scholarly journals From Buildings’ End of Life to Aggregate Recycling under a Circular Economic Perspective: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 9625
Author(s):  
Ambroise Lachat ◽  
Konstantinos Mantalovas ◽  
Tiffany Desbois ◽  
Oumaya Yazoghli-Marzouk ◽  
Anne-Sophie Colas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Open Loop ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Recycled Aggregates ◽  
Demolition Waste

The demolition of buildings, apart from being energy intensive and disruptive, inevitably produces construction and demolition waste (C&Dw). Unfortunately, even today, the majority of this waste ends up underexploited and not considered as valuable resources to be re-circulated into a closed/open loop process under the umbrella of circular economy (CE). Considering the amount of virgin aggregates needed in civil engineering applications, C&Dw can act as sustainable catalyst towards the preservation of natural resources and the shift towards a CE. This study completes current research by presenting a life cycle inventory compilation and life cycle assessment case study of two buildings in France. The quantification of the end-of-life environmental impacts of the two buildings and subsequently the environmental impacts of recycled aggregates production from C&Dw was realized using the framework of life cycle assessment (LCA). The results indicate that the transport of waste, its treatment, and especially asbestos’ treatment are the most impactful phases. For example, in the case study of the first building, transport and treatment of waste reached 35% of the total impact for global warming. Careful, proactive, and strategic treatment, geolocation, and transport planning is recommended for the involved stakeholders and decision makers in order to ensure minimal sustainability implications during the implementation of CE approaches for C&Dw.

scholarly journals Environmental and Economic Life Cycle Assessment of Recycled Coarse Aggregates: A Portuguese Case Study

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (18) ◽  
pp. 5452
Author(s):  
Adriana B. Dias ◽  
João N. Pacheco ◽  
José D. Silvestre ◽  
Isabel M. Martins ◽  
Jorge de Brito
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Recycled Aggregates ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Coarse Aggregates ◽  
Natural Aggregates ◽  
Ready Mix Concrete

The incorporation of recycled aggregates in concrete not only reduces the extraction of natural resources, but also decreases landfill disposal of construction and demolition waste. Hence, environmental impacts and costs are reduced, promoting the use of recycled aggregates and circular economy. However, the impacts of transport depend on the distance between facilities and longer distances may result in recycled aggregates being more costly and having larger environmental impact than natural aggregates. This paper discusses this topic, presents a review on the use of life cycle assessment methodology on natural and recycled aggregates for concrete, and applies this methodology in a real context pertaining the procurement of coarse aggregates to ready-mix concrete plants. A case study of two Portuguese regions, Coimbra and Lisbon, is presented. For each region, a quarry, a construction and demolition waste plant, and a ready-mix concrete plant are chosen and a comparative life cycle assessment is made. Different scenarios for the supply of natural and recycled aggregates are studied and the scenarios for recycled aggregates procurement include different hypotheses for the installation (construction and demolition waste plant or quarry) processing the construction and demolition waste into recycled aggregates. For this case study and both regions, it was found that the supply of recycled aggregates produced at the construction and demolition waste plant has lower environmental impact and cost than all other scenarios, including the provision of natural aggregates, except when it is assumed that the quarry is licensed and equipped for receiving unsorted construction and demolition waste and processing it into recycled aggregates. The paper shows that transport distance is a determining factor in the comparison of the impacts of the procurement of natural and recycled aggregates. Moreover, in the Portuguese context, the environmental impacts of the procurement of recycled aggregates may be smaller than those of natural aggregates, but cost may be larger for recycled aggregates, preventing that the most sustainable option is chosen.

scholarly journals Application of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and economic evaluation for construction and demolition waste: a Colombian case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-351
Author(s):  
Sindy Sofía Suárez Silgado ◽  
Lucrecia Janneth Calderon Valdiviezo ◽  
Leandro Fernando Mahecha Vanegas
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Lca Methodology ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Management Processes

The construction industry consumes more raw materials and energy than any other economic activity and generates the largest fraction of waste, known as construction and demolition waste (CDW). This waste has significant environmental implications, most notably in South American countries such as Colombia, where it is handled inappropriately. This study evaluated the management processes currently used for fractions of construction and demolition waste generated in Ibagué (Colombia). The environmental impacts of the management of 1 kg of CDW were also calculated. Other CDW management alternatives were evaluated. The percentage of the fraction of the waste and the treatment or management processes used were modified to determine its environmental and economic viability. The information was obtained through telephone interviews and visits to recycling plants, construction companies, quarries, government entities, and inert landfills. It was completed with secondary sources and the Ecoinvent v.2.2 databases. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and the SimaPro 8 software were used to calculate the environmental impacts. An economic study of each management process and each alternative was also carried out. A comparison of the other options revealed the current choice contributes most to the environmental impacts in all categories. This study indicates that the most beneficial alternative in environmental and economic terms in Ibagué (Colombia) is where 100% of the metals are recovered, 100% of excavated earth is reused, and 100% of the stone waste is recycled (alternative 3). This alternative remained the most favorable when a sensitivity analysis was carried out with different distances (30 km and 50 km).

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Sustainable Asphalt Pavement Solutions Involving Recycled Aggregates and Polymers

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 3867
Author(s):  
Cristina Oreto ◽  
Francesca Russo ◽  
Rosa Veropalumbo ◽  
Nunzio Viscione ◽  
Salvatore Antonio Biancardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Asphalt Pavement ◽  
Impact Category ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Recycled Aggregates ◽  
Base Layer ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Binder Layer ◽  
The Impact

The pursuit of sustainability in the field of road asphalt pavements calls for effective decision-making strategies, referring to both the technical and environmental sustainability of the solutions. This study aims to compare the life cycle impacts of several pavement solution alternatives involving, in the binder and base layers, some eco-designed, hot- and cold-produced asphalt mixtures made up of recycled aggregates in substitution for natural filler and commercial recycled polymer pellets for dry mixture modification. The first step focused on the technical and environmental compatibility assessment of the construction and demolition waste (CDW), jet grouting waste (JGW), fly ash (FA), and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Then, three non-traditional mixtures were designed for the binder layer and three for the base layer and characterized in terms of the stiffness modulus. Asphalt pavement design allowed for the definition of the functional units of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which was applied to all of the pavement configurations under analysis in a “from cradle to grave” approach. The LCA results showed that the best performance was reached for the solutions involving a cold, in-place recycled mixture made up of RAP and JGW in the base layer, which lowered all the impact category indicators by 31% on average compared to those of the traditional pavement solution. Further considerations highlighted that the combination of a cold base layer with a hot asphalt mixture made up of CDW or FA in the binder layer also maximized the service life of the pavement solution, providing the best synergistic effect.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF REFURBISHMENT VERSUS DEMOLITION AND RECONSTRUCTION: A COMPARATIVE LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF AN ITALIAN CASE STUDY

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 155-172
Author(s):  
Francesco Pittau ◽  
Dayana Giacomel ◽  
Giuliana Iannaccone ◽  
Laura Malighetti
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Italian Case

ABSTRACT In the building sector, new standards for energy efficiency are reducing the energy consumption and the carbon emissions for building operation to nearly zero. As a result, the greenhouse gas emissions and related environmental impacts from materials production, and especially insulation, are becoming key factors. In the near future, most of the building stock is expected to be refurbished and a great amount of construction materials will be consequently required. A relevant share of waste is generated from building construction and demolition and limiting the volume is a priority of the EU community. In this work the renovation of industrial buildings in a dismissed area located in Lecco, Italy, was considered as a case study. Five alternative construction systems (EPS, WOOD, ROCK, PU, HEMP) for renovating the building envelopes were assumed, and a life cycle assessment (LCA) adopted in order to measure the environmental impact of each alternative. The results were compared with a scenario which included demolition and reconstruction of a similar building with the same net volume and thermal resistance. The results showed that timber and concrete are the most environmentally friendly materials to rebuild the structures in case of demolition, contrary to steel which leads generally to higher environmental impacts, except land use. In general, EPS, WOOD and HEMP technological alternatives accounted for the highest scores, both in terms of burdens on the ecosystems and on depletion of resources, while ROCK accounted for the lowest scores. Finally, refurbishment scenarios generally accounted for a lower global warming potential (GWP) even if demolition, waste treatment and the benefit from recycling/reuse are taken into account.

scholarly journals Posuzování recyklovaného betonu z hlediska jeho dopadu na životní prostředí

Entecho ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Jan Pešta ◽  
Tereza Pavlů ◽  
Klára Anna Mocová ◽  
Vladimír Kočí
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Analytical Tool ◽  
Recycled Concrete ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Recycled Aggregates ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Concrete Mixtures ◽  
Energy Consuming

Recyklací stavebního a demoličního odpadu jsou produkovány materiály, které mohou být využity jako náhrada primárních surovin. Tyto recyklační procesy ale mohou být energeticky náročné, a proto je nutné posuzovat environmentální dopady takových procesů. Posuzovali jsme environmentální dopady recyklovaného betonového a cihelného kameniva a také environmentální dopady produktů s recyklovaným obsahem. Metoda Posuzování životního cyklu byla použita jako analytický nástroj pro vyhodnocení environmentálních dopadů recyklovaných materiálů (1 t betonového a cihelného kameniva), výrobků (1 m3 betonových směsí s obsahem recyklátu) a konstrukcí (tvarovek a základů budov). Také byly diskutovány vlivy na životní prostředí jako je ekotoxicita betonových výrobků, následky omezení skládkování a karbonatace. Prezentujeme výsledky posuzování environmentálních dopadů s cílem ukázat, jaký dopad má vybraná funkce recyklovaného produktu. Navrhujeme posuzovat environmentální dopady recyklovaného kameniva s ohledem na jeho použití v budoucnu. ------------- Recycling of construction and demolition waste produce materials, which can be used as primary resources replacement. However, these recycling processes can be very energy consuming and therefore environmental impacts of such processes should be considered. We assessed environmental impacts of recycled concrete and brick aggregates and also environmental impacts of products with recycled content. The Life Cycle Assessment method was used as analytical tool for evaluating environmental impacts of recycled materials (1 t of concrete or brick aggregates), products (1 m3 recycled concrete mixtures) and constructions (blocks and building foundations). Also, various effects on environment were discussed such as ecotoxicity of concrete products, the consequence of landfilling limitations and carbonation effect. We present the results of environmental impacts assessments to show, what influence the chosen function of recycled product has. We suggest to assess environmental impacts of recycled aggregates considering their future function.

scholarly journals Potential Energy Savings from Circular Economy Scenarios Based on Construction and Agri-Food Waste in Italy

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 8561
Author(s):  
Patrizia Ghisellini ◽  
Amos Ncube ◽  
Gianni D’Ambrosio ◽  
Renato Passaro ◽  
Sergio Ulgiati
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Potential Energy ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Recycled Aggregates ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable

In this study, our aim was to explore the potential energy savings obtainable from the recycling of 1 tonne of Construction and Demolition Waste (C&DW) generated in the Metropolitan City of Naples. The main fraction composing the functional unit are mixed C&DW, soil and stones, concrete, iron, steel and aluminium. The results evidence that the recycling option for the C&DW is better than landfilling as well as that the production of recycled aggregates is environmentally sustainable since the induced energy and environmental impacts are lower than the avoided energy and environmental impacts in the life cycle of recycled aggregates. This LCA study shows that the transition to the Circular Economy offers many opportunities for improving the energy and environmental performances of the construction sector in the life cycle of construction materials by means of internal recycling strategies (recycling C&DW into recycled aggregates, recycled steel, iron and aluminum) as well as external recycling by using input of other sectors (agri-food by-products) for the manufacturing of construction materials. In this way, the C&D sector also contributes to realizing the energy and bioeconomy transition by disentangling itself from fossil fuel dependence.

scholarly journals Life-Cycle Assessment of a Rural Terraced House: A Struggle with Sustainability of Building Renovations

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2472
Author(s):  
Karel Struhala ◽  
Milan Ostrý
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Existing Building ◽  
New Construction ◽  
Consumption Energy

Contemporary research stresses the need to reduce mankind’s environmental impacts and achieve sustainability. One of the keys to this is the construction sector. New buildings have to comply with strict limits regarding resource consumption (energy, water use, etc.). However, they make up only a fraction of the existing building stock. Renovations of existing buildings are therefore essential for the reduction of the environmental impacts in the construction sector. This paper illustrates the situation using a case study of a rural terraced house in a village near Brno, Czech Republic. It compares the life-cycle assessment (LCA) of the original house and its proposed renovation as well as demolition followed by new construction. The LCA covers both the initial embodied environmental impacts (EEIs) and the 60-year operation of the house with several variants of energy sources. The results show that the proposed renovation would reduce overall environmental impacts (OEIs) of the house by up to 90% and the demolition and new construction by up to 93% depending on the selected energy sources. As such, the results confirm the importance of renovations and the installation of environmentally-friendly energy sources for achieving sustainability in the construction sector. They also show the desirability of the replacement of inefficient old buildings by new construction in specific cases.

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