Environmental Impact Assessment of Composition Wall Materials Alternatives Ibny Baitak as a Case Study

Abstract

This study investigated six wall composition material substitutes employed in constructing Egypt's Ibny Baitak Project for their potential environmental impact. Clay brick (20 cm), cement brick (20 cm), and autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) (20 𝑐𝑚) blocks were the four materials evaluated. Each wall material is reinforced with (4 cm extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation in the fourth, fifth, and sixth scenarios. The study used a life cycle assessment (LCA) technique to assess the environmental impact of these products from cradle to gate, including raw material extraction, processing, and transportation. The outcomes showed that the environmental effects of the four materials varied greatly regarding the three impact categories of potential global warming, non-renewable energy use, and respiratory pollution. Regarding the midpoint result, the AAC ranked second by 1.49 𝑝𝑡, followed by the cement bricks by 2.25 pt, with the clay brick recording the lowest environmental effect. The environmental impacts in the three final scenarios increased by 1.24 pt, 1.86 𝑝𝑡, and 2.55 𝑝𝑡, and an incremental rate of 13% when the XPS was added to the three wall types. The 20 𝑐𝑚 cement brick recorded the highest value, 8.40K KG Co 2 e, and the 4 cm XPS + 20 𝑐𝑚 cement brick composition recorded the lowest value, 1.97K KG Co 2 e. When considering the endpoint results, the cement brick recorded the highest values by 8.40K 𝐾𝐺 𝐶𝑜 2 e, which show climate change has the most significant impacts. Regarding the resource's depletion impact, cement bricks recorded the highest values with 138.42K Mj primay. The study's findings provide important details regarding the environmental effects of composition wall materials. They can influence decisions made in the construction sector, favoring greener building practices.