This document summarizes a study assessing building materials and systems used in sustainable construction. [1] The study aims to determine if sustainable building is possible today and what changes are needed. [2] It analyzes materials based on origin and application, and building systems like structure and facades. [3] The conclusion is that sustainable building is possible with increased design time, but current practices are not sustainable due to lack of awareness, short-term thinking about time and money, and an economic model requiring unlimited growth. Changes like education, environmental fees, and industry leadership are needed to achieve sustainability.

1. ASSESMENT OF BUILDING SYSTEMS AND MATERIALS
USED IN SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION.
Author: Maria Matamoros Lafont.
Director: Mireia Bosch Prat.

2. WHY TO CARRY OUT A STUDY ABOUT BUILDING
SUSTAINABLE?
The ecological footprint of all the
Building industry
planet was calculated in 2.000 and
has been consuming more
showed an excess of 31% of
than 50% of natural resources.
earth’s natural resources.
It is the time to do something

3. THE AIM OF THE STUDY.
 What is the purpose of the assessment?
This assessment is intended to be a guide for every professional who desires to build a
sustainable edifice.
 What do we pretend to know?
The study will seek to answer some questions as:
 Is it possible to build in a sustainable way today?
 Obviously, nowadays, in general, we are not building in a sustainable way,
so then, we must ask ourselves, why don’t we do that?
 Finally, it is very interesting to wonder which changes we should make to
build in a sustainable manner .

4. HOW HAS THE STUDY BEEN CONDUCTED?
 Definition of sustainable construction.
 Assessment of materials.
 Materials according to their origin.
 Stone materials.
 Metalic materials.
 Organic materials.
 Materials according to their application.
 Insulating materials.
 Waterproofing materials.
 Assessment of building systems.
 Structure.
 Vertical facade.
 Horizontal facade.
 Conclusions.
 Is it possible to build in a sustainable way today?
 Why don’t we do that?
 Which changes we should make to build in a sustainable manner .

5. 1. CONSTRUCTION SUSTAINABLE DEFINITION.
 What is sustainable development? Life-cycle.
The one that satisfies the needs of the present
without jeopardizing the capacity of the future
generations to satisfy their needs
Demolition
 What is sustainable construction? Recycling and/or reuse.
Production.
The building Services Research an
Information Assosiations has defined
sustainable construction as the “creation and
management of healthy buildings based on
ecological principles and efficient use of
natural resources”
Service life. Transport.
 Which parameters to be taken into
consideration for the assessment?
It is very important to adopt an overall view
about all the life-cycle steps of a building.
Actually, the sustainability factor is defined as Execution.
the closure of the material cycles.

6. Parameters analysed.
FASE 1. •IMPACT ON THE GROUND.
PRODUCTION. •WASTES.
•EMBODIED ENERGY.
• EMISSIONS.
•EXHAUSTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
FASE 2. •The lightest possible.
TRANSPORT: •Local or regional origin.
FASE 3: Always try to use the dry process; so in this way we will achieve the following:
EXECUTION. •A significant decrease as for waste generation.
•A significant decrease about environmental impact in this step, since in most
cases, specialized equipment or water supply are not needed.
FASE.5. DEMOLITION. Always searching the deconstruction of the building.
DEMOLITION If the principles outlined in the other steps are followed,
AND the deconstruction should be easier. Then we will be
RECYCLING. able to close the life-cycle of the materials.
REUSE/RECYCLING. Trying to choose materials can be reused. Just if that’s
not possible choose materials that can be recycled.

7. Conclussions of materials according their origin.
Advantages. Disadvantages. Remarks.
Stone Conclusionsefficiency. Visual impact. materials segons el seuuse stone material is
Thermal avaluació dels If you want to origen.
materials. very important that their origin is local
to reduce its ecological rucksack.
Origin locally. Heavy material. To facilitate the closure of materials
life cycle seek the execution by dry
It is recyclable. Despite being recycled, hardly 10% of
process.
waste from construction was
recycled.
Metalic Lightweight material. High embodied energy. The metallic materials are materials to
materials. be seriously considered if we want to
Ease of reuse. High environmental impact in the
make a sustainable project, as long as
extraction step.
products are reused, or if not possible,
High degree of Does not have a good thermal look for recycled materials.
recyclability. behaviour.
Materials Minimal environmental The need for preservative treatment, There is a wider range of organic
orgànics. impact. which generally increase the material which we know. It is
ecological rucksack of the material. important to perform a search on all
options available to us seriously and
Feeling of comfort Generally not valid for materials used evaluate them to see what options are
inside. in large numbers. That is, their most interested in our case.
application for large buildings is more
complicated.
Lightweight materials. Whenever you want to use organic
material, we have to study its origin.
Recyclable materials. Generally have a greater need for
maintenance, increasing the
environmental impact produced
during the lifetime of the material.

8. MATERIALS ASSESSMENT ACCORDING TO THEIR APPLICATION.
INSULATING MATERIALS.
Desadvantages. Advantages. Considerations.
A.T. High environmental impact. High thermal efficiency Just use when is totally
SINTÈTICS. and low cost. necessary.
Don’t close the cycle-life. Traded materials.
A.T. Products more difficult to obtain. Low environmental Is necessary to study every
ORGÀNICS. impact. option. Sometimes we don’t
Expensive. Close the cycle-life. know some local
alternatives.
Normally, need protection against High thermal efficiency.
humidity.
Normally, need surface treatment.
Limited use life.
A.T. Intermediate environmental Can close the cycle-life. Is the intermediate solution.
PETRIS. impact.
N

9. 3. ASSESSMENT OF BUILDING SYSTEMS.
INITIAL EMBODIED ENERGY OF A BUILDING. (kg CO2/m2)
Data provided by: “Life-Cycle Energy Use in Office Buildings” de Raymond J. Cole i Paul C. Kernan
Taking into special consideration next parameters:
 Durability.
 Embodied energy.
 Impact on building thermal efficiency.
Will be assessed next steps:
 Structure.
 Envelope.

10. CONCLUSSIONS OF ASSESSMENT OF DIFFERENT STRUCTURE SYSTEMS.
Advantages Disadventages. Comments.
W Very low environmental impact. Protective treatments. It is necessary to make
O a concrete study of
O each case.
D Lightweight. Climatology. You must check the
wood is from regional
Reusable. Is not feasible in all types of buildings.
origin and controlled
After use can be used as fuel or to create a Wate generation. cut.
composite.
S Reusable and recyclable. High embodied energy. Steel frame reuse is
T now entirely feasible.
High structural capacity. Low thermal efficinecy.
E If this option is
E The steel frames already currently High amount of emmissions. considered
L constructed is enough to satisfy most of the Is totally sustainable,
future needs of this material maybe even more
Consumes much less water than than wood.
concrete .
Lightweight.(compared with concrete)
C Long service-life. High embodied energy. Local origin.
O
Don’t requires protective surface Impact on the ground. Use recycled concrete.
N
treatments.
C
R Good thermal behavior Waste and dust generation.
E It can be recycled. Concrete recycling is viable but not easy.
T
E High depletion of resources.

11. FACADE ASSESSMENT.
Taking into special consideration next parameters:
Facade features in modern architecture.
Incidence on service-life embodied energy.
We will look for the following properties:
Lightweight. Tightness.
Multilayer. Impermeability.
Dry-process execution. Isolation.
Give us

12. FACADE ASSESSMENT.
CONCLUSSIONS OF VERTICAL FACADE ASSESSMENT.
 Assessment of the different layers.
 Assessment of different building systems.
 Conventional Facade. Obsolete System.
 Ventilated Facade. Fulfilling the requirements.
 Coutain Wall. Low energy efficiency.
 Trombe Wall. Viability of system?
 Modular Systems. Waste reduction.

13. ASSESSMENT OF HORIZONTAL FACADE.
 Layers composition.
 Cover classification.

Conclussions:

Made up of slopes with the own support structure.

The paving does not be adhered or in contact with waterproof membrane.

Tightness of the covering: geometry criteria.

Recycled waterproofing sheet.

Use organic isolated materials.

14. 4. CONCLUSSIONS.
 Is it possible to build in a sustainable way today?
Increased investment of
Sustainable buildings.
time during the project phase
Paràmetres a seguir en la fase de disseny:
 To choose reusable materials, if that is not possible, should be recyclible
materials.
 To look for materials with minimal ecological footprint.
 Execution by dry process.
 To design building systems make up by standard measurements.
 Search the best building system.
 Minimum maintenance and environmental impact during service life.

15.  Why are we currently not building in a sustainable way?
 Lack of social awareness.
We know that we are not acting correctly, nobody
feels personally guilty.
 The value of time and money nowadays.
Probably, to build a sustainable building requires an
investment of time and money. These are two
factors in the current social system that have such
a high value that prevail over others such as
sustainability or quality.
 The current model is correct? IS UNLIMITED GROWTH POSSIBLE?
Unlimited growth in a limited natural resource world
does not seem the most intelligent combination.
We must have clear that it is important to develop a
better system and that growth and developement are
two terms that are not (or don’t need to be) linked.

16.  What changes do we need to realize to bo able to achieve a
sustainable system?
 Is vital the implementation of a right
educational system.
 Charge fees on products with a higher
Environmental.. environmental impact.
 Eliminate concept of waste. (Close the life-
cycle).
Social. Economy.
 Industry and governments.
If these two sectors do not take awareness
that the current system is only leading us into
the destruction of the planet change is not
possible
Not taking a decision is taking a desicion.
In a time when almost everything is possible we may
need to make more sense.