LEED Study of Green Lightweight Aggregates in Construction

Fahad K. Alqahtani, Ibrahim S. Abotaleb and Sara Harb
Additional contact information
Fahad K. Alqahtani: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Ibrahim S. Abotaleb: Department of Construction Engineering, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
Sara Harb: Department of Construction Engineering, School of Sciences and Engineering, The American University in Cairo, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo 11835, Egypt

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Decreasing the demand for natural aggregates is doubly justified by the significant contribution of the construction industry to the unsustainable development path of the natural environment, and the projected global increase of the consumption of construction aggregates. Extensive research has been carried out on the physical and mechanical properties of concrete which incorporates plastic as aggregates; yet, no single study has been able to draw on structured research which demonstrates the improved sustainability performance of plastic-based aggregates to support sustainable development in the construction industry for a project seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The goal of this research is to explore the potential benefits that green processed lightweight aggregates (PLA) can provide to a project seeking LEED certification in accordance with the requirements of LEED v4 for Building Design and Construction. The objectives are to: (1) determine which LEED credit requirements can be met through using the studied material; (2) provide a comprehensive analysis of the applicable attainable LEED credits, given the existing technical information of the selected material, and (3) provide guidelines to maximize further credit attainment. To this end, the findings indicated that the use of PLA as a total replacement for coarse aggregates in lightweight concrete applications would contribute to earning directly up to 8 points (out of 110 total points) towards LEED certification. Such significant number allows for the potential increase of the project’s certification by one level. This is the first study of its kind to investigate the improved sustainability performance of recycled plastic aggregates from a LEED point of view. Moreover, the guidelines provided by the research will enable developers to maximize the financial and environmental benefits of their buildings through the reduced lifecycle cost and the enhanced LEED score. This research should encourage project teams to incorporate the knowledge of sustainable practices, and play an active role in sustainable development.

Keywords: LEED; PLA; plastic; sustainable development; financial and environmental benefits (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 (2)

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