with my brother Alberto, for their life long support and love. Their psychological vicinity has been the most important incentive at looking forward positively. Thanks to my classmates: Archit, Sonal. Ram, Bharath, Madhu, Manasi, Vagish. Whan, and Vinayak. A very special thanks to my roommates: Asli, Jan, and Eva for being so friendly and patient with me. Only now, with the help of all o f these people I can change my most repetitive sentence "I will never finish my thesis” to " I have finished my thesis, finally!”. Thanks to everyone. Ilaria Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT The choice o f sustainable building materials is becoming an increasingly important issue. One o f the major problems connected to this topic is the lack of structured information. Using the World Wide Web as a means o f making the information accessible, this thesis provides a link between the architect searching for guidance and the manufacturers marketing their products. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Chapter I: Background material 1.1 Sustainable principle: why is it important to save natural resources? 1.2 Architecture and Environment: rule and impact of building. Responsibility in resources depletion 1.3 Sustainable architecture: the principles 1.4 How we can close the “artificial circle”? Chapter 2: Guidelines 2.1 The 3 R’s: when and how we should choose 2.1.1 Reduce 2.1.2 Reuse 2.1.3 Recycle 2.2 Incineration and landfill consideration 2.3 When it is justifiable to use “new” products? 2.4 Evaluation methods 2.4.1 Embodied energy 2.4.2 Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) 2.4.3 Resource Efficiency Chapter 3: The Internet 3.1 The Internet as a communication tool 3.1.1 How I approached Internet 3.2 Web page edition 3.3 The limitations of the Internet Chapter 4: My Web Page 4.1 Why a web page? 4.2 SBMA: The web page organization 4.2.1 The Adviser 4.2.2 The Theory 4.2.3 Write a web page 4.3 Worldwide versus United States validity 4.4 Limits and benefits of a web page as a guide for architects C hapter 5: Conclusion 5.1 Market in development 5.2 Characteristics of my research 5.3 Final evaluation 5.4 Future research 01 06 09 11 13 17 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 29 31 32 j j 34 36 38 39 41 43 47 49 51 53 55 57 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Bibliography Appendix A Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF FIGURES Figure I The Artificial Circle 14 Figure 2 Closing the Artificial Circle 15 Figure 3 Processing Method Preferences 24 Figure 4 Product Manufacturing Embodied Energy and Transportation 27 Figure 5 Life Cycle Analysis 28 Figure 6 The Title Frame as a Link to the Main Page 38 Figure 7 A Flow Chart of the Adviser 40 Figure 8 A Flow Chart of the Theory 42 Figure 9 Information is Accessible in a Non-Linear Way 45 Figure 10 Examples o f Different Backgrounds 46 Figure 11 The Title Frame as a Link to the Main Page 47 Figure 12 Direct Links to the Manufacturer’s Sites 48 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. vii INTRODUCTION "A building should be designed so as to minimize the use of new resources and, at the end of its life, to form the resources for other architecture” (R. & B. Vale)1 It was in the late eighties that the environmental question became urgent. Society was starting to recognize the importance o f respecting and recovering natural resources. The Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 highlighted the priorities and gave some fundamental directions of how to resolve this question but, so far, progress has been slow and inadequate. Only half dozen countries, for example, have levied environmental taxes to discourage the unsustainable use of materials and energy. And many nations continue to subsidize clear-cutting of forests, inefficient energy and water use, and mining. Moreover, in many developing countries, rapid growth has led to a sharp deterioration in air and water quality in the nineties, and was undermined the natural resources on which people depend. Humans are only one part of the evolutionary process and the respect of the ecosystem is a key concept. In fact, by reducing the number of species and the size and integrity of ecosystems, we are also reducing nature’s capacity to evolve and create new l Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. life. Many o f nature’s services arise from its ability to regulate and recycle water, nutrients, and waste. But the methods of production and the human lifestyle have broken this natural circle, producing remarkable and disgusting results. In artificial cycles we have been unable to reproduce the complete circle that is present on the natural world and now we can understand this lack by observing the environmental degradation that we have produced. This thesis attempts to understand the relevance o f this topic to the construction industry. In fact it is many decades since biologists, academics and some activists first showed concern about the environment, but it has been only recently that the construction sector has seriously attempted to participate. It is impossible to ignore the emergent themes of contemporary design. The preoccupation is always more strong and real for the well being of the habitants and for the protection of the environment but the same is still not being put into practice. Often we underestimate the words ‘Sustainable Architecture’. Many conferences have been convened on this topic, new laws have been promulgated and new requests have been made by environmental groups; there are a lot o f publications on this topic, but it is still very difficult to find rules that help architects in the process of decision making. It is important to immediately provide an operating indication for the choices of the most obvious techniques and products. Each building is more or less unique and is closely related to its surroundings and to the local infrastructure. The building user’s requirements and activities are complex. Many resources are involved in the construction, use, and maintenance of a building. Many different materials and products are also involved, and a considerable amount o f 2 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. energy is thus used. Sustainable design considers all these factors in a holistic approach and tries to minimize the impact of buildings on the environment during each phase of their life. My research is focused in particular on the selection o f reused and recycled building materials and components. I recognize that this represents a powerful tool to minimize resource and energy consumption, a goal that is achievable using renewable or recyclable raw materials and maximizing their reuse. In order to be in accordance with environmentally sustainable criteria, those building materials should be selected which can be recycled, reused or in-part have reused material content; as also which are being produced according to the energy saving criteria and have a low environmental impact. Often these products come from vernacular architecture, where environmental respect was spontaneous, especially from the point of view of saving energy. The Life Cycle Analysis concept provides a way of understanding the consequences of design decisions within a perspective that extends beyond the building’s boundaries. But a theoretical approach does not have any importance if it does not apply to the real world in the form o f quantitative and qualitative data. Although I recognize the difficulties of a classification, I feel it is important to render accessible to everybody an easy-to-use approach to the research data. The major difficulties are to render the data and information homogenous because they come from different sources and are constantly being developed. This job has to be periodically updated to reflect new information. For that reason the publication in a Web Page is very relevant. This work-in-progress is a typical product 3 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. of our society where technological innovation and information is making everything faster and changeable. That is the reason why I decided to write my thesis in a web page format. My job is characterized by a pragmatic approach, based on such information and on environmental preference. A web page is characterized by data in flux, and it is accessible to everybody. This also presents the risk of making information obsolete in a few days. But at the same time it gives a great opportunity to be connected to the production world in an interactive way and permits the collection o f useful information for the project from the first step of the project process, instead of postponing material selection to the end o f the project. To organize available data and render it more accessible is the objective of my thesis and I think that the web page is the right tool in this historical moment. The characteristics of the web page on Sustainable Architecture are, in fact, to increase the operator’s environmental awareness. My work consists o f two parts, part 1 is the written thesis, and part 2 is the “Sustainable Building Materials Adviser” web page. 1. Written thesis • The first part is an introduction to sustainability issues from the broad concept to the more specific definition of sustainable architecture and its implications. An overview of sustainable architecture is the basis for the development of this thesis and the justification of it. • The second part analyzes sustainable architecture principles from the building materials selections point of view. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • The third part is a justification of the web page: the web page as a communication tool in general and in the construction world in particular. • The fourth part is the explanation of my research methodology, the organization o f the “Adviser” on the web and the limits of my work. • The fifth part is the conclusive one. I present the limits of my job and also the future potential o f it, by the light of the criticism made during the final presentation from my thesis committee. 2. The web page is organized as an “Adviser” for the professionals that have to select the building materials with the criteria of sustainability. It is a tool developed in a pragmatic method with a major characteristic: it is not static. The web page has two major applications: it considers both global and local factors as important for the decision-making process; so this guide can be use entirely by people that operate in California and just as well by people around the world. The benefit of this guide is that it can be a prototype for other guides that can have other local specifications and manufacturing connections. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 5 CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND MATERIAL 1.1 SUSTAINABLE PRINCIPLES: WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO SAVE NATURAL RESOURCES la 1987 the World Commission on Environment and Development met to discuss the future of the planet. The Prime Minister of Norway described Sustainable Development as the "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.2 But it is very difficult to define the needs of the present and future generations when we do not know which are our real needs beside materiality. It is true that a sustainable development has to envisage the future, and simultaneously act in the present knowing that its ongoing actions will be not damage the occupants of tomorrow. The depletion of resources became a problem with the industrial revolution. Progress moved so fast, and the needs of materials became so great that non-renewable natural resources became insufficient. Now we are starting to exhaust the capacity of the varied systems that sustain us, and we must deal with the consequences. 6 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The construction industry is an important consumer in this process and it is often responsible for indiscriminate resource depletion. With the artificial production o f materials we caused the breaking off of the natural circle and the actual problem that has to be solved is how to modify the artificial circle looking at the natural one as the master example. The emergence o f the ‘consciousness o f the limit’ involves a change in our culture and in our way o f doing architecture. ‘Sustainability’ does not intend to eliminate artificiality o f production processes, hoping for an ‘all natural life’, rather it means to operate in the way that the product’s life is projected reflecting the natural model o f the closing of the circle. Natural laws are based on the ‘closing the circle’ concept; any energy form and matter subtracted from the earth, modify and re-elaborate, go back to the earth, because “nothing is created or destroyed but everything is modified”. Human intervention modified this delicate rapport energy-nature and we have compromised the system’s sustainability. Closing the circle presupposes a redefinition of the product’s concept. It is to understand a product not just on the basis of its manufacturing process but also on its undoing process. An important role in such a definition is the opportunity to de- materialize the products, in which case we can reduce the use of raw materials and so save them. In this view we should redefine also the idea of consumption - a perspective of ‘circularity’ in which we should not talk about consumption but about function. “Waste is a relatively new phenomenon, one that, unfortunately, most of us living in Western societies accept as quite normal; yet, until two centuries ago, there was 7 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. virtually no waste, and what there was, was biodegradable. At the present time; the quantities of waste that our society produces are truly staggering. We have the idea that we can throw something away, but we are learning to our cost that the garbage can is o u t very own earth”.3 Waste prevention leads to thinking about materials in terms of reducing, reusing, and recycling. The best way to prevent pollution is not to use materials that become waste problems. The word ‘waste’ should disappear to leave space for the ‘secondary materials’ concept. The concept of waste does not exist in nature, where everything has a value and is useful for something. Waste is a human concept that it is becoming very dangerous and needs to be stopped or modified. Yet, it is a human characteristic to modify nature and the environment and to adapt it to our own needs. Without such interventions we would not be able to survive. The production of secondary materials does not involve high levels of energy. One interesting example is aluminum: although it is a resource disruptive during extraction and a high energy consumer during refinement, when recycled it uses 80 % less process energy than during initial production. A very important point is the conservation of energy. In fact, energy is synonymous with resource and, in each process we use energy. Any transformation causes the depletion of energy. We lose a lot of resources every time we produce something. The optimization of each of the single steps of a product’s life become so very important and needs to be analyzed carefully. A way to conserve energy is to reuse or recycle materials. The recycling process permits a great energy saving (aluminum is an example). Obviously, 8 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. reuse is the best solution. In this vision we do not consider any materials as refuse but as resource, thus energy. In any transformation process there is a transfer of energy and a change to a lower energy potential level in an irreversible degradation process. It is not possible to recycle infinitely and, for this reason, it is very important to control the recycling process to warrantee the possibility of reusing a material as much as possible before recycling it, because this process involves a high loss of energy. Another way to save energy is to improve the possibility o f maintaining a product instead of replacing it when something fails. Architecture can make a significant contribution to efforts to enhance the quality of the environment: improving planning, zoning, transportation and all phases of the project cycle. The construction field is, in fact, an overuse of fossil fuels and natural resources. Naturally the designer’s responsibility is neither limited nor exclusive. The industry bears part of the burden. The designer must guide the industry in the direction of sustainable production. A project implies anticipation and prominently a reference to the future as an essential horizon of temporality. A project is thus an anticipation of the future possibility of a product to become a reality. 1.2 ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENT The built environment represents the embodied energy of past civilizations; it is the heritage that our ancestors left to us and it is our responsibility to carry it to the next generation. 9 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. As architects we have a tremendous responsibility to do something because we, in the design profession, are working with almost 70 % of the waste stream that is out there. The more architects ask the manufacturers for ‘green’ information and specifications, the more they will want to provide it. My thesis is working exactly in this direction; it wants create a stimulus in the industry, because they have to realize how important h is to inform the designer, and a layman, about their products and the environmental impacts of them. The products should be projected in a way that their de-construction and reuse it would be easy and feasible. As an illustration, an overview of the automobile industry would indicate that there are many processes which optimize the recycling of car parts after demolition. In an attempt to make the recycling process economically viable, the industry is working on new disassembling techniques for components of different polymers. Degradation levels provoke both physical and psychological discomforts. The idea is to propose products that give more warranties of health harmlessness, or that offer improvement with respect to similar products, and respect for the global impact that their existence has on the ecosystem. Designers have a tremendous opportunity to use resources that are not only cost- competitive and readily available, but are helping to divert waste from landfill, or avoiding air pollution from waste by reusing it instead of burning it. All this focuses on the idea of eliminating waste. In fact, by evaluating and optimizing the full life cycle of products and processes, we approach the state of natural systems in which there is no waste. That also means that we recognize that there is no Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. such thing as waste, only resources out of place and that is our responsibility to use them appropriately. We need to change our attitude, and we can do that by respecting the principles and criteria of sustainability. As Charles J. Kibert said in this overture o f the first Sustainable C onstruction conference in Tampa on November 1994 - there are three sustainable criteria: minimizing resource depletion, preventing environmental degradation and providing a healthy environment.4 These criteria mean that we have to apply prindptes such as conservation, reuse, recycling, protection of the natural resources, non-toxicity and quality to all our artifacts to be able to restore a natural equilibrium. With the artificial cycle, we have broken the natural one but by respecting the natural principles and their application on every single building phase, we can still close the artificial circle. 1.3 SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE: THE PRINCIPLES Sustainable criteria such as: minimization of resource depletion, prevention of environmental degradation and providing a healthy environment need strong bases on which develop new common principles. Through it we can discuss and define new methods, project appropriate material and study the technology of transition. Principles have to be sufficiently broad in scope to encompass all construction problems of a sustainable building and flexible enough to adapt to the evolution of technology. Moreover they have to be easy to comprehend and use. The proposed principles consider energy, water, materials, and earth as resources for the built environment. There are many other resources such as human energy, human 1 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. creativity, information etc. but as already stated the principles and therefore the resources have to be as general and flexible as possible. The proposed principles are: • Conserve: This is the starting principle because it is in contrast to the major problem that forces us to address sustainability in the first place: overconsumption. This should force us to minimize energy consumption and to use durable materials that have long lifetimes and require low maintenance. • Reuse: Items are simply used intact with minimal reprocessing. A significant business exists dealing in architectural items such as windows, doors, and brick, which are being reused in new construction and renovation, but it is necessary to promote this practice. • Renew/Recycle: Prioritize the use of resources that are renewable or recyclable such as wood or scrap steel. Those common construction materials can be supplied from certified sustainable forests or recycled from cars. • Protection of nature: Inevitably our actions in creating the built environment will impact the natural environment and its ecological systems. It is time not just to sustain but to restore where possible the original natural conditions. • Non-toxicity: This addresses toxic substances produced by industries, which have invaded the environment and had inevitable negative effects on humans. Clearly toxic materials must be handled with care and eliminated to the greatest extent possible. The outcome o f this principle in a practical sense is the elimination o f toxic materials in the indoor and exterior built environment. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • Quality: The notion of quality (longevity, functional durability, flexibility) includes all aspects of sustainable construction and is part of all of these. Each of these principles has infinite implication and significance depending on the applications. My interpretation key is for the building materials selection but I recognize that it is just a small part of the possible application o f these principles. The objective that has to be pursued in the application of the principles is to recognize them as tightly correlated, so they can be studied and solved in a holistic manner. 1.4 HOW CAN WE CLOSE THE “ARTIFICIAL CIRCLE”? Many of nature’s services arise from its ability to regulate and recycle water, nutrients, and waste. For many years we considered the natural environment as an unlimited resource only waiting to be exploited by humans. Ecological systems have a 'carrying capacity’ which is an expression of their ability to provide resources and absorb impacts without deteriorating the carrying capacity of ecosystems to provide raw materials for the industries which also produce construction materials. Linearity is a typical characteristic of the actual industrial production process. The typical life of a product involves: extraction o f raw material, production, construction, use, maintenance, dismantling, and disposal. Each of these phases requires input of raw material and energy and gives an output o f waste and pollution. By imitating nature, we often find we can reuse something that had been thought off as a waste product. In this case, we are combining several forms of waste energy. 13 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ^4 £ - i\ * ^ 1 4 . N S \ s 1 «>TX»«S \ \ ___ .v ..v W \ / ' \ / f / / [sEECLrCES; Figure 1 . The Artificial Circle ( Source: Various, 1990, p. 91) A sustainable approach to architecture is the one which does not consider the capability of natural and cultural systems as being continuous over time, but limited in its ability of reproducing. Design plays an important role modifying the linearity of the artificial process through the quality of the project and the connection o f the different actors in a common purpose. The project increases its central position as an interpretive element of the future by using sustainable principles early in the decision process stages and combining nature and modem engineering in indigenous material structures o f exemplary resource efficiency. Traditional architecture gives us a great example and we have to take a look at our past to be able to act on the future. Vernacular architecture’s response to climate, setting and materials provides opportunities for preserving positive lessons in eco-sensitive design. 14 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The project has to guide through the complexity of the different socio-economic actors. The manufacturers are the ones who have the principal position in the innovation,, promotion and eco-efficiency. In this vision the project, exactly for its capability of proposing an interpretive element o f the future, acquires increasing centrality together with the most traditional technological-productive acts. In the near future the process on which we have to base the collaboration between actors will be that o f the co-evolution in which designers, companies, market and game rules will transform reciprocally. The co evolution o f the entire system will permit the realization of close artificial cycles, but to be sure that this will be possible it is important to provide finite and continuing steps.. t \ I i W 9 W F A W U S S N 6 M O S X X & C k Jf * . -m m Figure 2. Closing the Artificial Circle (Source: Various. 1990. p. 93) Among the tools that push innovation are environmental taxes and ecolabelling. These tools are very powerful, the first has to be mandatory from the beginning, the second can be elective because it is the free competition o f the market that can be an incentive in its development. The consciousness of the limits, historic knowledge and actual technologies, and the actors’ collaboration are the three fundamental elements for the closing o f the circle. 15 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Using media, such as the Internet, permits us to accelerate this process through an easy and fast communication. 1 Vale B. & R., (1991), Green architecture: design for a sustainable future, Thames and Hudson, London. P. 107 NOTES 2 Bruntland G. H., (1987), Our Common Future: Report o f the World Commission on Environment and Development, New York: Oxford University Press. P. 38 3 Harland, p. 181 * Kibert C., (1994), Sustainable Construction Proceedings og the First International Conference o f CIB TG16, Nov 6-9, Tampa, BromBrumfield, Ann Arber Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 16 CHAPTER 2 GUIDELINES “Less is more” (L. Mies van der Rohe)1 2.1 THE 3 R ’s: WHEN AND HOW WE SHOULD CHOOSE Much of the construction and demolition waste produced is sent to landfills. At present only a small fraction of construction waste is recovered for reuse or recycling, although the potential exists to recycle or reuse a high proportion o f construction waste. The waste stream as a whole generally consists of 9 to 20 percent construction and demolition waste. Demolition creates even more waste than new construction. In many municipalities cardboard, clean wood, concrete, drywall and scrap metal are banned from the landfill. Builders are beginning to find that the disposing of construction waste can be problematic also because o f the continuous increment o f the cost of disposal in the landfill. At the present it is still difficult to reuse building materials due to the scarcity of difiusion tools and techniques either due to high cost or complexity o f use. There is also Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the high cost of labor that renders it too expensive to be separated manually. It is imperative to render economically viable the actual tools and research to improve it. The final barrier that builders must surmount is locating markets for reuse and recycled materials. My web page works specifically with this intent. ‘Reduce’, ‘Reuse’, and ‘Recycle’: this is the correct sequence of the 3 R’s. The most pursuable is the reduction of the waste. That is possible if, from the inception o f the project, we select materials and systems correctly, limit the scrap at the work site, and use local manufacturers and raw materials. Reuse comes next because it involves a low amount of energy and does not imply a manufacturing process. The incremental cost is due at the element o f separation and cleaning. Recycling is considered as the last alternative because it needs partial or total remanufacture with energy consumption. All these processes are important because they help in the reduction of the landfill process, and so the closing o f the circle. The diffusion of these practices is possible by involving all the developers and professionals in this new way of acting. There are different kinds of wastes produced during different phases of a product’s life, like manufacture, maintenance and use. In each of these moments there is waste and pollution production that has to be reduced. From the acquisition of the raw materials, we pollute and modify the natural environment many times in an irreversible way. Reducing this impact is one of the first preoccupations that the industry should have. The waste produced by these and the other manufacturing phases should be considered as materials for some other production process. The organization and standardization of the site work is another source of materials and resource saving. One of the most effective ways o f saving resources and energy is the proper maintenance of 18 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the building and its ability to adapt to flexibility and transformation in use without major change. Dismantling is, of course, the most important moment since it is possible to save a lot of material resources and energy, if properly conducted. It is during this phase that the 3 R’s acquire the most important value. Renewal has been considered by some as the fourth ‘R’. Renewability means that the resource is able to reproduce itself infinitely. Using renewable resources we decrease the environmental impact and we do not modify it permanently. But, some renewable resources such as wood, need to be controlled in all the other phases because many times the renewability is just a facade, and the modifications during the manufacturing and use stages change completely the nature and impact o f the materials. Renewability considers also the use of renewable energy sources; this is an important issue due to the very high impact of energy production for building use has on our environment. The introduction of the 3 R’s does not compromise the overall quality of the project as some may think but, on the contrary, it helps to improve it because we put more attention on each individual step and choice in the project. At different stages of the building process, the involvement of the 3 R’s gives different possible effective solutions: • When the problem is confronted at the beginning, at the project stage, alternative systems and technological solutions can be adopted to facilitate the montage, maintaining and dismantling o f all the building components. • In the case of intervention in an existing building the possibilities are limited to the opportunities for maximum separation of a singular element in order to reuse it or 19 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. recycle it. O f course, this second option, even if not the most effective, is the one that we can use readily in the intervention on an existing edifice. 2.1.1 ‘REDUCE’ “Construction wastes and rubble from demolition account for 20% of municipal solid wastes”.2 We need to reduce this amount. Most building and demolition waste used to be dumped, but in view of the environmental implication of landfill, it is recommendable to reduce dumping. The reduction of waste production it is a global action that includes all the construction phases and is certainly the one that affects most o f the project ideas. The project has to change the way it is structured to be able to think about the waste reduction using all possible strategies such as: modularity, prefabrication, disassembling systems, organization and coordination of the work site. And being able to select materials that have being produced with the most environmentally conscious technologies. The separation of building and demolition waste opens up opportunities for further use and reduction of waste materials. However the actual state o f the art often renders the separation of the materials uneconomical because of the high costs o f the labor and the scarce availability o f mechanized equipment. Only the separation of clean rubble, low-grade chemical waste, metals, wood, synthetic materials are generally considered to be a low-cost option. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2.1.2 ‘REUSE’ Building demolition and remodeling produce significant amounts of waste as existing structures and finishes are removed. New construction also produces waste in the form o f scrap, defective and damaged material, and empty packaging. Many wastes are materials that can be reused either within the same construction or for other applications. Reuse is a very valuable solution because it does not need much energy. The only limitation is the amount o f time required by the labor. The reuse of building materials is highly resource efficient because you save material, resources, energy, reduce dumping and incineration. Reuse not only requires far less energy than recycling, but also preserves the cultural and historic value inherent in used materials. Old building materials often feature resources of exceptional quality. For example, salvaging used wood offers access to large pieces of quality wood from rare tree species or old-growth trees, all at a low environmental cost. Even if used materials require cleaning or minimal reworking, they can still provide energy and resource saving over new materials. In addition, reuse diverts waste from landfill. Materials salvaged and reused locally are even more resource efficient, because very little energy is consumed in transporting them to the work site. Some companies specialize in supplying a particular line o f used building materials on a regional scale. Local builders, demolition contractors and architectural salvage operations, are other good sources of used building materials. We need to close the loop by re-using materials that have been traditionally discarded. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. It is important not to forget that building codes require the inspection and grade stamp prior to the reuse of structural wood. This is a small disadvantage but it permits the saving o f enormous amount o f materials. 2.1.3 ‘RECYCLE’ Recycling, or secondary reuse, means collecting, processing, marketing, and ultimately using materials that were once discarded. Materials with recycled content have three advantages: they require fewer natural resources, they divert materials from the solid waste stream, and they use less energy during manufacture. Some contractors assume that recycling costs more in increased labor and that it will save in landfill fees, so they do not pursue job-site recycling unless it is required in the bid. Architects should encourage the use o f recycled materials showing the equal performance and cost of those materials especially when these are locally available on the work site or close to it. There are several kinds of recycling possibilities and the goal is to select the most appropriate one that permits us to recycle over and over again and one in which the performance leak is very small. Recycle pre-consumer. Usually the scraps from the production are re-used in the same manufacturer process. Recycle post-consumption, after dismantling. This is the most popular concept o f recycling, where the released materials are reprocessed (smelting, breaking) in a 22 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. reprocessing plant to form new materials. It requires additional transportation and energy consumption and can result in the release o f harmful substances. For this reason it is considered as the last choice between the 3 R’s. Internal recycling. In the same field or production process involving the diverting o f scrap from the waste process back into manufacturing process. External recycling. The waste of one process becomes the resource for the production of some other product that can be use also in another complete different field from the previous one. For example, Nylon carpet is used from the carpet to the car industry to produce automobile parts. Similarly, bottles and post-industrial glass are reprocessed into fiberglass insulation. 2.2 INCINERATION AND LANDFILL CONSIDERATION Sometimes it is possible to neither reuse nor recycle a product; this can happen because of the high cost o f separation o f the elements that compose the product or because the performance of the product is not economically justifiable. In this case incineration, with some energy recovery, can be a valuable solution. This is more likely with oil based components that give out high combustion energy values. Incineration has to be done on the proper sites with proper control of emissions with plastic materials that can release many noxious substances. Sometimes because of the intrinsic characteristics of the element, incineration is not recommended; in this case the disposal o f the material in landfill is the only possible solution. But the disposal has to be controlled to avoid the pollution of soil and runoff waters. The environmental implications o f the landfill include also the modification and 23 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. destruction o f habitat. Protecting the environment also means taking particular care o f its visual aspects. a % U l C z 8 W A S T E TY PES § e > ft 3 1 8 © I £>2 * 1 S « i l l ! r i S i - S stone type materials 1 2 3 reinforced concrete 1 2 wood 1 2 3 4 synthetics 1 2 3 metals 1 2 3 4 paper and cardboard 1 2 3 glass 1 2 3 iowgrade chemica; waste 1 2 3 other (eg domestic) 1 2 3 waste Figure 3. Processing Method Preferences (Source: Anink D., Boonstra C., Mak J..1996. p.97) 2.3 WHEN IS IT JUSTIFIABLE TO USE A NEW PRODUCT? There are new products that are more resource efficient than products now in common use. In the holistic perspective we must always select the materials that match as many sustainable characteristics as possible. Sometimes those are new products bom from the most sophisticated technological research in which knowledge and tools have permitted the optimization o f raw material acquisition and the manufacturing process using renewable materials and low energy and high quality and performance in the final products. In this case the selection of new products appears as the most appropriate. Another element to be considered is the recycled content of a product, whether there is a potential for reuse or recycling after dismantling. New materials without recycle content need to have the potential o f being recycled in the future and this has to be the most important characteristic. 24 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2.4 EVALUATION METHODS To be able to select and classify building materials I have to follow not jus* the sustainable principles but also to select some parameters of evaluation. An important parameter is the embodied energy that represents the amount of energy required to produce and transport a quantity of material. But this represents just a part o f the whole picture. A more comprehensive method is the Life Cycle Analysis, considering the environmental impact of a material during each singular phase of its life and taking into account a comprehensive number o f impacting factors such as pollution and waste production and energy consumption. All evaluation methods have some important limitations and controversial parameters due to the heterogeneity o f the data acquired. This methodology o f analysis is quite recent and is conducted from several sources that manipulate the results in the most comfortable way for their business. Fortunately much federal /government research has recently started; this should warrant objectivity, but the limited data available is the biggest problem. This is a topic in flux. Materials and our knowledge o f them are constantly changing. Recognizing the limits and limitations of each methodology is very important in selecting and following the most appropriate process for the field studied. Products listed in my web page have been determined to be more resource efficient than conventional building materials. Few outstanding materials have the potential to match closely every one of the criteria for resource efficiency. The Adviser selects building materials and products that have at least one of the following characteristics: Environmental consciousness Reusability/disassembly 25 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Recycled content Resource efficiency Low embodied energy Transportation/ local availability Long life cycle Non toxicity - low toxicity (for all: manufacturers, installers and occupants) Waste generation Installation Maintenance/Durability Quality o f life Pollution to environment Pollution and indoor air quality (IAQ) Particular attention is given to the selection o f reused and recycled building materials and components because these characteristic factors represent a powerful tool to minimize resources and energy consumption, a goal that is achievable using resources that can be renewed or recycled for maximizing resource reuse. 2.4.1 EMBODIED ENERGY It is possible to define embodied energy as the energy used to acquire raw materials and convert them into construction materials, products, and components, to transport the raw materials, intermediate and final products, and to build them into structures. Transportation has to be considered as one of the most important factors in determining the total embodied energy. Local availability o f a product is a valuable factor of choice. Embodied energy is important but the greatest savings are to be made from reducing energy in use. Energy Efficiency refers to energy saving in the product's manufacturing process, and also to the operational energy saved through the product's lifetime. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. We cannot always consider low embodied energy as a determinant factor, other quality factors also have to be considered. The resource extraction and manufacture of building materials has environmental impacts other than energy use. How a material performs after installation in a building is important as well - factors such as longevity and durability impact on operation energy consumption and maintenance requirements. B T U fe . (HMwafttaoo* .— , ToM EM M M I 1 ■ TtampoiMian E M * o y Aluminum PVC SftM Gtexs ConcctM* Wood Figure 4. Product Manufacturing Embodied Energy and Transportation ( Source: Environmental Building News. 1995) The impact of embodied energy can be diluted over a longer time if we design for longevity and pay attention to possible reduced energy substitutes for traditional solutions. Recycling of materials is a final and very important aspect because the partial remanufacture of a product requires much less energy. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2.4.2 LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is an objective process that identifies the environmental burdens o f specific products and processes from cradle to grave and quantifies ail elements in the process. LCA qualifies and quantifies the energy consumed, the waste generated, and the resources used, and evaluates the effects of these factors on the environment. LCA is used as an evaluation method that permits the verification of data both from a qualitative and a quantitative point o f view. However this study is focussed on evaluating products and materials more from the qualitative point of view because it is difficult to find and compare non-homogeneous data. LCA permits us to analyze the inputs: materials and energy: and the outputs: waste and pollutant. We must understand which one is the most critical point of each product life to be able to modify it. ENERGY ENE RGY ENERGY ENERGY ENERGY RAW MATERIALS ACQUISITION FINAL DISPOSAL ' ■Lmdfill, ftum aniim , Recycle, or Reuse j PRODUCTS. USE OR CONSUMPTION MATERIALS MANUFACTURE PRODUCTS MANUFACTURE 1 \ Jr 1 i i WAS TE WASTE W A S T E RE U S E P R O D U C T RECYCLI NG Figure 5. Life Cycle Analysis. The progression of energy and environmental impacts inv olv ed in the lifc-cyclc from manufacture to disposal of building products. 28 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Materials, and our knowledge o f them, are constantly changing. Hence LCA has to be continuously updated. At this moment the questions that LCA should be able to answer are: Is the source of raw materials renewable, sustainable, locally available, and nontoxic? Is the extraction of raw material destroying the habitat, and polluting the runoff water? What is the impact o f transportation? How does the processing and/or manufacturing process impact the environment with pollution, waste and energy consumption? Is there use, exposure, or disposal o f additives? Does the use and operation require high consumption of energy and does it suggest indoor air quality problems or waste? Is there potential for recycling or reusing materials and disposing o f solid and toxic wastes? All these questions ate at the base o f the knowledge of each product and being able to answer them signifies our ability to analyze and recognize the most impacting elements that have to be modified as the first step towards a sustainable use of the materials. 2.4.3 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY Developing a building design is a complex process that involves consideration of the energy and material resources the building will consume in its construction, operation and maintenance. Resource efficient designs reduce the amount of energy and material consumed by a building during each of these stages. The resource-conscious designer should plan for the future, as well, by considering the design’s ability to adapt to changing use requirements over its lifetime, and how the building lends itself to dismantling at the end of its useful life. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Energy efficiency is not only a product of materials, however. Design principles can also be employed to enhance the energy efficiency o f buildings. Buildings also represent a huge energy investment that includes the energy used in locating, extracting, processing, transporting and installing building materials. This embodied energy should be considered as part o f the energy consumption attributed to a building. Consequently, selection of bioregionally appropriate local materials helps to reduce the embodied energy total of a structure. The very essence of resource efficiency is conscious reduction of our use of natural resources -doing more with less. Careful design and planning are imperative components of resources efficient construction principles and practices. Three primary aspects of resource efficiency intervene to form the basic design consideration: space efficiency, energy efficiency, and cost efficiency. In this thesis I will primarily discuss energy efficiency but I recognize that space efficiency and economic control are both very important factors in the limitation of resource depletion. NOTES 1 F. Schulze. (1985), A lies van der Rohe: a citical biography, University of Chicago, p. 34 2 D. Hertz (1994). A Material fora Finite Planet. hitpr/Avww.svndcsisinc.com/. p.2 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 3 THE INTERNET 3.1 THE INTERNET AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL The Internet is the electronic network of public and private communication channels that connects government, educational, and even personal computers around the world. The single pages can link to infinite other pages made from people in any part of the world, indifferently. Different countries, cultures, and communities are connected through this powerful media without any physical barrier. The utility o f the computer has already proved itself in all fields, the question now is how to optimize it on the construction area as a tool to respect the environment. In the realm o f sustainable architecture, computers can be useful for several reasons: Software that supports projects and resource saving. - Diffusion o f sustainable products and information on advanced technologies. Software that is able to evaluate the amount o f waste that a particular design generates, is a first step toward practical methods o f improving the architect’s ecological sensibility. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The Internet permits us to explore the state of the art in a sector, also it informs us in a very immediate way who is interested in that topic and which kind of studies/researches are in progress. The Net is a powerful tool that allows us to work globally, together, in new and more efficient ways, and to provide services to our clients that were not possible a few years ago. The Internet has dissolved real local space into virtual space, and real local time into any time. Although the risk of this electronic-based communication is that direct human interactions might be neglected, it remains a fact that the Internet opens up vast, unexpected possibilities of communicating. 3.1.1 HOW I APPROACHED THE INTERNET The greatest quality of the Net is its interactivity, the possibility o f user participation, choosing where to go, to see in any point of time. This is a very unique characteristic, no other media is so flexible and usable in such different ways. When I started to think about my thesis topic I found it interesting, and stimulating, the possibility of putting together my love for the sustainable architecture and my “fear” for the computer, as a challenge for myself. Not only the possibility to study in depth a topic that had for some years interested me, but to combine this interest with a newest one. My thesis started with the research of the state of the art aspects on the sustainable development and architecture in the United States but, at the same time, I tried to explore the structure of the Net and what rendered it so interesting was its ability to be used for my thesis. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The first months of surfing the Net had been very useful not to deepen my knowledge on sustainable architecture but to understand how to use this new media as a tool to divulge my research. Mine is a sincere effort to contribute towards improving the quality o f information, not the quantity. By navigating, I learned how important visual communication is; I also saw the lack o f manufacturers and the extent to which the web page addressed environmental aspects and their products. 3.2 W EB PAGE EDITION There are several tools available to edit a web page. It is possible to use the HTML code alone or with some more sophisticated language such as Java and Java Script. It is also possible to use graphic editors that facilitate the design because are visual based. The first step of my study was to learn the HTML code, but for the final edition of my thesis I decide to use PageMill 2.0 because of its immediate visualization. During the design many considerations have to be taken in account, such as: the modem speed, the frame configuration that is not always supported by the browser, and the dimension and definition o f the screen. All these considerations can become a limitation in the use of the Web for users that don’t have the most advanced computers, especially for private use. So the designer has to take in account all this limitation and design the web page. The computer industry is developing very rapidly; software and languages are improving and advancing every day. One of the most recent is VRML, Virtual Reality Modeling Language; that permits us to show objects in 3-dimensions. It is still in Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. development and has a limitation on the speed o f the Network because it needs too much code for even simple objects. Other complex programming codes are Java and Java Script. They both permit more advanced and complex web pages. Java Script is a script language and the code appears along with the HTML code. Java is an object oriented programming language, quite complicated by nature, that can be considered the most advanced tool available today to write complex and interactive web pages. Without the use of this tool the web page has some limitation, such as the inability of making a complex calculation, database, or a search by key words, all very useful tools for an advanced research but not indispensable for the organization of an informative web page. 3.3 THE LIMITATIONS OF THE INTERNET The Internet also has some aspects that can become limitations, such as: there is not enough control of quality and anyone can publish whatever they want. O f course if this freedom permits the maximum expression of each thought, in a way it can also be very difficult to trust. The information available is not verifiable and is usually very commercialized but the most accredited web page is usually the one of government agencies, non-profit organizations, professionals associations, the information content on them is usually more objective than the commercial ones. But also the commercial one is a valuable means to diffuse product description and information; the only difficulty is finding the useful one - we should push more quality versus quantity. So it is not just a matter of surfing but the ability of doing it - finding the right sites. There are many search engines available and their use needs to be experimented to find the most comfortable one. It can be extremely time consuming to surf if you do not think as to select the key 34 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. words. For example, in the Alta Vista searcher, using “sustainable architecture” on the simple search the document match is 95370. Using the advanced search the matches are 1773. From the titles, often the topic appears be interesting but when you go to the real page most of the words are without serious content or information. It is a mirror o f the society very pleasant in appearance but it lacks the substance, thus entirely useless! And so one thinks - “Let’s move to something with content!” and you search again and again at the end: after days o f surfing you realize that there are only 20-30 important sites on this topic. My search related to finding materials for my thesis. Unfortunately I found the online resources on sustainable architecture so general that they were of little help on a research project of this nature. The highest quality information I found was still in print form (books and manuals). The Internet did, however, serve as an excellent, augmentative research tool, pointing me to many resources and information that I would not have been aware of otherwise. Another feature o f the Net was the fact that it is constantly upgrading: thus identical search after a period of time results in different and latest information. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 4 WEB PAGE 4.1 WHY A WEB PAGE? Studying architecture and environmental control technologies, I recognize the ‘side effects’ of our activity pollution, landfills, toxic waste, global warming, resource and ozone depletion, and deforestation. It is time to use the uncalculated technological achievements to save our planet preserving the natural environment exploiting at the best the natural resources and information using the advanced interactive media available. The actual problem is distributing sustainable practice guidelines. The Internet solves the distribution and permits the connection between architects and manufacturers, and I solved the structure organizing and systematizing the available information and data. GOAL: My web page provides clear, easily applied guidelines and useful practices (recommendation-data-tips-theory) that can be readily introduced into new construction, renovation and building operation. CONTENTS: The web page is designed to synthesize and organize the amount of available information on sustainable building materials and direct the reader to 36 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. more detailed resource (manufacturers) for further review and reference. Simultaneously, the availability of such a web page should be a stimulus for the manufacturers to improve their own page with an environmental description of their products. The web page intents to provide suggestion across the full life cycle of a building material, encouraging the practitioners to use the new criteria of sustainable architecture as an integral part on the design process. FOCUS: The web page is configured considering all kind of typologies building but for the purpose of this project I focus on the development of the new residential type. This is because there is such a large diffusion of this typology use that solving this we act strongly on the right direction of reducing the materials resources and energy consumption. “90% o f the nearly 1.5 million new homes built each year in the US are wood framed. Framing represents a significant amount of lumber consumption” (1) and studying how to reduce it is a very efficient first step toward a sustainable action. WHO SHOULD USE IT? Building professionals will find this Web page a useful resource include planners, architects, interior designers, engineers, contractors, property managers, building owners and users, product manufacturers, and local government. Everybody has to move toward a new value in this work: that of environmental performance. HOW WILL COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY ASSIST IN THE PURSUIT OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE? The computer technologies available today have the potential of aiding in the diffusion of information about sustainable 37 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. designs. The computer could also be the best instrument in determining a building’s re-usability, re-cyclability, and sustainability through the development o f specialized software. 4.2 SBMA: THE WEB PAGE ORGANIZATION The idea at the base o f this web page is that has to be easy to consult. Since computer technologies are improving everyday toward a more easy and friendly use, I am sure that the use of this web page as an Adviser is likely. Since the content is o f primary concern, I want to be sure that the structure is easy and able to point the attention on the recommendation avoiding fancy and useless parts. My recommendations are short, punctual, without “decoration”; they want to inform, giving to the users the possibility of going deeper on the topic through the theory and the references and lately to the manufacturers connection or the user can choose to surf through each step having just the basic, most important notion until he/she reaches the manufacturers. DVISER Figure 6. The Title Fram e as a Link to the Main Page. 38 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. My web page is organized in two separate parts: the Adviser and the Theory. 4.2.1 THE ADVISER It helps the design process from the initial, schematic design phases to the detailed specification o f building component and systems. It is organized in a straight hierarchy: • Building typology (new residential) • Building systems: four categories (structural materials, partitions, floor/roof, and window/door). • Materials / elements • Manufacturer connection. During the navigation through the manufacturers the SBMA title will remain at the top of the screen. That would warrantee the possibility of going back to the Adviser at any point and continue using it. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 39 Figure 7. A flow chart of the Adviser. How to use the Adviser, an example of the path: A designer is seeking insulation with some recycled content to use on a project. Being progressive, she connects to the Web and finds my site that features ‘SBMA’. Searching 40 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. under ‘partitions’ and ‘insulation’ she finds several leads and clicks on the first to go to a more detailed recommendation about the products and from there the manufacturer’s connection is just at one step. After six mouse clicks, the designer has seen product description, reviewed their physical composition and properties, verified conformance to national standards, checked cost and availability, copied language to paste into her specifications, and copied information on the local representative to add to her online contact manager. In ten minutes she is done with the insulation, and can go back to select other sustainable products through the SBMA. 4.2.2 THE THEORY This section contains definitions and basic concepts of sustainable development and sustainable architecture. The page refers to other web pages on the Internet where it is possible to find more information about these topics. It also provides a connection with some case studies and a list of sites where it is possible to know about the future events/conferences. The most important part of this section is the one concerning the evaluation methods and the criteria used for the selection of the building materials described in this web page. It is a basic intent of this work to provide suggestions across the full life cycle of a building material, encouraging practitioners in using the new criteria o f sustainable architecture as integral part o f the design process. At any time it is possible to open a correspondence box where take notes and save it in the user account by Email. This is the easier way to copy and paste the Advisers’ Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. recommendation but also is a good way for the user to write some comment or indication that he/she finds to be interesting to develop or remember for a later use. Figure 8. A Flow Chart of the Theory. 42 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 4.23 WRITE A WEB PAGE Before to start to write a web page, it was necessary to determine the target audience. Understanding the users needs and how to communicate with them is the first step toward the success o f this work. A good way to leam how to communicate through this media, that connects people from all around the world, is to navigate through other people sites and understand which are the fundamental things that render a web page useful. A very unique characteristic of the Net is the velocity. The links permit you to jump from a site to another to the next one so fast that in 10 minutes you can have been visiting the world and already forget about it. This means that the programmer should be successful in keeping the user’s attention throughout their race there are two basics tools to leam to been able to actually design the web page: 1. How to code or use an editor. 2. Which graphic support software to use and how. 1. Knowing the HTML code is the basic step to be able to start to write a web page. Learning the code is not difficult and permits a complete control of the design also if lately I used an editor to write the web page. PageMill 2.0, the Editor used, permits a fast and easier design because it visualizes immediately the final appearance o f the web page, but needs always to be controlled and double checked through the HTML code to correct the unexplained mistakes. My limited knowledge of programming code did not permit to me to use Java and Java Script so the web page is not as interactive as it could be using those advanced design tools. 2. Communication aspects: in a web page the graphic aspect is very important. It is very easy to get lost in a page where there are too many information concentrated in a small 43 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. space but at the same time it gets very boring to have to scroll a lot before you find something interesting to read and the user tends to click on the first link on both cases. The trick is to design a page with the right amount of information for the screen, not too compact but at the same time colorful and able to keep the attention of the readers as long as it is necessary to read it all. Graphic is not just an aesthetic, but is primarily a way of communication, and a way to render comprehensive the most important parts on the screen, the ones that you absolutely have to read. I played with colors to be able to distinguish the different sections of the building systems and the depth to which the reader was in each page using different tones of the same colors. The unique experience of writing a web page has to do also with its necessity of being up to date frequently. The velocities of the flux o f information that are contained are similar to the velocity at which our world is running. We have the possibility to see and leam much more and this velocity does not permit us to meditate and select accurately but just act rapidly toward the next point. The interesting point is how well the Net has been able to represent, indirectly, our society. As the Net gives always the possibilities to choose between several links, so also our society permits us to choose if we have the ability and the strength for it. The specific elements that differentiate the use o f a web page from a book are the links and the content. Links permit us to use the web in a non-linear way. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. .. aasfcuay&awiso Figure 9. Information is Accessible in a Non-Linear Way. There is never just only one way to go through, like in printed books, but there are multiple solution or links to look at. In this case the graphic is very helpful in guiding the user through the main point without skipping it. The content is always the focus point and is organized in a very different way with respect to a book. It is true that if we understand the Net logic we are able to structure our text in a very efficient way that permits us to save time by not reading useless things as happens in the linear structure of the print materials. The unique configuration o f the web page has been shown when I printed out my pages to show it to somebody that did not have the Internet connection; it took me half an hour to explain the logic and the organization using the print out format. 45 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Since the beginning I had a strong idea about the graphic o f my web page: I wanted it to have very significant backgrounds with very simple other graphics to emphasize the content. Figure 10. Examples of Different Backgrounds. The background assumed a priority role; in the first page is a picture o f the Antarctic. I took this idea as a symbol o f sustainability, the Antarctic, the “last frontier”, where human beings have not been so destructive yet. I found this to be a strong idea because usually people relate this topic to the green color, but I wanted to try to change this because as much as it might be green, it might be blue, the color o f water ( see Figure 6). During my test many people were surprise at first but after a short reflection they found it to be an interesting alternative for the green. For me this represents a challenge, it means that there is a possibility for change, to educate the audience to reflect about the possible options. With the same attitude I selected all the backgrounds for each singular material, because it could be a visualization of that particular product. 46 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The theory part had a different logic, with all dark backgrounds, monochromatic with a picture of the earth, our planet that has to be saved. A set of navigation buttons. The logo at the top of the page is actually a frame that it will always stay to be able to go back to my web page also when you left it to visit the manufacturers sites. Figure 11. The Title Frame as a Link to the Main Page. Organized as a cascade, it is able to go back at any time or go deeper to choose what you want to visit. Internal links and external ones to other peoples web page still refer to mine as the main one. Most of the links to other sites are around the state and around the world 4.3 WORLDWIDE VERSUS USA VALIDITY My web page acts as a prototype to demonstrate the validity o f such a tool in both a global and a local vision. In fact, the overall structure of SBMA can be adapted to be valid on a global scale where environmental considerations, sustainable principles, and methodologies of analyzing are considered fundamental and equally valuable. But looking at the classification of the building systems and materials, this model has to be changed depending upon the diffusion of the local market and construction technologies. 47 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The web page has been developed looking at the USA market in general and the Californian market specifically, trying to analyze the availability of the products supporting the idea of using local materials which help to save a consistent quantity of energy. The idea of local products came up by looking at the vernacular architecture that was firstly conditioned from the local availability and from the weather condition as the two major elements of the project. wirftntarnnm R ub PRODUCTS Figure 12. Direct Links to the Manufacturer’s Sites. In a worldwide scale the parameters are of course different and the web page has to be adjusted. The modification is very simple, as I could demonstrate during my final presentation when I showed an Italian translation o f the Adviser from the selection of the material to the manufacturers connection. Doing that, I could reinforce the concept that sustainable development is a global issue which involves all people and countries but in order to be effective, it has to start locally: from a single person to the community, to the state. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The technologies available today can help in this “save the planet” process in which we could optimize the use of the 3 R’s with just a little more consciousness and good faith. 4.4 LIMITS AND BENEFITS OF A WEB PAGE AS A GUIDE FOR ARCHITECTS The thesis acts as a prototype: it is not a limitation but just a limit, this means that it could be developed having more time and people with different specialized backgrounds so that each point could be analyzed and discussed in-depth both for the Adviser and the Theory parts. In my opinion the Theory was just to support the Adviser, a brief explanation o f the key concepts that regulate the recommendation; but in a more advanced stage, this part could become more exhaustive reaching teaching tool complexity. Because the adviser is adaptable to specific local situation, some materials and manufacturers are not extensively treated, and the recommendations are addressed with specific concern. Also the data availability has been a problem: there is not availability of literature for several products and many of them are just analyzed from a commercial point of view without any environmental indication, especially the information from the Net. But, because this topic is becoming so urgent and more people are involved in it, the data availability is increasing everyday. For the same ‘in progress’ concept the methodology o f analysis is also not scientifically perfect but knowing all these limits our action can be anyway effective toward more accurate and detailed environmental studies and results. 49 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. NOTES (1) Mumma T., (1997), GREBE, guide to resource efficient building elements, Missoula, Mont.: Center for Resourceful Building Technology, p. 3 50 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 5.1 MARKET IN DEVELOPMENT Due to the rapid and continual change of the industry, the market of reused and recycled materials is in expansion and development. The recycled materials market is interdependent on the real market. It does not have its own infrastructure but is supported by the existing one. They are very few, fast developing companies with an exclusive production of recycled materials. It is relatively easy for big companies to open new sectors for these products in large development and apply a consolidated marketing knowledge and solid productive bases, to enter the market. This sector, having an important social impact, improves the total image of the company. There are also small new companies; they usually concentrate their production on a very specific market. We recognize two cases: - Big companies that convert part of their production in to a ‘green’ one. - New small industries, that develop only ‘green’ products. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Both of these owe their success to research and technological innovation. The market o f reused materials acts with a different logic. It is not part o f the ‘primary’ market, as the one described above, but it develops from its ‘feet’, as a straight, direct consequence o f a consumer-oriented society. The two markets are not connected and one excludes the other. Browsing the Net, I found the first category: the industry of recycled products, economically more powerful and socially more influential. The chemical industry, because o f the environmentalist action, in the last few years has been developing an environmental politic, that is involving all the sectors connected to them in a chain effect. But there are many actors that are not involved yet. Unfortunately on the Net it is not easy to find small producers or distributors of reused components. These are very interesting especially if we look at the local market. They are economically more feeble and because their action is so local, it is a personal direct knowledge base. In this case it would be very useful to have a common directory where you could find a list of these small, but narrowly distributed industries. Moreover, many building component producers on the Net do not emphasize the environmental impact and behavior of their products but just describe the characteristics in the traditional way. The Internet in the building business still does not play a very productive role but it is on the way. The signal to noise ratio improving. My thesis wants to anticipate this moment, as an experiment that points in the direction of the future. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Soon the competition among manufacturers will be based on the ecology industry: ‘zero waste and zero emissions’. For the future we have to think about a production and consumption system able to answer the social request o f products and services without disturbing the natural circle and without depleting the natural capital. We have to base our production on renewable resources, limiting the use o f non-renewable ones and eliminating the waste concepts. The politics o f efficiency combines ecology and economic reasoning. The environmental issue is being approached at different scales: while on a local level action is based on individual behavior and considerations, the global market responds to international market conditions - usually just fulfilling the mandatory environmental requirements. 5.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF MY RESEARCH The difference between information and data is the value that is added to data to make it comprehensive, cohesive, coherent, meaningful, and accessible. In my thesis I want to inform, not just give data. The difficulties in the finding of data, especially the quantitative ones, render the Life Cycle Analysis useless if used in a comparative way, but if it is used as an knowledge analysis it is very interesting and becomes a valuable source of information. Analyzing the production process it is possible to understand where we are with the technological evolution, putting in relation the quality o f the products and their economic value. Evaluating building materials for resource efficiency is a complex and challenging endeavor. 53 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Sometimes not even the product manufacturer understands the full impacts of resource extraction involved in making a product, and the embodied energy of materials is still little known in its quantification. Some materials and manufacturing processes are better understood than others, since highly complex processes require a long-view analysis for which very little information is available. Decisions are made based upon the best information available to us, and new information sometimes changes the results of previous evaluations. Synthesizing present information and uncovering an area for further research are important steps toward defining truly resource efficient building materials. An important limit to be discussed is whether the Net could be a good substitute for printed books. Because they answer to a different logic, it is difficult to compare them but at this time I don’t think that we are in a position to substitute one for the other. But considering them as complementary is interesting, working together in different points and moments. It is also true that the non-linear structure o f the Net does not permit you to really understand a Web page document unless it is printed out; the web page has to be clearly structured in a way that the user does not need to print it out but that it can catch the information easily as fast as this Media behaves. This could be a limitation because many people are not ready for this “fast learn” approach, but at the same time it is a challenge to being informative, consistent, and useful, and being open to new ways of educating yourself. My web page could be a critical tool for the building professionals, difficult to control, to trust, and time consuming to consult. Professionals don’t trust what is written there. But with experience and critical sense it is always possible to understand the basic 54 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. concepts and take advantages of what it contains. Any way is a tool to reflect the starting point for other individual researches. 5.3 FINAL EVALUATION I tested the web page continuously, from the beginning with my classmates and with other undergraduate students. That proved to be very helpful as a way to verify, step by step, what major mistakes I had to change or unclear parts which I had to explain better. The progression of the web page was from a vertical-monochromatic structured one to a more compact version, where much information was already given at the top of each screen, using standardized bottoms and words, changing just the color and the tones to show where the user is in the program. A survey showed that if the candidate found the topic very interesting and they knew little about it they wanted to look at the theory part, and at the overall structure of the page before they looked at the Adviser. In this case the SBMA worked as a teaching tool, in which case I recognized that, as today’s structure the theory part of the web page was a little deficient of information. But when I showed for the first time the web page to people that already knew about this topic, they went through the Adviser firstly and only later through the Theory. During the final presentation the Jury found the SBMA a very interesting prototype and they suggested an extensive research on this topic maybe unifying the systematization using the CSI code, the division in 16 categories and coding each one with the reference number for a faster and comparative consultation. How do you expand from the 5 initial categories to more, along the same lines? The answer is to add more information at a lower level, for each material, but it does not 55 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. have to be long and complicated, because that is not the original purpose and not the idea of the Net. The Net velocity is a convenience for the user, the user does not want to read it for a long time before being able to make a decision. The matrix could help, but a short description is the best. To be able to expand the database it will be necessary to use Java, greater interaction is the base for managing such a huge amount of data. Professors appreciated the Net idea; they found it an appropriate tool to represent this topic and the fact that the proportion of a click to the information rendered was very low; because easy accessibility was a major concern for me throughout. Some evaluators made a point that in my web page what was missing was the matrix, a very useful tool because it permits an immediate comparison between the same categories o f products giving the architect a fast comparative idea for a quick selection and decision. In my study I omitted the matrix because I felt it needed to be compiled in much a more deep and accurate study of each material. But I did a certain classification when I chose which material to include and which one to exclude, moreover the materials are listed from the best to the worst. It is also true that to be able to say which one is the best product, many factors have to be considered, and a univalent classification is rarely possible. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 5.4 FUTURE RESEARCH The purpose o f this web page is to provide a helpful reference on sustainable building materials for use by architects and those involved in construction, demolition and renovation activities. Sustainable architecture is being practiced by more and more architects leading to the development o f new products and new techniques o f reuse and recycling. Also, technological innovation has permitted the optimization of material performance thus saving natural resources. In this view my research topic has to “be in touch” with the advanced researches and my web page has to be up to dated continuously. My present work gives more space to the Adviser part but a future possibility is to expand the theoretical part and make it a tutorial or teaching tool, giving more space to concept explanation, images, graphs, and case study examples. . Another interesting development could be to contact the manufactures themselves and show them this prototype and the chance that they get to be linked to such a tool hoping that they could make or improve their own “sustainable” web page. This could represent an important step toward a new use of the World Wide Web wherein manufacturers will be more involved on the sustainable architecture action. I would like to transform the web from ‘interesting use of the W eb’ to ‘critical tool for the professional’. This should be an interesting challenge for many people, especially students involved in thesis research, because this topic has a future both for the academic and the commercial market. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Finally for myself, this is certainly not the end o f the exploration, and the expansion o f my web page will continue to grow with me, sometimes alone and sometimes in collaboration with competent comrades, maybe a team o f specialists in different fields who might be able to enrich the various facets of this ambitious ‘tool’ with their expertise. It with this sense of optimism, that I dedicate and open up this thesis to one and all who care about the earth and who care about a better tomorrow. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 58 BIBLIOGRAPHY American Institute o f Architects, (1996), Environmental Building Guide, Washington DC Anink D., Boonstra C., Mak J., (1996), Handbook o f sustainable building. An environmental preference m ethod fo r selection o f m aterials fo r use in construction and refiirbishment, Janies & James, London Barnett D., Browning W., (1995), A Primer on Sustainable Building, a report. Colorado: Rocky Mountain Institute Brown L.R., Flavin C., French H., et al, (1997), State o f the world, W.W. Norton & Company, New York Bruntland G. H., (1987), Our Common Future: Report o f the World Commission on Environment and Development, New York: Oxford University Press. CIWMB, The CLAM AX Classified, Nov- Dec 1996, State of California Commoner B., (1971), The closing circle, Knopf, Inc. CMHC-SCHL, (1993), Sustainable Residential developments, McGill University Edwards B., (1996), Towards sustainable architecture. European directives and building design, Butterworth architecture London Environmental B uilding News. A Monthly Newsletter on Environmentally Responsible Design and Construction, (1992-1997), Alex Wilson, Brattleboro Horwitch W., (1995), Quantification o f construction waste: A conceptualization o f a computer program, UCL A Thesis ISWMO, (1996), A resource guide to recycled-content construction products, Issue n. 6, January, City o f Los Angeles ISWMO, (1996), Come fu ll circle. A resource guide to recycled-content construction products, Issue n. 6, January, City of Los Angeles ISWMO, (1996), A resource guide to recycled-content construction products, Issue n. 14, January, City o f Los Angeles 59 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ISWMO, (1995), Wood you recycle?, Issue n. 3, March, City o f Los Angeles Lyle T., J., (1994), Regenerative design for sustainable development, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York Kibert C., (1994), Sustainable Construction Proceedings og the First International Conference o f CIB TG 16, Nov 6-9, Tampa, BromBrumfield, Ann Arber Manzini E., (1990), Chiudere il cechio progetti, prodotto, ambiente, Conference Proceedings, Milano Mumma T., (1997), GREBE, guide to resource efficient building elements, Missoula, Mont.: Center for Resurceful Building Technology Mackenzie F. T. & J., (1995), O ur changing planet. An introduction to earth system science a n d global environmental change, Prentice Hall, New Jersey National Audubon House, (1994), Audubon House. B uilding the Environmentally Responsible, Energy-Efficient O ffice, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York O’Brien M., (1994), guide to resource efficient building, Katheen O’Brien editor Odum E.P., (1963), Ecology, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. Omodeo-Sale’ S., (1997), Verdeaureo d e ll’ architettura, Maggioli Editore, Rimini Piardi S., Carena P., Oberti I., Ratti A., (1996), Costuire edifici sani. Guida alia scelta dei prodotti., Maggioli Editore, Rimini Randall T., (1996), Environmental Design. An introduction fo r A rchitects and Engineers, E & FN SPON, New York Remodel, Dismantle, or Demolish?, (1996) Conference proceedings, Long Beach, Dec. 12 Rigamonti E., (1996), II riciclo dei m ateriali in edilizia, Maggioli Editore, Rimini Roszak T., Gomes M.E., Kanner A.D., (1995), Ecopsychology. Restoring the earth healing the mind., Sierre club books, San Francisco Starr Hart L.,(1994), Guiding Principles o f Sustainable Design, National Park Service, Denver, http://www.nps.gov/dsc/dsgncnstr/gpsd Theaker I.G. et al., (1996), Discussion paper: A fram ew ork fo r sustainable building development guidelines fo r the city o f Santa Monica, Draft 60 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Vale B. & R., (1991), Green architecture: design fo r a sustainable fu tu re, Thames and Hudson, London Van deer Ryan S., Cowman S., ( 1996), Ecological Design, Island Press, Washington DC Walter B., Arkin L., Crenshaw R., (1992), Sustainable Cities. Concepts and strategies fo r eco-city development. Eco-Home Media, Los Angeles Yeang K., (1995), Designing with nature. The ecological basis fo r architectural design, McGraw-Hill, New York Zeiher L.C., (1996), The ecology o f architecture. A complete guide to creating the environmentally conscious building, Whitney library o f design, New York Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 61 APPENDIX A Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TIIE ADVISER THETHEORY O llaria Mazzoleni, 1997 How to use this adviser This Web Page is divided in two parts ir you already know what sustainable architecture means and you are interested in having an Adviser for the selection of reused and recycled building materials, you can click the picture and start your navigation. If you prefer to go through the Theory and learn what sustainable architecture, life cycle analysis, embodied energy means, click here and you will have a full explanation of these terms, and more... IIO\V I IIIS Wl II I’AOi: IS O H O AN I/.ri) □ Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. HOW THIS WEB PAGE IS ORGANIZED 2 PARTS: T HE ADVISER It is organized in u straight hierarchy: • B uilding typology o B uilding systems: four categories ■ Materials / elements ■ M anufacturers connection: it is possible to go back to SBMA at any point and continue using the adviser. There is the possibility of Keep track o f the advice: at any time you can open a correspondence box where you can take notes and save it in our account by Email. THE TH EO R Y T his section contains definitions and basic concepts o f sustainable developm ent and sustainable architecture. The page refers to other web pages on the Internet where it is possible to find m ore inform ation about these topics. It also provides a connection with som e case studies and a list o f sites where it is possible to know about the future events/conferences. T he m ost im portant part o f this section is the one concerning the evaluation m ethods and the criteria used for the selection o f the building materials described in this web page. as 4- NEW BUILDING ^ADVISER Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission Residential • Structural materials o Concrete ■ With Reclaimed Aggregate ■ Manufacturers ■ Precast ■ Manufacturers o Steel ■ Manufacturers o Timber ■ Lumber ■ Manufacturers ■ Engineered wood lumber ■ Manufacturers o Mason i t ■ Brick ■ Manufacturers ■ Concrete Block ■ Manufacturers ■ Stone ■ Manufacturers o Aluminum ■ Manufacturers o Treatments • Partitions o Structure ■ Wood ■ Manufacturers S ■ Masonry ■ Manufacturers ■ Concrete ■ Manufacturers Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ■ Gypsum ■ Manufacturers o Insulation ■ Cellulose ■ Manufacturers ■ Cotton ■ Manufacturers ■ Mineral wool ■ Manufacturers ■ Expanded polystyrene ■ Manufacturers ■ Extruded polystyrene ■ Manufacturers ■ Fiberglass ■ Manufacturers ■ Polyurethane ■ Manufacturers ■ Perlite ■ Manufacturers ■ Phenolic ■ Manufacturers ■ Vcmiiculite ■ Manufacturers o Vaoor barrier ■ Finishes ■ Manufacturers ■ Siding . ■ Manufacturers ■ Plaster ■ Manufacturers ■ Stucco ■ Manufacturers ■ Tile ■ Manufacturers Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ■ Wallpaper ■ Manufacturers o Treatments ■ Manufacturers o Panels ■ Timber ■ Manufacturers ■ Gypsum Board ■ Manufacturers ■ Concrete ■ Manufacturers ■ Compressed-straw ■ Manufacturers • Floors/Roofs o Structure/Peek ■ Timber ■ Manufacturers ■ Concrete ■ Manufacturers ■ Steel ■ Manufacturers ■ Plastic Lumber ■ Manufacturers o Insulation ■ Cellulose ■ Manufacturers ■ Mineral wool ■ Manufacturers ■ Expanded polystyrene ■ Manufacturers ■ Extruded polystyrene ■ Manufacturers ■ Fiberglass ■ Manufacturers Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ■ Perlite ■ Manufacturers ■ Phenolic ■ Manufacturers ■ Venniculite ■ Manufacturers o Vanor Barrier o Moisture Protection o Finishes ■ Cork ■ Manufacturers ■ Linoleum ■ Manufacturers ■ Bamboo ■ Manufacturers ■ Tile ■ Manufacturers ■ Stones ■ Manufacturers ■ PVC ■ Manufacturers ■ Concrete ■ Manufacturers ■ Wood ■ Manufacturers ■ Carpet ■ Manufacturer ■ Shingles ■ Manufacturers o Treatment o Membrane ■ Polyester & PVC ■ Manufacturers ■ Fiberglass & PTFE ■ Manufacturers Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • Doors/W indows o Support & Frame ■ Wood ■ Manufacturers ■ Aluminum ■ Manufacturers ■ PVC ■ Manufacturers ■ Steel ■ Manufacturers o Glazing ■ Argon-filled low E-glazing ■ Manufacturers ■ Air-filled glazing ■ Manufacturers ■ Double glazing ■ Manufacturers ■ Single glazing ■ Manufacturers o Sealants • S u sta in a b le develop m en t ■ More web addresses • Sit sta in a b le a rch itect u re o Principles o 3 R's o Closing the circle ■ More web addresses l ^THEORY i Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. • E valuation methods o Life cycle analysis o Embodied energy • Mow this web page is organized • Net Keep track o f the a d vicerat any time moment you can open a correspondence box where you can take notes and save it in our account by E m ail. I HACK T O TIIK TOIM lAOVISERt IE VALUATION METHODS! [Theorvl I welcome comments, suggestions, and information on new building products and evaluation methods please write to me at: m u zzo /dnfa sc f.u scMctu © llaria M azzoleni, 1997 © Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. BUILDING MATERIALS ADVISER This is the main page o f the guideline. Select the building typology from below. Keep track o f the advice NEW BUILDING RESTORATION RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL LIGHT INDUSTRY j LIGHT INDUSTRY COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONAL WAREHOUSE j WAREHOUSE some good examples o f CASE STUDIES on the NET [Mow this web page is organized] |FIKST l>AGF.| |Theory| created and maintained by llaria Mazzoleni: m azzolcn'ascf,use.edit RESIDENTIAL Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. £ o -3 5 s ft c. _o .e "3 o o a C 5 2 c a 73 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 55 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CONCRETE PRECAST WITH RECLAIMED AGGREGATE [R ecom m endations] [A dvantages/D isadvantages] [C om m ents] [Som e data] Keep track o f the advice r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s Carefully estimate quantities o f concrete required on the jobsite; that help to reduce waste and save raw materials and energy. Utilize concrete's qualities such as fire resistance, thermal mass, and longevity. Consider precast systems to reduce job site operation and minimize the amount o f waste. Modularity simplifies precast production. Specify fly ash because it is a recycled product that substitutes a portion o f a cement, using fly ash environmental impacts are minimize. Specify recycled aggregate: reduce the amount o f material going to the landfill and the mining operations. FOUNDATIONS: Ways to reduce the amount o f concrete: - Monolithic foundations minimize the need for concrete because foundation footings need only be 12" dee] in most cases. Slabs eliminate the need for floor framing material, as well. - Frost-protected shallow foundations reduce the amount o f concrete used by avoiding deep footings.lt uses foundation perimeter insulation that captures heat from the building to prevent frost heaving beneath the structure. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. - Canadian Thin Wall technology, which utilized poured concrete walls that are 6" thick instead o f the standard 8" - Fly ash can be used as a pozzolan replacement for 15% to 35% o f the cement in the concrete mix by weight, depending on the type o f fly ash and the application. Fly ash can also provide part o f the Fine aggregate needed in the concrete, or act as the binder in concrete masonry units. Fly ash adds strength and durability to the final concrete product. Simple slab foundations are the most cost-effective option. Using precast concrete panel foundations, saves nearly 75% o f the concrete in a typical poured foundation. The only problem with the precast is the transportation. (5) Typical foundation concrete contains about 15% Portland cement. The Portland cement is produced by cooking limestone, silica and clay in an energy intensive process that is frequently powered by burning hazardous wastes or tires. -T o improve the thermal efficiency o f the concrete use autoclaves concrete (ACC); this improves the thermal resistance o f an 8" wall up to five times that o f concrete alone. -Use formwork that can be reused or use integrated forming systems that can stay in place as insulation for the finished wall. n J C /I ADVANTAGES--------------------------------- Concrete has many environm ental advantages, including durability, longevity, heat storage capability, and chemical inertness. The raw materials used in cement production arc widely available in great quantities. Exploit concrete thermal mass in walls and floor for passive solar design. DISADVANTAGES All phases o f concrete's life cycle have some environmental concerns, such as: land and habitat loss from mining activities, air and water degradation during manufacture and disposal o f demolition debris. Cement is energy intensive to produce.Ccment represents only about 9-13% o f concrete and accounts for 92% o f the total embodied energy (1) Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Needs little or no finish or final treatments. Chemically inert concrete doesn't require paint to achieve a given color; natural -mineral pigments and coloring agents can be added at the mixing to provide a rainbow o f options. Low maintenance. Can be reused or recycled. Concrete can be reused with bituminous asphalt as road base materials, can be recycled and reused by crushing into aggregates for new concrete or as fill material for road beds or site works. Concrete itself is an ideal matrix in which to recycle and encapsulate a wide range o f industrial and consumer wastes, such as: fly ash and silica fume. Fly ash can substituted for 15 to 35% o f cement.Other industrial waste that can be recycle as aggregate are reground polystyrene from packaging, ground porcelain from recycled plumbing fixtures, glass, plastic, wood and metallic. This is a good way to close the circle. It is possible to burn waste as a fuel for the cement manufactures. The conversion o f the raw materials (limestone, chalk and shale) into cement consumes a large amount o f energy due to the high temperature o f the kiln (industrial furnace). To reduce the impact it is possible to use high energy wastes such as used scrap tires, motor oils, printing inks, paints, etc.. instead off fossil fu e l. Using waste fuel will eventually supply up to 50% o f the energy required to manufacture cement. High emission o f C 0 2 are released into the atmosphere during kilns manufacture, both from fuels burned to make cement and from the chemical reactions in the material itself. It is not a particularly good insulator (=energy saving) so, use high insulation value concrete. Disposal o f the demolition debris due at the great volume and weight represent more than 50 % o f the demolition waste going to the landfill in the US.Waste disposal is still a problem. No risks for the workers. Only during extraction and manufacture o f raw materials it is better to take some precaution to protect the skin from the high alkalinity. Minimal indoor air quality problems. — — -------------------------------- 0\ Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "COMMENTS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Require from the contractors to incorporate waste minimization and pollution prevention actions. Minimize off-cutting by careful and precise dimensioning o f materials. Concrete is a rock-like mass with remarkable strength and durability that has been used as an architectural material for almost 2000 years since the Roman times. Lightweight interlocking foam blocks or panels can be used as permanent concrete form. This require less concrete than ordinary poured foundation. The post and beam systems in particular consume far less concrete. (3) It is important that foam forms are properly braced during pours to avoid concrete leakage. - Foam forms are derived from petroleum, and foam insulations require a great deal o f energy o f manufacture. At the present these systems are not able to use recycled foam in their manufacture. - The bond formed by the foam and concrete fill could make the materials difficult to separate for recycling when the building is demolished or remodeled, although unused scrap from the construction site can often be recycled. Concrete structural systems still represent a small percentage o f the residential market in the US, but offer a viable alternatives to wood framing. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SOME DATA Worldwide cement production totaled 1.25 billion tons in 1991, according to the U.S. Bureau o f Mines. (5) The average American home uses nearly 14 tons of concrete in its construction (majority for foundations and slab) (3) According to the AIA , fuels burned during the manufacture o f cement produce approximately 8% o f all carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. [B ack to the top] [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] created and m aintained by Ilaria M azzoleni: nuizzoluniulscf.use.eihi 00 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. M AY IH H.niNC; i u .s i i>i :m i a i . WITH RECLAIMED AGGREGATE STUI < II KAI.MATI-IUAI.S CONCRKTK Keep track o f the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES---------------------------------------------------------------- Recycled concrete aggregate is created through crushing and is primarly used in base materials or other construction aggregate application. It can be use as backfill material or roadbed aggregate. -4 s C Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "PROS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reduce new materials mining. Consider that concrete from demolition represent the largest category o f demolition wastes. (4) CONS---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Requires energy for removals, crushing and preparation. RECOMMENDED USES' | R csiJcnii<il) )llo w this w eb page is organized) | Theory) MANUFACTURERS 00 C Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. M .\v in n.i>i\<; lU S ID K N TIU . M i l l ( II IU I M \ 11 1 (1 .\I.S ( ON( III I I Keep track o f the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Precast concrete has the benefits of being able to handle all the dry materials and water effluents in a concentrated facility. Material quantities can be estimated more precisely and excess material can be utilized. Carefully controlling condition during manufacture assure higher strengths using less material. PRECAST CONCRETE 00 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS The use o f formworks arc dramaticallyreducedand it is possible to reuse them. ; i Paster curing (24 hours due to steam curing). j Control o f waste generation are appliable. I I Waste water run-off cun also be more controlled at centralized precast concrete facilities than on jobsites. Hotter quality control. j i i i I CONS i t Transportation costs both economically and environmentally. J Welded and bolted connection tend to fracture in Earthquakes. volume dei compomenti, trasporto puo' diventarc un problema. alto costo energetico (trasporto). j [RECOMMENDED"USES |K csiilonlial| |llo \v this w eh page is o rg a n i/e il| j T heory) MANUFACTURERS OC to Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. STEEL RECLAIMED STEEL^- [R ecom m endations] [A dvantages/D isadvantages] [C om m ents] [S om e data] Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS Recycling of steel is a common practice today. The most important thing is now to try to reuse elements as many time as possible. Reuse steel reduce total energy consumption drastically. Steel can be reused several times if it is not oxidized. To minimize construction site waste, metal scrap can be sent back to the manufacturer. Use prefabricated elements: prefabricated reduces job site operation and scrap production. Consideration of the high cost of labor and workers safety make prefabricated a very valuable option. Steel has a very low volume and the transport is less of a problem than concrete if the elements are less than 60 feet long. So 60 feet should be considered as the maximum dimensional module. Structural elements can be cut off site and assembled without on-site scrap. (P. Koenig house) Bolted or screwed assemblage is recommended. Bolted connections are easily disassembled allowing materials to be reused. To avoid thermal bridging install a layer of insulation sheathing over the framing. 0 0 Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Do not use steel for exterior wall framing without taking measurers to control thermal bridging. Light-gauge steel is just beginning to enter the residential market. It is even available on most discount building material super stores. Air and water quality degradation can be a result of mining and manufacturing. Water risks result from improper disposal of process water in mining. For increased durability and to provide the possibility of being reused, steel should be treated. ADVANTAGES All raw materials used to make steel framing are in plentiful supply. Much new steel is made from scrap. It is durable, lightweight, insect resistant. Standard steel contains approximately 50% recycled metal, and is also recyclable. Steel studs can also be reused in structural applications when a building is dismantled. Elements can be completely disassembled and reused or recycled, the only problem could be the fire treatments. It is considered the most recyclable material since it is easily separated from the waste stream magnetically and reprocessed into a high quality product. Advances in technology which apply to the DISADVANTAGES------------------------------- Steel has a high value of embodied energy. The major environmental concerns include energy, resource use, disruption of the affected area, and air and water quality degradation as a results of mining and manufacturing activities It is one of the most energy-intensive industrial materials, generating pollution and waste from all stages of the process, including coking coal, purifying iron, and galvanizing. Potential problems with condensation. Steel is highly conductive, which increases potential for thermal bridging Manufacturing production causes combustion emissions. Galvanizing is very energy intensive and produces Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Advances in technology which apply to the production process can be consider much cleaner than 20 years ago. Consistent quality, insect resistant. Steel is inert,it does not have any indoor air quality impact. Galvanizing is very energy intensive and produces severe pollution in production. New steel is more energy intensive than wood. Requires fire-proofing treatments that must be covered by gladding. That increase both materials and labor costs. COMMENTS--------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- No specific studies are available about the toxicity of the fire resistant products and the impact on the indoor air quality. Workers risks: limited to the factory, could be a problem on site for larger dimensions. SOME DA TA-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Production of steel from scrap requires approximately 39% of the energy required for production of steel from raw materials. (4) The primary use of steel is for the construction industry. MANUFACTURERS 00 isi Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LU M B ER E N G IN E E R E D W O O D L A M lN /ftfe S TIMBER [R ecom m endations] [A dvantages/D isadvantages] [C om m ents] [Som e data] Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS Select wood from sustainable yield management. Ask for sustainable management wood. Do not use tropical wood, or preserved softwood. Use local wood products, such as birch, maple,and beech Use wood that has been certified from scientific organization like from Scientific Certification Systems, Inc. that provide a "chain-of-custody" certification. Prefer products made from wood chips instead of solid wood, that help to reuse waste and save raw materials Optimize building dimensions to correspond to standard lumber sizes, this avoids waste of material and job, site operations. Timber harvesting provokes habitat change, solid waste, runoff (soil erosion) and old growth depletion besides air pollution. | Construction and demolition arc two important phases that have to be considered carefully to be able to i control/reduce waste production and the possibility of reuse or recycling. j Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Transport is another key issue both because of the use of nonrenewable resources and for the creation of airi pollution.Transport and air pollution are factors present in all phases and they are both to be considered as 1 determining selection factors. We should be able, through a careful project plan, to avoid disposal in landfill. Incineration is considered the last resort, but is better than landfill. The production of wood preserving treatments has an important impact on the environment, because of the emissions its releases into the environment. When possible, use domestic woods that don't need treatments. Wood preservatives often include copper, chromium and arsenic. Use alternative wood treatments formulated with BORATE. In some instances it is possible to completely avoid the use of treated wood by selecting a durable substitute. Use Borax-base treatment for fungus and insects. Wood needs to be preserved when there is a threat of decay. Preservation can often be completely dispensed with, provided that the building element is well specified, a high-quality durable wood (properly seasoned and without knots) is used and that a protective finish is applied and well maintained. Overall preservation of wood is hardly ever necessary, nor is it recommendable from an environmental point of view. Where possible, prefer wood perfectly seasoned, without treatments. Avoid wood treated with the following products: fluorine acid, alkali, arsenic, benzene. Use engineered lumber assembled using MDI resin. Avoid resins made with urea-formaldehyde. Reduce the amount of scrap and disposal. Optimize building dimensions: the use of standard dimensions is equal to less waste production. Reuse of wood reduces the impact on waste production. The waste generated from adapting to the size of Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. the frame parts can be reused, recycled or incinerated to produce energy. Frame elements should be nailed to facilitate disassembling and reuse. Reuse elements. Be careful in the selection of elements. As an example: telephone poles have been treated with creosote. Reusing them is hazardous. Dispose of them properly. Increasing the on-center distance of framing members reduces wood use by 17-30% without jeopardizing structural strength (use of advanced framing systems) (3) Using framing with 5/4 studs,rather than the 1 1/2" thick lumber (thinner studs) Provide adequate ventilation when applying finishes. Control moisture because can be a font of sickness. Estimate material package, to be able to minimize the amount of job site wastes. 00 00 ADVANTAGES Wood is a renewable, recyclable and reusable material. These qualities depend upon several factors such as management of forests, type of assemblage and treatments. In any case wood products are low embodied energy consumers compared to any other building materials. The base product is made by nature using natural solar energy. It is also easily disposable generating energy in the process. Can be ground up and used as compost, as it is biodegradable. DISADVANTAGES-------------------------------------- A significant amount of fuel is used for kiln-drying. Wood is combustible, dry-rot, subject to termite infections, and decay. Wood preservatives often include chromium and arsenic. Provide a controlled forest where cultivate solid-sawn beams. Today young trees are used but it would be better to extend the cultivation time to be able to have older trees with bigger diameters. Often finishes, treatment, and adhesives contain Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. There are a variety of applications of wood waste: from biofuel use on the low end to reconstituted panel board or pulp and paper application on the high level. Assembling wood without adhesives decreases the job site time, facilitates the reuse alter dismantling, and limits the indoor air quality problems. The production process creates waste that can be burned for fuel.Waste can be incinerated to generate energy. Wood can be reclaimed and reused if precautions are taken during assembly and disassembly. Wood low mass and ductility is good for a seismic resistance. formaldehyde and other VOCs. Reused lumber could be a problem because often wood has been treated with toxic paint. If waste are incinerated take caution with toxic emissions. COMM ENTS- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reduce lumber waste during construction: buildings construction produce a large amount of wood waste. Efficient wood use helps to reduce the pressures on forests Minimize lumber without compromise structural integrity. Use Advanced or Optimum Value Engineered framing, use framing module Use nontoxic preservative as surface treatment, such as Borax. Wood finishes emit volatile organic compounds during application and curing that lead to ground-level ozone formation. Wood products naturally emit small amounts of organic compounds such as aldehydes. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Caution for installers, if wood is CCA-treated. ■SOMETJATA---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 90% of the nearly 1.5 million new homes built each year in the US are wood framed. Framing represents a significant amount of lumber consumption (3) 41 trees are necessary to build a house. 23 go to the construction of floors and walls, 13 to the roof, and 5 to the interior. The current deforestation rate predict that tropical forests will be gone by the middle of the next century. [Back to the top] [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] created and m aintained by llaria M azzoleni: muzzolenUi^scf.usc.edu S O © Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. m :w ki i i .d i n c U I S I D I M I A I LUMBER s T u i r n ' K v i . M .vir.uiAi.s I I M I d U Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Reduce the thickness of framing lumber, from 2" to 1 1/4", is a way to save materials. Especially for interior wall framing where often studs dimension exceed the design requirements. Air-dried lumber from local certified well-managed forest is one of the best choices because of its low embodied energy. Lumber is graded for either its appearance or structural strength and stiffness, allowing the architect and engineer to choose material economically. Wall framing is popular because it is an extremely flexible and economical way of constructing small buildings. The use of reclaimed lumber is the most interesting choice because it decreases the disposal in landfill and saves natural resource depletion. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TK U S----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Along with the resources savings, using thinner studs save labor because are lighter and therefore j easier to work with and to transport. ; !' Can be reused if nailed or screwed (which permits an easy disassemblage), or can be ground up and used as compost, as it is biodegradable. To be reused has to meet structural codes requirements. Or it can be used for interior asnd trim purposes. ! ■CONS---------------------------------- ----- ---------- ----- ------ - - - _ The thinner dimension is not always acccept because is not recognized by the Uniform Building Code (5). RECOMMENDED USES MANUFACTURERS v C N ) Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. m : \ v i i u i d i n c ; ur.sior.\t i.vi. ENGINEERED WOOD LUMBER S T K I f T l UM . MA I CKIAI S TIMIWR Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Allows small trees to be used in making long-span, high-strength, large cross section members. j Those products offer consistent performance, predictable quality, superior structural integrity, and j reduced construction waste. Glue laminated lumber is engineered for consistency, so it creates less cull waste at the job-site. Engineered I-joists: most common are made from oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood. OSB consists of small wood chips (averaging 4" length) derived from young, fast growing trees. I-joists have a very high strength-to-weight ratio and provide structural support for floors and roofs, saving one-third of the amount of wood fiber used in a traditional solid sawn joist system i Laminated veneer lumber and finger-joined lumber: efficiently use wood fiber by combining small pieces from second- and third-growth trees to create defect-free structural lumber. They are extremely strong j Finger-jointing resists stress, warping and twisting. It can be used for studs, or in the manufacture of trusses. 1 OSB is from recycled wood products while boards and plywood are not. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Use engineered lumber assembled using MDI resin. Avoid resins made with urea-formadehyde. PROS---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is possible employ recycle small pieces o f wood so waste production is drastically reduced. Very high structural performance. Use o f low-grade aspen and poplar trees . Aspen can be harvested on twenty-year rotations. Can be used for the same original purpose with carefully assembly and disassembly. CONS ------ --------- ------ -— " ~ ' ' - - — — Urea formaldehyde glue-based can create problems for the indoor air quality, specially in humid environments. Use MDI based binder, that is aformaldehyde-free product, (see treatments section) or other urea-formaldehyde free adhesives. NO RECOMMENDEDTTSES For large spans, it permits long span beams with the use o f small diameter trees. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. BRICK CONCRETE STONE (R ecom m en d atio n s) | A d v an tag es/D isad v an tag es) |C 'um m cnts) (S onic data) Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Estimate quantity of masonry needs to avoid waste on work site. Select masonry products with recycled content when possible. Reuse is possible just after to verify the structural performance of the elements so it is not always recommendable. Clean concrete chunks, old brick, broken blocks can be buried on site during foundation back-filling. Concrete and other unusable masonry elements can be crushed and process it for roadbed aggregate and other uses. Masonry has to be reinforced with steel in seismic zones. MASONRY V O Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ADVANTAGES--------------------------------- Masonry elements have a good reusability and recyclability performance. Masonry is generally not a source o f indoor air pollution. Masonry wall have good vapor permeability, if it is not modify from the use o f finishes. Great mass and stiffness are good for wind resistance. [DISADVANTAGES------------------------------- During production there is a considerable consume of energy. Reuse for structural purpose it is very difficult due at the extensive testing required. Requires steel reinforcement for seismic resistance. Great mass and stiffness produce great seismic forces. COMMENTS SOME DATA Os Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. m :\v i i i i i .d i m ; r i : s u > i : n t i . \ i . BRICK STRi r n uAi m a t i ' u i a i s MASONRY. Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES--------------------------------------------------------------- Energy use for high temperature for curing brick. Landfill is the most common form o f disposal but salvage and reuse are possible, those materials can be crushed and used as clean fill in infrastructure applications. Bricks can be reused but just after performance test. s o -4 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS Brick have a good durability, low maintenance and possibility of been reuse it or recycle it. Raw materials are available in great quantity. The reuse of some waste materials can reduce environmental impact due at the mining operations. Bricks are considered inert, so they don't provoke any indoor air quality impact. C O W S ~ " • ^=. - During extraction of raw materials there is habitat loss. Manufacture process require significant energy. Transportation energy can be a problem depending on the distance traveled. RECOMMENDED USES 1 Kesitiemiul] |Ho\v this web page is organized] [Theory] MANUFACTURERS Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. \i:\v i u i i . d i m ; h i : s i i ) i : \ t i \ i . s t i u '( ri'u.vi. .M.ATriti.Ai.s CONCRETE MASONKV Keep track o f the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Concrete blocks made using recycled materials are now available both for basement and above-grade walls. The advantages o f this system is not just that they are made with recycled wood fiber but they are also strong, durable, lightweight and well insulators. The blocks are about 80% wood fiber and cement and are treated with a non-toxic process that prevent from rot or insect damage. The void in the wall can be filled with a cellulose insulation. These products not only reduce the amount o f concrete uses in a basement or wall, but also provide thermal insulation to a concrete structure. VO VO Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "PROS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It can be used as a permanent concrete form. This requires less concrete than ordinary poured concrete. Concrete blocks save site work operation and contain waste production, moreover the industry production is more controllable/inspect able. Some concrete blocks system are not just structural walls but enclosed the insulation material as well. In addiction, the esthetic and functional characteristics permit to use those block as final exterior and interior finishes, that permit an enormous materials saving. Used o f recycled wood fibers. The high thermal mass of the concrete improves the building thermal performance. Concrete blocks can be crushed and recycle as part of the aggregate in the manufacture of new concrete blocks or as backfill. CONS ---------------~ ----- :---- “ Topography alteration due at mining operation. It is less strong and less watertight than concrete. RECOM MEN D ED USES------------------- These products can be use primarily for walls. 8 [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. m :\v i u i i d i v ; u i :s i i >i :n t i u . STONE S T IU 'C T l'R A I. MA l l'ltlA I S MASONRY Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stone construction: an alternative to concrete which uses a lot of energy for the production. Outstanding examples of uses of stones are found in the vernacular architecture. The extraction on the stone can severely damage the landscape and the geology assest of the area. Transportation require large amount of energy due at the specific load of the materials. Recycling these materials provides a saving of raw materials and the reduction of waste. o Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS Manufactuing does not require high energy costs. High durability. It is possible to reuse it or crushed and recycle it. can be reuse easily and without caduta performance, very durable materials " c u n s " ‘ " = The biggest environmental impact is due to the mining operation and topography alteration. Transportation can have very significant energy impact, depending on the distances. Great production of dust and noise during the mining operation. RECOMMENDED USES [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] MANUFACTURERS Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. M .\ v k u i .i m m ; S T K i n T H A l . M.VI KKIAI.S KKSIIH.NTIAI. ALUMINUM l i s t |K cco m m cn d iitio n s| |A dv.'intiiges/l)i.sad vantages] |C 'om n icn ls| [Sonic d a ta | RECOMMENDATION S----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reusing of aluminum is an ideal solution when the elements are bolted. If it is not possible to reuse aluminum elements, choose products made from recycled scrap. Consider design strategies that make it easier to reuse or recycling the materials later. Use Aluminum when being lightweight is the most important requirement.. For temporary structures which need to be assembled and disassembled often ,the lightweightness of aluminum save labor time and transportation energy. Use anodized and powder coated finishes. o Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ADVANTAGES---------------------------------- Aluminum is an easy material to recognize and recycle. As it is lightweight it can be conveniently used for temporary structures. DISADVANTAGES-------------------------------------- Bauxite strip causes some loss of tropical forests. The embodied energy of aluminum is very high. Most airborne emissions are recovered, but a small amount of carcinogenic hydrocarbons escape incineration. Manufacturing process produces heavy metal sludges and a large amount of waste water requiring treatment of toxic chemicals. Hazardous waste is generated in the manufacturing stage. Aluminum has a very high embodied energy, around 70 times more than steel and hundred times more than concrete and timber. COMMENTS -------- Bauxite comprises about 8% of the earth's crust but is a Finite resource. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I I SOME DATA Aluminum produced from recovered scrap and recycled aluminum rather than bauxite ore saves about 80 % of total energy consumption. MANUFACTURERS [B ack to the top] [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] created and m aintained by Maria M azzoleni: m a zzo lcn U iscf usc.edu © V S l Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. NEW IH II.DINC RKSIDENTIAI. S T R C C T I'R A I; MAIIKIAIS TREATMENT 'WOODTREAfMENTSpMjSp^ [R ecom m endations] [A dvantages/D isadvantages] [C om m ents] [Som e data] Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treatment is needed to protect materials, specially wood, from insects, moisture, and decaying fungi. Prefer wood that has natural resistance, such us cedar, redwood, black locust, bald cypress, catalpa, black berry, junipers, white oak, etc. Avoid paints with VOC(Volatic Organic Compound) emissions and mercury content. Varnishes and paints should be water based, plant oils or resins with fungicides, arsenic and harmful solvents should be avoided. Do not reuse wood treated with creosote or pentachloropphenol for interior purposes. Outdoor wood has to be protected from moisture, rot and insect damage. In the past have been used creosote-,pent- and CCA-(copper/chrodium/arsenate) treatments that are now recognized as extremely toxic chemicals. For the future use alternatives including ACQ (ammonium/copper/quatemary) treatment and naturally rot-resistant woods that perform same as CCA but are less toxic. Borate is a valid alternative in unexposed to water location since it is a water soluble product. Borate prevents termite and fungi decay. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Consider the use of composite plastic lumber for outdoor spaces. -MDI methyl diisocyanate is a formaldheyde-free product used as a lumber adhesive.However, this product is highly toxic when used in the manufacturing plant, so special pollution-control and health safeguards are required. -Termite control is required for wood constructions. Some wood is naturally resistant to termite, such as cedar. Using this treemake it possible to limit the use of treatment. If treatments are necessary, use non-toxic control strategies made without chemical use, such as sand barrier. Termite needs humid environment to survive, so humidity control is the best strategy to eliminate termite.Provide cross ventilation and use sand barriers because termite cannot tunnel through it. Other non-toxic treatments include use of nematodes (microscopic worms). o Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ADVANTAGES” ' Use of treatment is often essential to protect the materials and extend the usable life, specially of wood. CCA can be used inside residences. DISADVANTAGES The use of treatment often makes it impossible to reuse or recycle a material. For this reason it is very important that a careful selection of the treatment is made. The manufacturing process of treatments involve dangerous chemicals and is a source of air pollution. Avoid direct contact with treatment products. Borate treatment does not offer the same warranty of quality of CCA. Those treatments release prolungated VOC emissions. Treated wood can be incinerated only under control. COMMENTS It is important to ventilate the spaces before the occupation. SOME DA TA MANUFACTURERS [B ack to the top] [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. & w o o d I m 0 'm . m m W m [R ecom m en d atio n s] [A dv antag es/D isad v antag es] [C om m ents] [S onic data] Keep track of the advice ALTERNATIVE: construction loam, a mixture of clay and sand and possibly straw, may not be common in the construction industry as it is too labor-intensive to use/install or to make, but as a building material, it has many environmental advantages. © V O Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. RECOMMENDATIONS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Use products with recycle content. Sheeting materials such as wood board or wallboard such us gypsum board can be made with recycle or reuse content. Use standard modulus dimensions to eliminate worksite scrap. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES " .................... Sheeting products save landfill disposal. The adhesives used, in a great quantity, can be sources of VOC's. Those products need to be protect against moisture ■COMMENTS ' " ' ' the materials used for external wall cladding are liable to get dirty which makes periodic cleaning desiderable. SOME DATA [B ack to the top] [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] o permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ^ w o o d S Keep track of the advice PROPER TIES DESCRIPTIONS------------------------------------------------------------------- Reconstituted wood board are made using chipped or stranded small-diameter trees. PLY W O O D Softw ood is manufactured with waterproof phenol formaldehyde adhesives and is used primarily for structural purpose, such as sheading, siding, and concrete forms It is used as an external cladding of wooden panels made from durable wood. These wooden elements consist of a renewable and less environmentally damaging material, as long as they remain unpainted and untreated. The use of non-sustainable tropical wood is not recommended on account of its effects on ecosystems and the depletion of tropical rain forests. Treated wood is not recommended because of the leaching of preservatives, which can be harmful to the environment. External wood cladding material can be protected with boiled paint. This is less environmental damaging paint which lasts between 10 to 30 years. PARTICLE BOARD It is made of 90% sawmill waste. It has a very low embodied energy. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Between 30 and 40% of the embodied energy is derived from the resin adhesive. It is very difficult to recycle because of the adhesives used. Specify low-emitting UF bonded particleboard., specially in humid, or high temperature areas where the UF increases its dangerous effect. Use particleboard made using MDI resin. Avoid resins made with urea-formaldehyde. Timber construction uses less material than solid concrete walls. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "PROS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wood is a renewable resource, but renewal depends on sound managements practices. Wood products have very low embodied energy. Sheeting are partially made using waste wood. Waste can be recycled into chips for composite wood products, incinerated to produce energy, or ground up and used as compost, as it is biodegradable. "CONS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- The use of some adhesives increase the possibility of indoor air quality problems. Some laminated woods can be very energy intensive. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. RECOMMENDED USES Be sure of the wood source. Design dimension of panels that reduce scrap on the work side, use of modulus to reduce construction time. Use natural adhesives 1AQ considerations. Increase ventilation of new product. Use water-based paint. Use wood with natural defense, that doesn't need treatments. MANUFACTURERS | R esidential] (H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. MASONRYg Keep track of the advice ■PROPERTIES DESCRIPTIONS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brickwork is less favourable than loam, due to the energy required to fire the brick. Brick is already used on a large scale in many countries but not in the U.S. Reuse is possible just after to verify the structural performance of the elements so it is not always recommendable. Masonry elements can be crushed and process it for roadbed aggregate and other uses. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TKUS Masonry elements have a good reusability and recyclability performance. Masonry is generally not a source of indoor air pollution. Masonry wall have good vapor permeability, if it is not modify from the use of finishes. C O N S ------------ : ---------------------- During production there is a considerable consume of energy. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Keep track of the advice PROPERTIES DESCRIPTIONS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drywall is paper facing surrounding a core of pure gypsum. Gypsum wallboard can be made using 100% recycled kraft paper linen, 10-15% recycled gypsum. 18% recycled gypsum, 12% post-consumer; 100% recycled paper backing; recyclable Gypsum is composed of 79% calcium sulfate and 21 % water. To be recovered from demolition, special procedures to reduce contamination levels are required. Select finishes and surface component that can be removed when gypsum boards have to be recycled. Order drywall in the right dimension to minimize cut-off waste. Only new and clear drywall can be recycled. Uses of recycled drywall are in agriculture, as fertilizer amendment, or remanufacture of drywall, RECYCLED gypsum can be incorporated back into new wallboard products or used as agricultural fertilizer amendment. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS Recycled gypsum can be used in the production of new wallboard. It can be crushed and reused for agricultural soil amendment. A new technology, developed from a Washington company is to process waste gypsum into a value-added light-weight, nonstructural building material, that can be used in interior wall applications or sound barrier walls. v o m —-— = ------------------------------- ----- Gypsum absorbs dust and contaminants. Can be not a cost effect to remove it. Wallboard is made of 7% paper by weight. To be able to be reincorporate in new wallboard recycle material doesn't have to contain more than 2% of paper. Some drywalls contain cellulose fibers and perlite on the matrix, which can become a problem for post-consumption recycle. 0 0 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. :C ELLU LbSEj||| ■ V ; ' . ; ' ■ L/.K >J*’< .£ > > > 1 ' ___ [R ecom m endations] [A dvantages/D isadvantages] [C om m ents] [S om e data] Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In addition to the traditional performance (R-value, resist air infiltration) we are looking at the environmental performance such as:embodied energy, the possibility of recycling or reusing the materials, and toxicity ( to occupant and workers). But we cannot forget that the main role of the insulation is the R -value. The energy performance of an insulation products is the most important environmental characteristic to look at when we have to select it. Always specify sufficient insulation for the climate zone in which the building is located. Adding insulation is one of the best way to reduce home energy usage. Insulation can reduce the cost of heating by as much as 30%-50%. Try to avoid HCFC-foamed insulation when it is possible. Choose insulation materials with high-recycled content. Select insulation that uses renewable raw materials, with low energy production requirements,and degradable wastes (cellulose, cotton). Keep insulation dry to prevent growth of fungi and bacteria Use protection for the installers. Use adequate ventilation during installation and curing. The reusability of insulation materials is dependent on how those materials were installed. To be able to reuse the products it is recommended to install a layer of sheating between the insulation and the roofing membrane. Usually if rigid board stock insulation can be removed without breaking it up, it can be reused, especially if the performance will be as good as the new product. Fiber insulation reuse is more difficult because of the dust infiltration from the fibers. Built-up roofing systems. Install a layer of sheating between the insulation and the roofing surface so that rerooofing is possible without destroying the insulation. To be able to reuse the insulation, avoid attachment with adhesive and promote drying of the insulation. Insulation can be reused as long as it is dry and fairly clean. Insulation is not usually recycled, but some insulation is made from recycled materials, totally or in part, for example: cellulose (75%), or partially, as fiberglass. Recycle the scrap insulation. A continuous air barrier between the insulation and the living space help to keep fiber out of the indoor air. For chemically sensitive individuals it is important to specify the use of non-offgassing insulation materials. Indirectly reduce pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions using alternatives both for CFCs and HCFCs agents. Use alternative expansion agents or manufacture off site, where agents can be collected and recycled. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ADVANTAGES Many of the most common insulation materials have recycled content. It provides ongoing environmental benefits throughout a building's life. Indirect saving of energy for heating or cooling. DISADVANTAGES Depletion of limited resources and pollution are the results of mining operations. The direct or indirect use of petroleum and its derivative is the limitation of using these materials. Raw materials acquisition has impact on air, water pollution and erosion from mining of minerals. The fully halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that are used as blowing or expansion agents in polymeric plastic foam insulation materials have been found to cause damage to stratospheric ozone, which has been linked to increased incidence of cataracts, skin cancer, and depression of the human immune system. Release of VOC and fibers during installation or use. Avoid insulation that contains asbestos. Foam insulation attracts insects. Treatments are needed and Borate is preferred over other toxic products. "COMMENTS The disposal of the insulation can be a problem because many of the building insulations over the last 20 years have used CFC blowing agents, so the dismantling of those insulation elements has to be done with appropriate control systems. The claims about health risks correlated to fire retardant chemicals of breathable particles is not a major Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. problem if the insulation is properly installed. Insulation materials derived from mineral fibers tend to require less embodied energy than the others and they have lower C02 emissions. The use of insulation, however, save many times its embodied energy. Cellulose and fiberglass can be placed in the trash for disposal. It is recommendable to wear gloves, long sleeves and a face mask when handling insulation. "SO M E "DATS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The U.S. market of insulation materials is dominated by fiberglass and plastic foam panels, cellulose accounts for only 4 % of the building insulation market. (8) [B ack to the top] [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] created and m aintained by Ilaria M azzoleni: m azzolen'cO scf usc.edu Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Cellulose insulation is made from recycled newspaper, borate and ammonium sulfate. Newspapers are pulverized or fiberized and treated with fire resistant. Cellulose it is a good insulation that can be dry-blown or poured in a loose fill application into enclosed cavities. Commonly the insulation is applied in a wat-spray method, in which it is mixed with water and adhesives as it is sprayed into the open wall or ceiling cavity. Cellulose is the best example of recycled material use in insulation. It is 75% post-consumer recovered newspaper based, the rest is composed of fire retardant chemicals. Low embodied energy compared to any other insulation material. Low-technology, little processing, short transportation distances because of diffuse availability, excellent energy conservation performance. Isolate fibers and chemicals from interior spaces to avoid occupant irritation. Raw materials are renewable,the production uses little energy and is relatively clean, and the waste is easily degradable. Installation usually results in large quantities of dust. Proper care must be taken by installers to protect against cellulose dust. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Life expectancy is generally good. During installation, excess cellulose is typically added back into the hopper for reflowing or is simply placed in wall or ceiling cavities. PROS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Very low embodied energy. Pollution from manufacture is considered negligible. Very high performance. R-value 3.2-3.7 per inch. Very valuable as reducing problems of air infiltration and sound attenuation capabilities. Requires 1/8 the energy to produce when compared to fiberglass insulation of comparable R-value. It is the second largest category of recycled paper and wood consumption. n ) N S T :v~ " ' ....... ' ^ s Long-term performance concerns the possible loss of fire-retardant chemicals. Because borate is water soluble, it can leach out if the insulation gets wet. Installation results in large amounts of dust. Installers have to use proper masks. Cellulose cannot be reused, because of uncertainty about type of fire retardant chemicals used in the material. Cellulose can be either land filled (inert, biodegradable, depending on the fire retardant) All cellulose insulation needs to be carefully protected against moisture. Moisture reduces R-value dramatically. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. RECOMMENDED USES Cellulose is a good insulation, usable as a loose fill in wall and attic cavities in new residential building. Can be used in properly enclosed constructions, such as prefabricated wooden wall elements. MANUFACTURERS | R esidential 111 low this w eb page is organized] [T heory] N > l/l Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ^O TTO M Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES It is made from approximately 95% post-industrial recycled fiber, 25% of which is polyester fiber the remaining part is from denim textile scrap. The polyester improves tear strength and recoil characteristics. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TR~OS The pollution from the production process is negligible. Non-irritating, it is an alternative to many insulation products. The installation does not cause any disease to the workers. CONS Fire safety. RECOMMENDED USES It is recommended for sensitive individals. MANUFACTURERS [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] N > permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. MINERAL WOOL* - »•••*=• - , r r . f i . J ntMnl^Tifoii - • . * & Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OI« PROPERTIES-------------------------------- More energy is required for the production of mineral wool than for cellulose or cork. Moreover the dcgradability of the material is bad. N > 00 PROS ■CONS------------------------------------------------------------ Wool fiber can cause skin and mucous membrane irritation, so the workers have to be protected. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ■ v y . - v ’W ' k . ' ' 3 9 ? h i jsrwTuitnr Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES It is produced by expanding styrene beads using pentane gas, a hydrocarbon that contributes to localized smog production. It is made from fossil fuel and pentane. Great impact on the environment from the extraction of petroleum, via the refining process, up to and during the processing of waste. Long life expectancy, low maintenance. High embodied energy. Polystyrene insulation can be produced with a minimum of 50% recycled polystyrene content, any polystyrene can be recycled into building insulation. N > N O Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS It is the only rigid foam insulation made with neither CFCs nor HCFCs, it has one environmental drawback: pentane emission during manufacturing.New plants are reducing this emission. EPS can be recycled for manufacturing into new styrene products. "CONS------------------------------------------ " ; .. It required more energy for the production process than mineral wool. The pentane emissions contribute to smog. Fire retardant can reduce recycle opportunity. Very high embodied energy. RECOMMENDED USES Avoid the use of bitumen as a means of fixing. MANUFACTURERS |R esid e n tial| (I low this w eb page is organized) [T heory] u > o Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Fiberglass insulation is made from silica, sand, limestone, boron, product from resin, and cullet. Fiberglass uses boron to improve flexibility, but this material is a finite recourse. Partially recycled: only 35% of it is composed of recycled materials (post-industrial recycled glass). Expensive product from environmental point of view. In the United States fiberglass insulation is produced with acrylic binder, which is better than phenol-formaldehyde binder. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. “ PRO’ S------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Long life expectancy and durability, low maintenance. Contains an average of 35% recycled material: 28% post-consumer bottles and 7% post-industrial cullet. The possibility to be reused or recycled. CONS Erosion caused by sand and limestone mining. Fiberglass insulation is an irritant and must be installed carefully, using proper protective gear and precautions. There are few opportunities to recycle fiberglass at the end of its useful life. In some document is reported that fiberglass may have the "same potential for inducing cancer as asbestos fibers of the same dimensions". Even if that is not proved it should be handled with caution. Energy required for manufacture process causes air pollution. High embodied energy, more than 15 times cellulose insulation. Workers have to be protected and installation process has to be under control. Much more expensive than mineral wool. RECOMMENDED USES MANUFACTURERS Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ETHANE] Keep track o f the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES It is made using fossil fuel and HCFC-141b. The spray foam is made using 5% recovered material. Damage to the ozone layer inhibits the use of (H)CFCs as a foaming agent. ui Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS CONS ^ ---- ------------------------- -------- ------ ------- — — — It is a thermoset plastic and does not melt, so the possibility of recycling would be by grinding the insulation material and using the powder as an additive in various unrelated materials. Manufacture process causes ozone depletion and global warming during the use of HCFCs as foaming agents. RECOMMENDED USES MANUFACTURERS [R esidential] [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. extruded polystyrene, Keep track o f the advice DESCRI PTIONW PRUPER'l IES------------------------------------------------------------------------- Excellent in all durability factors. The reuse o f insulation is dependent on the design. The design should: prohibit attachment o f insulation with adhesive and promote drying o f insulation. It is made from fossil fuel and HCFC-142b. Polystyrene is produced from gas and petroleum derivatives that are finite resources. Recycled plastic resin can be used to produce XPS, upto 50%, but very few manufacturers produce this material. U > K J i Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS As polystyrene is thermoplastic so it can be melted and reformed into other products with a minimal chemical modification, that makes easy the recycling, but the dust and dirt limit the recycling possibility. CONS Threaten the environment. It is not always free of CFCs and HCFCs. The manufacturing process contribute to the ozone depletion and global warming. It is identified by EPA as a possible carcinogen, mutagen, chronic toxin, and environmental toxin. Further, it is produced from benzene, another chemical with both environmental and health concerns. XPS is blown with HCFC agent that is an ozone layer damaging product. RECOMMENDED USES U > Cs MANUFACTURERS [R esidential! [H ow litis w eb page is organized] [T heory] ight owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. | R ecom m endations] |A dvantages/D isadvantages] [C om m ents] (Som e data] Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDTHTUNS Structural insulated panel systems provide a material-and labor saving alternative to traditional wood framed walls with bait or blown-in insulation and two outer layers of structural sheeting material. Most of them use OSB as facing material but several other options are available: plywood, waferboard, sheetrock, and metal. OBS and waferboard do not contain urea formaldehyde or outgas toxic materials. They can be produced with different insulation materials: moulded expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene and urethane. The use of extruded polystyrene and urethane foam is not recommended because they use CFCs or HCFC's as blowing agents. Prefer moulded expanded polystyrene with borate treatment. Adhesives are very important to define product durability and indoor air quality, warranty is required for both elements. ADVANTAGES--------------------------------- Factory quality control. Simple to erect. Reduces on-site labor time and, if dimcnsionally well calculated, saves waste materials. DISADVANTAGES------------------------------ Modulus can be a design limitation. Recycling can be a problem because of the difficulties of separating each product. Foam insulation attracts insects and Borate can bo used as treatment. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. well calculated, saves waste materials. | i|used as treatment. "COMMENTS' Panels can permit flexibility of the indoor spaces. SOM E DATA [B ack to the top] | R esidential | [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] created and m antained by Ilaria M azzoleni: m a z:o k‘n(a}scf. use.udu U > O Q Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ■ — m - m COM PRESSED-STRAW ^ ■'$ in y & t •'/* " Keep track of the advice -DESCRIPTION UF PROPERTIES------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Compressed straw are interior partition panels that can be used as a non load bearing interior partition walls, replacing wood or steel studs and the two layers of drywall. Straw can also be used for load-bearing wall construction. Straw is what is left over when grains, such as wheat, rice, barley, are harvested. When straw is compressed under high temperature the straw fibers bond together without any adhesives. Panels are faces with heavy-weight kraft paper. Though adhesive is not required to bind the fibers together, it is required to secure the facings. The panels are very heavy. C O VC Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. w a s ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In areas where grain is produced straw is an inexpensive raw material and the embodied energy is low. MDI is used as adhesive. They are made from recycled materials. Straw is rot resistant. v o m -----------— 1— — — — -- ...........- - The panels are very heavy. They are quite tough to cut. Moisture causes dramatic swelling and delamination. During cutting workers should wear dust mask. Because baled straw is a low-density material, shipping costs are high. If used as structural material very simple square or rectangular buildings are recommended. MANUFACTURERS | R esidential! II low this w eb page is organized] | T heory] o Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I U I H I I 1 M H U [R ecom m endations] [A dvantages/D isadvantages] [C om m ents] [Som e data] Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roof: In built-up roofing systems intall a layer of sheating between the insulation and the roofing surface so that reroofing is possible without destroying the insulation. Steel roof decking is made from recycled materials and can be recycled after dismantling. The use of sustainable wood is recommended, don't use plywood made of tropical wood glued with formaldehyde based glue. Floors and Roof elements made with an insulation layer glued to the panels have the disadvantage that the various coomponents can barely be separated after demolition. Transportation is another key issue both for the use of nonrenewable resources and for air pollution.Transportation and air pollution are factors present in all phases and they are both to be considered in determining selection. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Optimize building dimensions to correspond to standard panels sizes, this avoids waste of materials and job site operations. Construction and demolition are two important phases that have to be considered carefully to be able to control/reduce waste production and the possibility of reusing or recycling it. 1 We should be able, true a careful project plan to avoid disposal in landfill, incineration is consider the last, but better than landfill, chance. [ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES COMMENTS SOME DATA [B ack to the top] |R esidential! [H ow this w eb page is organized] [T heory] created and m anteined by Ilaria M azzoleni: in a zzo lcn tt scf.iisc.cJu Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Select wood from sustainable yield management. Ask for sustainable management wood. Do not use tropical wood, preserve softwood. Softwood rafters are preferred for all kind of roofs because they do not contain harmful adhesives, in contrast to plywood. Using locally manufactured wood products coming from local forests help save energy transportation. Use wood that has been certified by a scientific organization like Scientific Certification Systems, Inc. that provide a "chain-of-custody" certification. Prefer products made from wood chips instead of solid wood, that help to reuse waste and save raw materials. Wood preserving treatment production have an important impact on the environment, which many times increases during the use of those products for the emissions they release into the environment.Use, when possible, domestic woods that don't need treatments. Wood preservatives (see treatments) often include chromium and arsenic, Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Use alternative wood treatments formulated with BORATE. In some instances it is possible to completely avoid the use of treated wood by selecting a durable substitute. Use Borax-base treatment for fungus and insects. Wood needs to be preserved when there is a threat of decay. Preservation can often be completely dispensed with, provided that the building element is well specified, a high-quality durable wood (properly seasoned and without knots) is used and that a protective finish is applied and well maintained. Avoid wood treated with the following products: fluorine acid, alkali, arsenic, benzene. Reduce amount of scrap and disposal. Optimize building dimensions: the use of standards dimensions it is equal at less waste production. Reuse of wood reduces the impact on waste production. The waste generated for adapting the panels to the size can be reused, recycled or incinerated to produce energy. Install with bolt, makes it easy to dismantle and separate the parts. Provide adequate ventilation when applying finishes. Control moisture because it can be a source of sickness. Estimate material package, to be able to minimize the amount of job site wastes. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS Wood is a renewable, recyclable and reusable material. These qualities depend upon several factors such as management of forests, type of assemblage and treatments. In any case wood products are low energy embodied consumers compared to any other building materials. The base product is made by nature using natural solar energy. It is also easily disposable generating energy in the process. Production process creates waste that can be burnt for fuel.Waste can be incinerated to generate energy. Wood can be reclaimed and reused if precautions are taken during assembly and dismanteling, Wood with low mass and ductility is good for a seismic resistance. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CONS The fitting of softwood is more labour-intensive. Avoid using plywood sheet made from tropical hardwood due to the depletion of tropical rain forests first. A secondary but important factor is the embodied energy due at the transportation from long distances. Wood is combustible, dry-rotting, subject to termite infections, and decay. Often finishes, treatment, and adhesives contain formaldehyde and other VOCs. When wastes are incinerated like caution with toxic emissions. RECOMMENDED USES MANUFACTURERS [Residential] [How this web page is organized] [Theory] created and m aintained by llaria M azzoleni: im izzolcn a scj.usc.edu C s Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Keep track of the advice DESUKIPTTOFTOP PROPERTIES------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 100% Polyethylene and 50/50 mixtures of Polyethylene and wood fibers are available. There are two types of plastic lumber: - co-mingled from post industrial and post municipal waste. As strong as or stronger than pine or fir products. It warps less than polypropylene, but is less consistent in color, and weight. - Polypropylene from I IDPE has a lower melting point. Can be 100% recycled plastic and recycled again. Lengths up to 40' x 8,10,12,16,and 24. Used in retaining walls, furniture, decks. Bolt and screws, not nails. Long lasting material, especially under water. Its durability is not tested, yet. Recycled plastics materials save landfill space, energy consumption, and resources depletion. Environmental concerns with plastic lumber are minimal. Waste water generation during manufacture process. Can be dissembled but not sure if it can be reused/recycled again. No information is available. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Consider the texture of the plastic product. Plastic wood does not have the structural qualities of wood (are not yet proved), and therefore requires closer joist spacing. "PROS Benefits of using 100% recycled materials is an important consideration. Lumber does not have problems from chemical treatments. Initial costs can be higher than wood, however the durability, depending on application, may outweigh in the long run. "CONS-------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- ------------- -------------------- Significantly more expensive than all treated wood. A wide range of additives of various type are used, that could make recycling difficult after dismanteling. Its structural strength is less than that of most woods, so unsupported span must be shorter. 0 0 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 1 R ecom m endations] I A dvantages/D isadvantages) [C om m ents! IS om e datal Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An environmental lifecycle assessment comparison of linoleum, vinyl, wool carpet and nylon carpet put linoleum as a winner, followed by wool carpet, sheet vinyl, and nylon carpet. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Embodied energy flat concrete with asphalt is the worst, second steel-framed roof, and the best pitched timber and tile roof. Ceiling tile 43% recycled newsprint. Acoustical Ceiling Tiles: 54-82% recycled mineral wool, % age depends on plant. Avoid products that release formaldehyde. Ventilateing the house before occupation reduces the VOCs impact. AUVAN 1 ACiES DISADVANTAGES Athough the reuse of many finishes could be technically possible it is rarely economically feasible and so most of the time the materials are disposed into landfll. Floor coverings are the most cited as indoor air quality contaminants.This is because of the binder components and the adhesives used to apply the materials. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. C O M M E N T S F IN IS H E S S O N O R E S P O N S A B IL I iaQ P A S S IA M O O 9 0 % n o stro tem p o inddor SOME DATA 70% of the floors in the U.S. are covered with carpet. The average person spends 80% to 90% of his time indoor, so the exposure to indoor air contaminants has become an area of health concern. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Cork tiles are used for both floor and ceiling coverings. Cork is durable, it provides acoustical and thermal insulation, it is resistant to moisture damage and decay, and it is harvested from trees in a sustainable manner. All-natural protein binders are used today. Cork tiles are produced by slicing agglomerated cork into sheets. The use of polyurethane is recommended as adhesive for the installation of the tiles, which is stable without offgassing after cutting, but that could be dangerous during installation, so specify high ventilation levels during installation. Cork is the outer bark of an oak tree, the Quercus suber, which grows in the Mediterranean. The bark is harvested on a periodic basis - 9 to 10 years - in large slabs. L A N > "PROS The trees are strictly protected and the forests are very carefully managed. It is a very good insulator and its cellular structure is extremely strong, flexible and waterproofing. There is almost no waste fron the manufacturing process. CONS Concern has been expressed about toxicity of the binders. The use of some adhesives can create IAQ problems, prefer water-based, low-polyurethane latex adhesives. Use proper indoor air quality precautions. When working the cork material up into slab form a lot of dust is generated. Cork tiles are expensive both economically and environmentally because of the transportation from overseas countries. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES--------------------------------------------------------- Made from natural linseed oil, wood flour, clay, chalk, cork, jute, and pigments. Linoleum is made from natural ingredients that are based on renewable resources. Very durable, hard, waterproof surface materials. It is soft and warm to the touch and acoustically absorbent. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "PROS Linoleum is made from natural ingredients. Linoleum scrap is reused in the manufacturing process. Linoleum is degradable. Very low VOC emissions. No significant hazards for installer's health. Minimal maintenance and long life span (40 years) (6)ERG) TO N S ' ""..... Production/Manufacturing phase: reasonable energy intensive consumption. High quantity of energy is depleted for transportation of both raw and finished products. There is not significant waste production/generation. Unpleasant smell is sometimes emitted, which is caused by the oxidation of fatty acids. Adhesives and floor maintenance products may emit VOCs at very high rates. It is not produced in the US so transportation is a very important factor in the consideration of embodied energy. Imported from Europe. It is not possible to recycle, however it is possible to dispose to landfill because it is biodegradable under appropriate aerobic conditions. l/i Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. RECOMMENDED USES---------------------------------------------------------------------- For all indoor spaces, consider this materials as an alternative to vinyl ceramic tile. Consider the trasportation factor as a limitation/disadvantage. Specify low VOC-emitting adhsives to glue down linoleum. MANUFACTURERS | Rcsidcntiul | [How this web page is organized] [Theory] Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. la m a iifl Keep track of the advice [DESCWITON'OF PROPERTIES i I Bamboo is very hard, strong, and dimensionally stable. Environmentally it's very difficult to argue with this "grass" that matures in three years, regenerates, without need for replanting, and requires minimal fertilization or pesticides. j Bamboo is slit into strips which are boiled to remove the starch.The strips are dried and laminated into solid boards, which are then milled into standard strip flooring profiles. j -j Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "PROS It provides a very rich visual texture. (JONS : ^ ~ ' The products now available are laminated using urea-formaldehyde adhesive. The embodied energy increases remarkable when we consider the transport of the products, in fact, bamboo is produced mainly in China and Vietnam. Workers safety is an issue because of the lack of proper rules in those countries. RECOMMENDEDTJSES MANUFACTURERS [Residential] [How this web page is organized] [Theory] l/l 00 i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TROS--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raw materials are in good supply. It is possible to ruese them but it could require a lot of labor to disassemble and clean them. CONS Tile production use considerable amount of energy during manufacture. Generally tiles are not recycleble. RECOMM ENDED USES MANUFACTURERS O s O Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Keep track of the advice C S DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Vynil flooring consist of polyvinyl chloride, as a binder, plus other additives, such as: stabilizers, plasticizers, fillers and pigments. It is a durable, low cost, low maintenance and ease to install product. Otimize material use and minimize the cutoff waste during installation. Cutoff waste can be recycle from the manufacturers. Provide ventilation during and after installation. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TKOS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is possible to recycle vynil scrap into the same manufacture process. It is a durable product. CONS "----------------------------------- ----- - New low VOC adhesives, use to install the tiles, tent to be more sensitive to moisture. From indoor air quality PVC is generally better than carpet but worse than stone, tile or hardwood flooring. It is not reusable after intallation. It is very difficolt to recycle because is a composite materials and it is difficolt to separete the binder from the additives. PVC and plasticizer manufacture requires many hazardous precursors, that can create problem for the workers. Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen. RECOMMENDED USES to Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. DE SCRIPTTON"OFTROPERTTE S------------------------------------------------------------------ Wood is a renewable and reusable material. These qualities depend upon several factors such as j management of forests, type of assemblage and treatments. In any case wood products are low j energy embodied. j Use wood from managed local forest. S Wood floor can be reused if the assemblage is done without glue or any other material which can i deteriorate the material. j Wood floor absorbs few pollutants.Reuse old wood pavement such as ship wood flooring: high quality, low' maintenance. Low impact. Reuse of materials is highly resource efficient. Reuse not I only requires far less energy than recycling, but also preserves the cultural and historic value inherent in used materials. i I Select non-toxic wood finishes, such as water-based urethanes. O N u > Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROS Long life and aesthetic quality. CONS Adhesives can be a problem for the indoor air quality. Low-VOC adhesives has to be selected for gluing wooden floors. RECOMM ENDED USES | Residential | |llow this web page is organized] [Theory] MANUFACTURERS ight owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. (DESCRIPTION'OF PROPERTIES-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i ! Carpet has been usually chosen for its softness, dirt-hiding ability, acoustic muffling, and low cost, j I Use carpet with recycled fiber content such as polyester, j i Polyester is generally considered to be a less durable fiber than Nylon.. ! Prefer carpet that warranty the recyclability after dismantling, such as Nylon fibers carpet. Wool is considered the most desirable fiber: it has a natural flame resistance, and it is more durable than most synthetics. Purchase used carpets and rugs or sell your used carpets to others to save raw materials and energy, j The most common carpet have nylon face fibers that are stitched into a polypropylene primary backing.The fibers are locked in place using SB (styrene butadine) latex. Backing materials such as j SB latex are made up of several toxic components. Almost all of the emissions are originating from 1 these materials. j Prefere water-based adhesives. Prefere carpet that use little amount of SB or PVC as backing materials. , Even if there are products with low-VOC emissions carpet use is not recommended for chemically j sensitive individuals.. The biggest problems with carpet may be not be the new carpet emissions * Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. sensitive individuals.. The biggest problems with carpet may be not be the new carpet emissions , but during the entire life. In fact, carpet act as a air filter, trapping particulates and pollutants. j i Require warranty of total VOC emissions for the installation. j Consider carpet pads, adhesives, and seam sealants when evaluating emissions of a carpet system. Maximize ventilation during installation and leave the space vacant as long as possible. I i TKOS Pet is the only carpet fiber made with significant recycled content, using recycled PET bottles. Americans discard nearly 3 million PET bottles each hour, and these containers take up 8 times the space of glass or paper in our landfill.Recycled PET can be extruded into polyester fibers and used to produce carpet.(6) Many studies have been made about the possibility of recycled Nylon fibers. Nylon can be recycled to produce new products, for example car parts. It is possible to recycle carpet fiber into fiber feed stock for use by resin and fiber. Backing materials can be incinerated with energy recovery. Recycled rubber-based padding are available but they can have some adverse reaction for sensitive individuals. It is better to use recycled padding from carpet fibers. TUNS ------------ It is an energy intensive material to produce. Its heavy dependence on fossil fuels as a raw materials affect on the deplection of the natural resources. C N O S Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Short service life, the average is about 8 years. Water consumption in carpet manufacture in very large also if during the last few years initiatives have been taken to be able to recycle the water several times the manufacturing process. Solid waste disposal is also a major problem. In fact, several tons of off-spec and carpet scrap are produced every year. CFCs are usually used as blowing agents for cushion foams, these agents contribuite to the depletion af the upper ozone layer. It is a possible interior source of VOC mainly because of the adhesives used to install it, such as styrene and 4-PC. Styrene is a known toxin and suspected carcinogen. 4-PC is not toxic but it has a detectable odor. Carpet acts as a filter of all dust, air pollution, and odors. Wool fibers appear to have even greater capacity than synthetics for trapping VOCs. select carpet and pad using safe adhesives or track systems. C n Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ■RECOMMENDED USES--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Use carpets manufactured using recycled plastic beverage. This carpet is cost-competitive with nylon carpet, has good satin resistance, does not offgas toxic fumes, and has a standard warranty.(3) Reuse carpet section to redo floors in cars, trucks, etc... Use low VOC-emitting adhesives Specify stretched-in, tackless strip installation to avoid adhesives (cause of VOCs emessions) Avoid carpets made with CFC blowing agents. MANUFACTURERS [Residential] [How this web page is organized] [Theory] 0 0 ight owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. DESCRTPTIONOFPROPERTTES------------------------------------------------------------------------- Several characteristics have to be taken in account during roofing products selection, such us: weight, durability, water falling, fire rating, maintainability, and installation characteristics. Many different materials are used: slate, clay, fiber-cement, metals, asphalt. It is possible to recycle the roofing waste into new composite roofing shingle. Roof: copper shingles 100% recycled copper from wire and radiators. ON NO Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "PROS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fibcr-ccmcnl composite materials is made with materials having recycle content. Some of them arc very durable but are very heavy, that imply the use of more structural elements. Metal shingles are made with 100 % recycled materials and they can be recycled after dismantling Asphalt shingles use recycled materials, up to 25%, but it does not last very long, 20-30 years.(7) 'CONS Aluminum is a very high energy content material. RECOMMENDEDTJSES M A N U F A C T U R E R S © [Recommendations] [Advantages/Disadvantages] [Comments] [Some data] RECOMMENDATIONS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treatment is needed to protect materials, specially wood, from insects, moisture, and decaying fungi. Prefer wood that has natural resistance, such us cedar, redwood, black locust, bald cypress, catalpa, black berry, junipers, white oak, etc. Avoid paints with VOC(Volatic Organic Compound) emissions and mercury content. Varnishes and paints should be water based, plant oils or resins with fungicides, arsenic and harmful solvents should be avoided. Do not reuse wood treated with creosote or pentachloropphenol for interior purposes. Outdoor wood has to be protected from moisture, rot and insect damage. In the past have been used \ creosote-,pent- and CCA-(coppcr/chrodium/arscnate) treatments that are now recognized as extremely ! toxic chemicals. For the future use alternatives including ACQ (ammonium/copper/quaternary) treatment i and naturally rot-resistant woods that perform same as CCA but are less toxic. ! Borate is a valid alternative in unexposed to water location since it is a water soluble product. Borate Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. prevents termite and fungi decay. Consider the use of composite plastic lumber for outdoor spaces. -MDI methyl diisocyanate is a formaldheyde-free product used as a lumber adhesive.However, this product is highly toxic when used in the manufacturing plant, so special pollution-control and health safeguards are required. -Termite control is required for wood constructions. Some wood is naturally resistant to termite, such as cedar. Using this treemake it possible to limit the use of treatment. i If treatments are necessary, use non-toxic control strategies made without chemical use, such as sand barrier. Termite needs humid environment to survive, so humidity control is the best strategy to eliminate termite.Provide cross ventilation and use sand barriers because termite cannot tunnel through it. Other non-toxic treatments include use of nematodes (microscopic worms). Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ADVANTAGES ' Use of treatment is often essential to protect the materials and extend the usable life, specially of wood. CCA can be used inside residences. DISADVANTAGES ........................................... The use of treatment often makes it impossible to reuse or recycle a material. For this reason it is very j important that a careful selection of the treatment is 1 made. j 1 The manufacturing process of treatments involve dangerous chemicals and is a source of air pollution. Avoid direct contact with treatment products. Borate treatment does not offer the same warranty of quality of CCA. Those treatments release prolungated VOC emissions. Treated wood can be incinerated only under control. 'COMMENTS.. . . ...................... It is important to ventilate the spaces before the occupation. 1 SOM E DATA ui MANUFACTURERS [Back to the top] [Residential] [How this web page is organized] [Theory] Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. IFRAMEI [Recommendations1| Advantagcs/Disadvantages! |Coinments] [Some data] Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS Provide operable windows: allow occupants to open and close windows; provide fresh air. Embodied energy figures tend to increase with complexity of design. Interior doors can be made using 20% of recycled content of Particle board. It is possible reuse windows and doors frame previous performance control. ADVANTAGES " " ..................... DISADVANTAGES.... .............. Windows allow natural light to illuminate interior spaces, so indirectly to save energy. Window frames can be COMMENTS < < : a s o S I Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. [Recommendations] [Advantages/Disadvantages] [Comments] [Some data] Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS Window glass is not recyclable. Use old windows to remodel at a cabin or a mini-greenhouse. Window glass needs to be thrown in the garbage, try to find a second use as: reflective signs, asphalt and backfill. Low -E improves the insulation qualities. Specify that contractors should attempt to salvage and reuse glass building products removed during remodeling. The use of special glass is soon payed by saving energy for cooling/heating. During extraction of raw materials environmental effects include soil erosion and pollutant runoff mining, and habitat changeThis is significant energy consumption since many mines are situated in southern Africa. The manufacture of glass requires a lot of energy. C s Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ADVANTAGES Glass sand, limestone, and soda ash are finite | resources, but supplies are adequate to meet future demands. Glass is inert and does not have indoor air impact.. The unique characteristic of glass, like J transparency (natural illumination) has to be \ balanced with its relatively low R-value (energy saving). In glass selection R-value has to be considered as one of the most important factors. Can be reuse for the same purpose or recycle for the production of new, different glasses products (external recycling). DISADVANTAGES--------------------------------------- Mining of glass sand, limestone, and soda ash result in particulate emissions, soil erosion, habitat alteration,pollutant runoff, and air pollution associated with energy consumption for mining, processing, and transporting materials. Glass manufacturing can release air pollutants that contribute to numerous environmental problems. Emissions come from energy production. Manufacture is high energy consuming due at the high temperature required for processing the raw materials. After demolition much glass is disposed in landfill, without reuse or recycle, this is the actual trend. COMMENTS After clean up it is possible to reuse glass. It is also possible to recycle glass but not on the same industry sector because we have performance decay. Recycle glass use is in the bottle industry, or for other kinds of containers, with transparency requirement inferior at the one required from the building industry. Scrap glass is recycled back into the glass making process. Glass removed from building is usually disposed of in landfill. Try to reuse it. Recycling is not feasible now. Recycle is not feasible now because the production can tolerate very little contamination levels. Recycled glass wastes can be released only into low-grade glass. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "a U AXA£fl Keep track of the advice DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES Glazing with special coating that reduces heat transfer through windows. For heating, the low-E glass should be placed on the outer surface of the inner pane of glass to reflect back heating into the interior space. Low-E films are applied in either soft and hard coats. The performance of the hard coat films is slightly poorer than that of the soft-coat ones. May reduce energy loss by as much as 30% to 50%. Low- emissivity glass is characterized by a thin metallic coating that reflects radiant heat back. That help both in the cold and hot climate to mantaine the internal temperature. This glass is 72 % more effective than odinary double glass and 14 % more effective than ordinary tripla glass.(4) Argon improve the R-value. *4 00 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. v O fRecommendationsl fAdvantaues/Disadvantattcsl fCoinmentsl [Some data! Keep track of the advice RECOMMENDATIONS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Most sealant are based on petroleum derivatives. Select selants made with reenwable raw materials such us coconut fibre, this kind of products are have been processed only minimally and are therefore less environmentally dameging. Some sealant are preferable for indoor use due to their lower emission rates, such as: oleoresinous, acrylic emulsion latex, polysulfide, polyurethane, and silicone sealants. When usins sealant indoors, ventilation should be increased. Specify less toxic sealants whenever possible. Select low-toxicity adhesives, including construction adhesive and tile, countertop, carpet, linoleum, or vynil flooring adhesives. The newest products are made using hydrocarbon blowing agents or a mix of hydrocarbons and non-ozone-depleting HFCs. The only concern is that they are flammable during application. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. | I s I I i 1TOMMENTS-------------------------------------------------------------- “ “ I i i i ! I i I t SUMETTATA-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MANUFACTURERS [Back to the top] [Residential! [How this web page is organized] [Theory] created and maintained by llaria Ma/./.oleni: im izzu h n u sc/ uw .cilti A D V A N T A G E S DISADVANTAGES Many of the chemicals used in the manufactures process are classified as hazardous, the waste has to be handled and disposed of in accordance qith federal regulations. 00 © SlISTAINAliU: I SSI I IS 181 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. I hc loivst proilucls c o m e r s i n n Residential I in iroimienlal Design Kesiew ol l’l\boo A : Inlernalional Wood P ro d u c ts I U N - I imberslraiul S tu d s 11MHI K I- KAMI-KS ( it III I ): I )edieated to Promoting the ( 'rail o i l imlvr I ram in jj Imp:/, sparks .nee.usaee.arms .mil shore.proteclion/yi n b y sc c .lm n l 182 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ■ J.lines liardic Huikliu;.1 P iod ucis. Inc. ■ I’a h c o ( i \ p s u m ■ i cell talk a b o u t rc c \ c li n g L npsuin boards o Insulation ■ Cellulose ■ T h c r m o C o n Inc. ■ C o c o o n ■ C e llu lo se Insu latio n M a n u f a c tu re r s A sso ciatio n ■ Solstice: S u sta in a b le I nerus and I ) c \c lo p in c n l O n l i n c F H N - Insuliition M ateria ls; I a n iro m n c n la l ( 'o m p a r is o n s ■ Cotton ■ ( i r e e n w o o d C o tto n Insulation Pro du cts. Inc. ■ Mineral wool ■ K o ck w o ol m a n u f a c tu r in g Co. ■ Expanded polystyrene ■ A I M Corporation ■ Fiberglass ■ S ch u lle r ■ CcrlainTecd ■ Polyurethane ■ Manufacturers ■ Extruded polystyrene ■ Manufacturers ■ Perlite ■ Inco n C o rp o ra tio n ■ Phenolic ■ Manufacturers ■ Vermiculite ■ Manufacturers o Vapor harrier o f inishes ■ Siding ■ J a m e s lla rd ie B uilding Products. Inc. ■ C ertain Ic e d ■ l.o u isian n -P acilic C o rp o ra tio n ■ Plaster S o ■ Manufacturers I 1 1 1 .' l\.lltu;il ( llU K V — Vi X < U • J V c / 1 < U ha 3 O ■ w ■ s ■ 2 « C/2 C l : v . u £ _ 3 U 3 c 5 c 3 3 s ,2 c.,3 3 Q , 3 a “ ■ CL >» o 2 u L * 3 I 3 C I I 4 J -O £ V . I • 1) o U I > : -o ~ : o > ; Vi — ; VI — . QJ — s I ^ ■ 1 E ■ o <J y . 2 2 2 2 3 3 -ij « ,3 3 C ‘ w Z s “✓ —• U - , - O 3 0> T j u - e ■ o 4 2 i . -3 S 3 O © 2 U o & ■ ■ ■ Vi u y : © o U cS 3 C 3 i o O 0 2 = E r- 3 -x ■ — * .2 o n 3 o b 184 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 185 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. l’l\Ihki America. Inc. Ilaml'uo I limi'ine Ini'l (' 186 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Doors/W indows o S u p p o r t & l i i i i i i i ' 187 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES som e interesting links 188 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Siis 1 ;i i n a ble a reli i I ec(u re o t ' o i i s i r u c i u m A . A S. A A £ y , * ^ L r. = v -. ^ ;ij -j '7 r. X ■ J • — . — * — -3 1'jy V — - »✓ . . v . v: Z j <*/ 7 . - ^ H I -7 7 - ? 2 “ ~ / ■ ? — O w ' — ~ ^ ^ -- — , w y ; V oooo oo ooo o _ - i j 7 . ? 2 .E U — . j . y C C - ^ ,v -S' o . y v r ~ v — v 3 •/: ~ A ~ Z . r ; y ^ ’ -* -» • - > • — / >» A 3 A. i - / y o A . y o 7 ^ ■ j r . v . ^ •- v. c.y. - - o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 189 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 99 M ARK I-.'I ( i l ' l l ) l S N A I ’S I I O I I OR CalM iil C o . M \R K I I ( il 11)1 S N A I ’S IIO I |( )|< ( 'onic\ ( 'onslmelion 1’ruv.l. M A K K I I ( i l ’ll >1. S N A I ’S IIO I I OK I loriiki Rock Im lnsliies M A R K I-.I (il ;ll)l. S N A I ’S IIO I I OR I or licilcr I i\injj \\ clcoiiic lo ( Icon \\ o.^hinclon ( enter O n lin e s . -K . 'J Zh v - o r. — V * . V o " 7 : '.J _ 2 r . 3J, — — . — J . zl* E ‘ j Zi: - 3 ~ ~ y f • Z j \j ' j / * . A ■ _ > — * _ ) A ■ J — — 1 o ■V J : j. o — — — ’ — o o O 0 o o « * ✓ _2_ — - - CL 3 190 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 35 22 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. o I m p : vvwvv . e n n . c o m 'ubl c a l e n d a r . l u m o I i n i r o n m c n l a l B u i l d i n g Now.'. - C a l e n d a r o f I v e n l s o I m p : ''vvvvvv.iircat.com a r e v e n l . h i m o I m p : / m w u . b a u m p u b . c o m ' r p n ' c v c m . h i m . CASE STUDIES o I h c h n c n j v R e s o u r c e ( 'e n t e r o c d e s i g n O n l i n e : c R e v i e w : I c o - Y i l l a e c s W e b s i l e R e v i e w s o b.co-l I m n c N e lv v o rk o C u e e n l l( ) M I I a d S h e e l o Imp:' vv v v v v .sv iH lcs is in c .c o m o Imp: w w w . c p a . e o v / r i p n e w - b i d e n e w p a g e d . h i m o Imp; 7u w w . b u i U l a m e r i c a . c o m o l d ' I-1 -% 'u kshovv . h i m o Imp:'/1.47.91.114.4/ p o w e r / e s h m a t e r i a l . him | It AC K T O Till-: 101*1 lA D V ISF.K I |IIk'(ii\ | | l l ( ) \ l I'1| I welcome comments, suggestions, and information on new building products and evaluation methods please write to me at: iihizm L'ii a n / //', > ■ ,//< Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 192 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. N O O J • & V SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Gro Druntland) Our society is living beyond the means of the Earth to sustain it. (David llcrtz) MORE INFORMATION ON THE NET SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE A building should be designed so as to minimize the use of new resources and, at the end of its useful life, to form the resources for further architecture. (R. & B. Vale) Sustainable design balances human needs with the carrying capacity o f the natural and cultural environment. We can achieve a sustainable architecture with a continuous research for the cleanest manufacturers' systems, and construction practices. PRINCIPLES Each building is more or less unique and is closely related to its surroundings and to the local infrastructures. The building user's requirements and activities are complex. Many resources are involved in the construction, use and maintenance o f a building. Many different materials and products are also involved, and a considerable amount o f energy is thus used. Sustainable design consider all these factors in a holistic approach and tries to minimize the impact o f buildings on (lie environment during each phase o f their life. The propose principles are six (9): Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. - Minimize resource consumption (Conserve) - Maximize resource reuse (Reuse) -Use renewable or recyclable resources (Renew/Recycle) - Protect the natural environment (Protect Nature) - Create a healthy, non-toxic environment (Non-Toxics) - Pursue quality in creating the built environment (Quality) 3 It's Building a house produces about 2.5 tons of solid waste comprised of about 35% wood products, 15% drywall waste, 12% masonry and tile, 10% cardboard, 6% asphalt, 4% metals, and the remains arc a mix of plastics, fiberglass and other materials. About 16% of all landfill is demolition waste, about 2% o 3% is construction waste from new construction. (Environmental Research Group, Appendix XII) REDUCE Many building materials such as roofing, cellulose insulation and wallboard are made from recycled materials. Always ask if there is a recycled option for the material you need. This save resources and helps create demand for recycled products. REUSE It is an indication of a new use of old materials. Reuse implies limitation and verification of functionality. Some businesses is specialize in buying and selling used building materials. Before demolition, remove and save reusable doors, windows, toilets,etc. Consider shopping for used building materials. RECYCLE There are many kind of recycling: - inside at the same productive process: wastes are recycled to produce the same kind of final product. - in another productive process, the final product is different from the original and can be also for other use not in the construction industry. - alter demolition it is possible to collect the materials and reuse to produce new elements either for the same or for a different use, All this different kind of recycling processes imply a manipulation of the material, and this is the main different between reuse and recycle. Of course, the manipulation implied use of energy, so the recyclage is less interesting than reuse but more then the disposal in landfill. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Recycled content products have the same quality value of any other products: high quality, durability, and cost compctitivc.The manufacturers process using recycled materials offer the opportunity of closed the loop. DISPOSAL Landfill has to be the last choice after the evaluation of everything else. Don't forgot that landfill fees are very expensive! Sec if a salvage yard will take reusable items. Save anything recyclable such as corrugated cardboard, scrap metal or concrete. It will cost you less to recycle things that would otherwise incur a fee for disposal. CLOSING THE CIRCLE The word "waste" should disappear to leave space at the "secondary materials" concept. The concept of waste docs not exist in nature, where everything has a value and it is useful for something. The elimination of wastes is possible just if we take the natural circle as model to transfer it in the organization of the artificial circle. Artificial products are not produce in a sustainable way because there is not closing, there is a loose of energy and material and disposing stuff in landfill is the worst possible step. We have to correct this tendency, and we can do it if we follow the 3 R's. M O R L IN FO R M A T IO N ON T ill? N E T I h ack t o n n: t o n e v a l u a t io n m e t h o d s ! ith k o k y i iadviskhi lllo w this w eb n a e c is onrani/.cdl created and maintained by Maria Mazzolcni: m azz<>IcnCa\scf.t<sc.edit © Ilaria Mazzolcni, 1997 Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. EVALUATION METHODS Products listed in this web page have been determined to be more resource efficient than conventional building materials. The Adviser selects building materials and products that have at least one of the following characteristics: • Environmentally conscious • Reusability/disassembly • Recycled content • Resource efficient • Low embodied energy • Transportation/local availability • Long life cycle • Nontoxic - low toxicity (for all: manufacturers, installers and occupants) • Waste generation • Installation • Maintenance/Durability • Quality o f life • pollution to environment • pollution and indoor air quality (IAQ) Few outstanding materials have the potential to match closely every one of the criteria for resource efficiency. Particular attention is give on the selection of reused and recycled building materials and components because these factors represent a powerful tools to minimize resources and energy consumption, a goal that is achievable using renewable or recyclable resources and maximizing resource reuse. V © O Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS (LCA) Life Cycle Analysis is an objective process that identifies the environmental burdens of specific products and processes from cradle to grave and quantifies all elements in the process. LCA quantifies the energy consumed, waste generated, and resources used, and evaluates the effects of these factors on the environment. NOT JUST A QUANTITATIVE METHOD BUT ALSO QUALITATIVE, SPECIALLY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WHERE QUANTITATIVE DATA ARE AVAILABLE IN LIMITED AMOUNT. LCA attempts to document the real costs of making materials from CRADLE TO GRAVE. LCA quantifies the energy consumed, wastes generated, and resources used, and evaluates the effects of these on the environment based on data gathered over their whole life. Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. We must look at the embodied energy of building materials through their life-cycle-analysis. Compare the net and the cumulative effect of materials on our resources and energy consumption through acquisition, manufacturing, use and final disposal. LCA is used as an evaluation method that permits the verification of data both from qualitative and quantitative point of view. However this study is focalized in evaluate products and materials more from the qualitative point of view because it is difficult to find and compare non homogeneous data. ENERGY ENERGY ENERGY ENERGY ENERGY RAW MATERIALS ACQUISITION FINAL DISPOSAL ' •Lmdfill, bictntnlion, RtcycU, or R*uit j PRODUCTS USE OR CONSUMPTION MATERIALS MANUFACTURE PRODUCTS MANUFACTURE WASTE WASTE WASTE WASTE REUSE PRODUCT RECYCLING < 5 O O Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. EMBODIED ENERGY T he am ount of energy required to produce and tran sp o rt a quantity of m aterial. Energy used to win raw materials, convert them to construction materials, products, components; transport the raw materials,intermediate and final products; and build them into structures. Optimizing building shape and materials pcrfonnance permit to save materials. , Transportation has to be consider as one of the most important factors in dctenning the total embodied energy. Local availability of a product is a valuable factor of choice. Reduction of embodied energy is possible if we design for longevity and paying attention to possible reduced energy substitutes for traditional solutions. Recycling of materials is a final and very important aspect. We can not always consider low embodied energy as a detemiinant factor, other quality factors have to be considered. Energy Efficiency: refers to energy saving in the product's manufacturing process, but also to the operational energy saved through the product's life time. The Embodied Energy cannot give the whole picture of the environmental impact of a building material. The environmental impact of energy use varies significantly with the type of fuel and how it is consumed. Knowing the quantity of energy used in producing a material is not sufficient, it is important to identify fuels used and their associates pollution profiles. Natural gas produces much less pollution per Btu than coal, for example, and solar energy doesn't produce any. O v £ i Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. The resource extraction and manufacture of building materials has environmental impacts other than energy use. How a material performs after installation in a building is important as well. Factors as longevity/durability, impact on operation energy consumption, maintenance requirements,and eventual disposal or reusability can cither offset or reinforce conclusions (5) IMC'K t o m i : t o p i isu. s t a i n a i h m t v d i i i i n h i o n i i i i i i.ouvi iadviskki m o w t h i s \vi:n i» ac;k i s o k g a n i/ kdi created and maintained by llaria Mazzolcni: imizzolenCuXscl. u sc.ed u © llaria Mazzoleni, 1997 tO C Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LE SCHEDE LA TEORIA © llaria Mazzoleni, 1997 K > O Come usare questo consigliere Questa pagina Internet e' composta da due parti: Se conosci cosa significa architettura sostenibile e sei interessato ad avere qualche consiglio per la selezione di material! da costrozione riusati o riciclati, clicca la foto e inizia la navigazione. Se preferisci conoscere di piu' riguardo I'architettura sostenibile, I'analisi del ciclo di vita, il consumo energetico, clicca qui ed avrai la spiegazione di questi termini, e molto di p iu ... LA STKUTTIJKA 1)1 QUF.STA I’ACINA INTF.RNF.T Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. SCHEDE PER I MATERIALI DA COSTRUZIONE Questa e' la pagina principale delle lineeguida.Seleziona la tipologia cdilizia. Annola i commenti NUOVA COSTRUZIONE RISTRUTTURAZIONE RESIDENZIALE j RESIDENZIALE INDUSTR1A LEGGERA INDUSTRIA LEGGERA COMMERC1ALE COMMERCIALE IST1TUZIONALE i ISTITUZIONALE MAGAZZINO : MAGAZZINO alcuni casi studio in INTERN in' 1 La strutliira di q u e s ta p a g in a INTERNET] |l*rima paginal [Teoria] ts> O N > creata e mantenuta da llaria Mazzoleni: nutzzolcn a scj.itsc.cdu 203 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Un'analisi comparativa del ciclo di vita di linoleum, pavimenti in pvc e moquette ha dimostrato che il linoleum e' il miglior prodotto, da un punto di vista ambientale. Dopo aver completato la posa in opere ventilare ambienti prima di occuparli. Preferire materiali con alto contenuto di prodotto riciclato. per csempio coperture in rame sono prodotte con alta percentuale (vicina al 100%) di materiale riciclato. La manifattura di alcuni clcmenti di finitura richicde grandi consumi energetici, considerare attentamente questo fattore come elemento determinante la scelta dei prodotti. Considerare prodotti local i per ia scelta e selezione dei prodotti di finitura. Non utilizzare adesivi che rilasciano VOC. Ventilare gli ambienti prima dell'occupazione. VANlAUUi La finiture proteggono le strutture portanti e sono un importante fattore estetico. La loro scelta condiziona la qualita' ambientale. SVANIAOGI"' Sebbene il riuso di molte finiture sarebbe possibile spesso non e' praticato per 1'alto costo della mano d'opera necessaria al recupero e pulitura degli elementi. Quindi questi prodotti vanno spesso in discarica. I pavimenti sono i maggiori indagati per i rilasci di contaminanti per 1'iquinamento dell'aria in ambienti intemi. I maggiori problemi derivano dall'uso di adesivi e collanti. to © Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. COMMENT! '............ ~........... E1 provato che passiamo il 90 % nel nostro tempo in ambienti confinati. La qualita1 delParia interna e' quindi un importante fattore da considerare durante la progettazione e scelta dei prodotti di finitura. [Inizio pagina] |Kesidenzialc| |l.a Mrultnra di questa pagina INTKRNKT| |Teoria| created and manteined by llaria Mazzoleni: nui::olen(n}scf use.edit N> O Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Annota i commenti D E SCRIPTIONOFTROPEKTIE S II linoleum e’ un prodotto naturale costituito da un legante, resine mineralizzate, resine vegetali e resine glicerofosfatiche mescolate a inerti e pigmenti. Linoleum e' fatto composto da ingredienti naturali basati in risorse naturali. Molto durevole ed impermeabile. E' soffice e caldo al tatto ed ha buona assorbenza acustica. Reproduced w ith permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "PROS ; Linoleum e' fatto da ingredienti naturali. Gli scarti di produzione possono essere riciclati all'interno dello stesso processo produttivo. II linoleun e' degradabile. Ha basse emissioni di VOC. Non ci sono particolari rischi per i lavoratori durante la posa in opera. Richiede minima manutenzione ed ha una durata di circa 40 anni. CONS-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Durante le fasi produttive si ha un considerevole consumo energetico. Non ci sono significativi sprechi di risorse, gli scarti sono contenuti. Un non piacevole odore e' emesso durante la produzione, dovuto all'ossidazione di alcuni acidi grassi Gli adesivi possono essere fonte di VOC ad alti tassi. Non e' possibile riutilizzare ne' riciclare i teli dopo la dismissione. Va disposto in discarica dove, in condizioni aerebiche appropriate, biodegrada. N > O SC Reproduced with permission o f th e copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "RECOMM liN DI-DUSES E' raccomandato l'uso in ogni locala intcrno. E' consigliato come valida alternativa all'uso di pavimenti in PVC o piastrelle ccramiche. Per la posa in opera e' importante specificare l'uso di adesivi a basso contenuto di VOC. MANUFATTORI [Kcsidciuiiilo] [l.a siiiiiiura ili ijucsia pagina INTERNET] [Teoria] IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (Q A -3 ) | . 0 “ IS IS l.l 13.2 nm 2 2 2 T S L S H IM KUU m 1 -2 5 I 1 .4 I H 1 .6 150mm IIV H G E . In c 16S3 East M a in Street Rochester, N Y 14609 U S A Phone: 716/482-0300 Fax: 716/288-5989 0 1993. Applied Image. Inc.. A ll Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Mazzoleni, Ilaria
(author)
Core Title
Sustainable building materials adviser: A Web-based tool for architects
Degree
Master of Building Science / Master in Biomedical Sciences
Degree Program
Building Science
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
Architecture,education, technology of,environmental sciences,information science,OAI-PMH Harvest
Language
English
Contributor
Digitized by ProQuest
(provenance)
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c16-22270
Unique identifier
UC11337000
Identifier
1391091.pdf (filename),usctheses-c16-22270 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
1391091.pdf
Dmrecord
22270
Document Type
Thesis
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Mazzoleni, Ilaria
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
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The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
Tags
education, technology of
environmental sciences
information science