Assessing and mitigating environmental impacts of construction materials: Insights from environmental product declarations

Abstract

Construction activities significantly impact natural resources and the environment, accounting for 40 % of global energy consumption and 36 % of carbon emissions. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of various primary construction materials by leveraging more original and comprehensive Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and incorporates insights from prevvious research to summarize effective mitigation strategies. Analyzing the environmental impact per unit mass is a critical step toward building-level assessments, enabling the strategic replacement of high-pollution materials with lower-impact alternatives to optimize environmental outcomes. The quantitative analysis of data from 180 EPDs indicates that aluminum and steel have the highest median total environmental impacts per unit mass, followed by plastics, while wood, cement, and concrete have relatively lower impacts. Overall, Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP) and Global Warming Potential (GWP) are identified as the primary environmental impacts of construction materials. At the building level, the environmental footprint varies based on the quantity of each material used, leading to substantial overall impacts. Furthermore, this study explores the relationships between different environmental impacts, finding positive correlations between GWP and Primary Energy Non-Renewable Energy (PENRE), Acidification Potential (AP), and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP). A comprehensive literature review identifies the key environmental hotspots and mitigation strategies for high-impact materials such as aluminum, steel, cement, and concrete. Common strategies include innovative production methods, waste recycling, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and the development of low-carbon materials. By integrating quantitative EPDs analysis with a qualitative literature review, this research provides a holistic understanding of the environmental burdens of construction materials, offering a valuable framework for developing sustainable policies and practices within the construction industry.