MgO-Based Cementitious Composites for Sustainable and Energy Efficient Building Design

Serenay Kara, Savas Erdem and Roberto Alonso González Lezcano
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Serenay Kara: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Istanbul-Cerrahpasa University, 34200 İstanbul, Turkey
Savas Erdem: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Istanbul-Cerrahpasa University, 34200 İstanbul, Turkey
Roberto Alonso González Lezcano: Architecture and Design Department, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad CEU San Pablo, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-14

Abstract: Concrete made with Portland cement is by far the most heavily used construction material in the world today. Its success stems from the fact that it is relatively inexpensive yet highly versatile and functional and is made from widely available raw materials. However, in many environments, concrete structures gradually deteriorate over time. Premature deterioration of concrete is a major problem worldwide. Moreover, cement production is energy-intensive and releases a lot of CO 2 ; this is compounded by its ever-increasing demand, particularly in developing countries. As such, there is an urgent need to develop more durable concretes to reduce their environmental impact and improve sustainability. To avoid such environmental problems, researchers are always searching for lightweight structural materials that show high performance during both processing and application. Among the various candidates, Magnesia (MgO) seems to be the most promising material to attain this target. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the characteristics and developments of MgO-based composites and their applications in cementitious materials and energy-efficient buildings. This paper starts with the characterization of MgO in terms of environmental production processes, calcination temperatures, reactivity, and micro-physical properties. Relationships between different MgO composites and energy-efficient building designs were established. Then, the influence of MgO incorporation on the properties of cementitious materials and indoor environmental quality was summarized. Finally, the future research directions on this were discussed.

Keywords: MgO-based cement; sustainability; energy efficiency; sustainable materials; green architecture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:16:p:9188-:d:615424

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