Case Study on The Use of Sustainable Building Materials

Abstract

Sustainability has acquired great importance due to the negative impact of various developments on the environment. The rapid growth during the last decade has been accompanied by active construction, which in some instances neglected the impact on the environment and human activities. Within the last decade sustainable development and building practices have acquired great importance due to the negative impact of various development projects on the environment. In line with a sustainable development approach, it is critical for practitioners to create a healthy, sustainable built environment. With significant growth taking place in the building sector, the burden being placed on limited resources is increasing – resources that one day will run out. What’s more, ongoing fit outs, extensions and / or refurbishments increase the environmental impact during a building’s life cycle. Many natural resources and building materials require mining, processing, refining and ultimately manufacturing, transport and delivery before they are utilized in construction. The energy used during these processes is commonly known as embodied energy. Therefore to decrease this environmental degradation architects and engineers should become more knowledgeable about the materials they use and should involve in the material selection process. This case study focused on the characteristics and features of sustainable building materials in selection of sustainable building materials.