Revolutionizing Building with Sustainable Construction Materials

April 18 2024 Sahar Badr

Natural Resources & Energy,Sustainable Development,Corporate sustainability

Embracing Sustainable Practices in the Construction Industry Through Innovative Use of Plastic Waste

Over the past three decades, global warming and carbon emissions have become major concerns worldwide. Various industries have been accused of contributing to these issues. The construction sector, in particular, has become a focal point due to its significant contribution to annual carbon emissions. The built environment is responsible for a staggering 39% of global carbon emissions, including both operational and embodied emissions. The former are from day-to-day operations, while the latter are related to the creation, transportation, and disposal of construction materials. The industry has adopted a sustainability-based approach to its projects, starting from the design phase up to demolition. Potential solutions include modified business models, sustainable construction methods, and the use of more sustainable materials.

Table of Contents

Eco-Conscious Construction: Understanding the Essence of Prioritizing Sustainable Materials

The use of conventional building materials, such as steel, concrete, cement, bricks, and glass, among others, presents multiple challenges. Firstly, according to the United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, building/construction materials contributed approximately 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2019. The industry is not only a significant emitter but also a major consumer of raw materials. The production of construction materials involves extensive extraction of finite natural resources, leading to resource depletion. Additionally, the production of such materials is energy-intensive and often results in the generation of tons of waste. These challenges highlight the urgency of transitioning towards more sustainable material alternatives to address environmental impact, conserve resources, and align with contemporary standards of responsible construction.

Sustainable building materials have unique characteristics based on their life cycle. They can be eco-friendly, low-maintenance, energy-efficient, locally sourced, biodegradable, and contribute to water conservation. They can also have unique characteristics such as recycled content, optimal performance, and minimal energy consumption. A few examples of sustainable materials that have gained momentum within the industry include advanced concrete, organic admixtures, recycled and smart glass, treated wood, and plastic waste.

From Landfills to the Deep Blue: The Urgent Concerns Surrounding Plastics’ Production and Disposal

The United Nations Environment Programme report reveals a staggering annual production of 400 million tons of single-use plastic waste worldwide, representing 47% of the total plastic waste generated. However, only 9% of this substantial plastic volume undergoes recycling on a global scale. The environmental challenges posed by plastics are multifaceted, primarily arising from their mass production and improper disposal practices. One facet of this challenge is the indiscriminate dumping of tons of plastic waste in landfills. This is because plastic waste degrades slowly, leading to the accumulation of piles of plastic waste over extended periods.

Moreover, plastics contribute to the direct pollution of streams and groundwater, infiltrating vital water resources and posing a long-term threat to aquatic ecosystems. The detrimental impact of plastics extends to marine ecosystems, with an alarming 8 million tons of plastic waste finding its way into the oceans annually. Moreover, the incineration process of plastic waste releases harmful gases, further exacerbating environmental concerns. This contributes to air pollution and poses a direct threat to human health.

Addressing these challenges requires a holistic and concerted effort to mitigate the impact of plastics on our ecosystems and promote sustainable waste management practices. Recycling plastic is crucial to achieving this goal, both in general and specifically as a sustainable construction material.

From Waste to Wealth: Embracing the Benefits of Plastic Features for Sustainable Building Practices

Currently, less than 1% of construction materials worldwide contain plastic waste. However, modifying construction materials with plastic waste is gaining attention. This would serve a twofold purpose: reducing waste and decreasing reliance on non-renewable resources. Plastics have gained popularity in construction because they are strong, durable, resistant to corrosion and weather, require little maintenance, are easy to transport, cost-effective, lightweight, and flexible in design.

Plastics are increasingly used in construction due to their abundance and accessibility. They are a convenient resource for the industry and are cost-effective to process. Recycling procedures also ensure durability, meeting multiple structural integrity and performance requirements. In addition, structures made from waste plastics have a longer shelf life. This ensures that the structures incorporating these materials remain resilient over time.

Furthermore, plastic waste has diverse properties that make it suitable for various applications in construction. For example, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is hard and rigid, while light-density polyethylene (LDPE) is flexible. Polypropylene (PP) has both hard and flexible characteristics, providing an advantage for its use in construction. These attributes position plastic waste as a versatile and practical choice in numerous applications, contributing to sustainable practices by repurposing materials that might otherwise end up as environmental pollutants. Other benefits of recycling and sustainable building practices include boosting the economy by creating jobs in the recycling and manufacturing sectors, fostering innovation, and developing technologically advanced building practices.

From Disposal to Structure: Examining the Diverse Applications of Waste Plastic in Construction

As the construction industry undergoes a paradigm shift towards eco-friendly and sustainable practices, the utilization of plastic waste in building materials has emerged as a compelling avenue for positive change. The following paragraphs delve into the different applications of plastic waste within construction, unveiling its potential to revolutionize the way the industry approaches building projects.

Plastic Waste as a Complete Green Substitute in Construction

Plastic has the potential to replace traditional construction materials such as bricks, wood, plywood, and timber. This can be achieved by using recycled or mixed scrap plastic waste. The use of plastic is relevant in various areas, including non-load-bearing walls, building bricks, facing bricks, and thin veneer bricks. Examples of repurposed plastic waste include using plastic bottles instead of traditional bricks for constructing walls, plastic-based pavement blocks for non-traffic and light traffic roads, reinforced polymer sleepers on network rail tracks, plastic-based tiles for flooring and decking, and wood-plastic composites for decking, fencing, outdoor furniture, and structural components.

Replacement of Aggregates (Sand/Gravel) in Concrete

Plastic waste serves as aggregates, additives, or sand and cement alternatives or substitutes in concrete production, cement-asphalt mixtures, or insulating materials. This is often done by processing it into small particles and mixing it with cement, resulting in newer or more sustainable products such as polymer concrete. Also, plastic waste could act as a modifier in concrete/road construction when mixed with crumb rubber. Plastic waste could also serve as binders, as they act as components of cementitious composites in road construction materials such as fillers and modified bitumen. Applications of such include producing sustainable flexible pavements and sub-base and base construction of pavements.

Reinforcements to Concrete

Plastic waste could also be used as a synthetic alternative to steel fibers and wire nets to augment material properties and mechanical strength. Thus, it could enhance concrete durability by enhancing bending, abrasion, and impact resistance while minimizing cracks and altering appearance. Recent research integrates synthetic fibers in small amounts to fortify traditional concrete, thereby complementing traditional steel reinforcements. Plastic waste can be used to reinforce concrete in various applications, such as pedestrian paths, prefabricated tiles, borders, and sidewalks.

Conclusion

The construction industry is embracing sustainable practices to reduce environmental impact. One such practice is the use of waste materials, including plastic waste. Thus, plastic waste can be transformed into building materials in a wide range of applications due to their favorable properties. Such efforts would directly address resource scarcity and environmental concerns. This approach not only diverts materials from landfills but also fosters innovation, job creation, and economic growth, all of which align with the main sustainability goals, thereby promoting a greener, more resilient built environment.