Recent Developments in Environmentally Sustainable and Cost-Effective Construction Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Quality assurance (QA) procedures and cost-effective construction materials are commonly used during construction. They may also require several measurements using point-wise density measurement tools. The required tests are destructive in nature and a source of some performance issues, such as potholes that reduce the project's lifespan. In addition, any quality issues that are identified during this process cannot be easily rectified. Furthermore, the above QA methods are time-consuming to perform and are only helpful in determining the cost of the project. The Environmental Protection Agency defines sustainable construction as “the practice of creating structures and using environmentally responsible and resource-efficient processes throughout a building’s lifecycle, from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction.” The concept of sustainability, at its core, considers the resilience of the natural environment and the practices that impact it.

However, sustainability issues extend to community health, social equity, and wealth distribution—and the construction sector is in a position to make significant impacts on all of these areas. These objectives will only grow more intertwined as the world continues to urbanize.

The construction industry sits between a rock and a hard place. The Earth’s urbanizing, growing population is placing enormous demands on the construction sector; since 2007, more than half of the world’s population has lived in cities and this figure is projected to rise to 60% by 2030. To meet this surging human demand, global construction output is projected to grow by a staggering 2.5 trillion square feet by 2060.  At the same time, concerns about climate change and dwindling natural resources place increasing pressure on construction firms to build green and reduce their environmental impact.

According to the World Green Building Council, the construction and operation of buildings account for 36% of global energy use and 39% of energy-related CO2 emissions.

This Special Issue of Sustainability is therefore dedicated to comprehensive reviews and original studies on the resource use (e.g., non-renewable energy consumption), environmental impacts (e.g., global potential warming), technical performance (e.g., durability and mechanical), and cost of cementitious materials and concrete containing less common, non-conventional materials. Additionally, techniques used or any attempts (listed below, though not exhaustively) to reuse the recycled materials as a cement replacement and reduce concrete resource use and environmental impacts are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Ahmed Salih Mohammed
Guest Editor

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