A Comparative Lifecycle Impact Analysis: Assessing Global Warming Potential of Newly Manufactured and Reused Bricks for Building Construction in Sweden

Abstract

The aim of the study is to compare the environmental performance in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP), for reused bricks and newly manufactured bricks used in Swedish Construction Industry. The objective of the study was to compile and conduct Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), in terms of GWP, of newly manufactured and reused clay façade bricks used in Sweden. Cradle-to-cradle lifecycle impact of new and reused clay façade bricks was calculated by utilising product-specific data and Swedish national scenarios. GWP impact was accessed for the primary energy source used in the product stage and its overall impact throughout the product lifecycle. The product type and the end-of-life scenario with the least GWP impact was identified through data analysis.
The GWP data of 128 clay façade bricks were obtained from the published type III Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) by European Program Operators. Product-specific data and Boverket Klimatdatabas scenarios were used to recalculate the impacts in LCA software to suit the Swedish national scenarios. Parametric study was conducted in LCA software, GaBi ts and openLCA, to evaluate the impact on the product’s lifecycle due to the application of various energy sources in product stage. The obtained data was compiled in Excel and analysed using Tableau and Python to identify the case with the lowest GWP.
It was found that reused bricks had lowest lifecycle impact in terms GWP compared to newly manufactured bricks concurrently being financial beneficial. The study concludes the whole lifecycle impact of a product not only depends on the product stage resource consumption, but also on the reuse, recycle potential. The best method to lower the GWP of new bricks was to manufacture using cleaner, renewable fuels with greater reuse potential.

Popular Abstract

Introduction

This study focuses on investigating the environmental impact associated with implementing the three R's framework for waste management, namely Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, of construction materials, using clay façade bricks as a specific case. The research demonstrates the significance of these end-of-life scenarios and quantifies and highlights the critical order in which they should be implemented.

Summary

It was found that reusing bricks has the lowest impact and the product’s impact can be further lowered by using cleaner and renewable fuels for manufacturing. Reuse should be preferred over recycling when the primary products have higher impacts over the substituted products; to elaborate, the stone aggregate that was substituted in this case had lower impacts than the recycling process of bricks.
The environmental impact of using reused and newly manufactured bricks were assessed using environmental impact declarations of bricks provided by various vendors. Impact results thus obtained were re-modelled by using national scenarios for both products in software. Additionally, the impact of various primary fuels used for manufacturing is studied with software. Finally, the product with the lowest emitting alternative was proposed by using the information.
The study aims to address the following research questions: (1) What is the appropriate methodology for conducting a life cycle analysis of reused bricks and new bricks? (2) How can the environmental impacts of various energy sources utilized in brick manufacturing be compared? (3) To what extent can the existing environmental impact values for bricks be considered accurate? (4) What specific information should be disclosed in the environmental impact declaration?
It was relevant to answer these questions as there were guidelines to measure the impact of reused bricks. As Sweden has no brick manufacturing units, the impacts associated with using the imported new bricks were seldom considered in comparative assessments for material selection. The geographic location and manufacturing processes used also play a role in accurately measuring the impacts of compared products. The authors believe that this work can be extended to other building materials.
Surprisingly, it was observed that not a single valid environmental impact declaration existed for reused bricks. Furthermore, the concept of reuse (the best end-of-life scenario) was conspicuously absent in all 128 environmental impact declarations of bricks that were included in the study. This makes the study more relevant and interesting.

• author: Aung, Set Nyi and Panda, Srikanth
• supervisor: Ulla Janson; Karin Farsäter
• organization: Department of Architecture and Built Environment; Division of Energy and Building Design
• course: AEBM01 20231
• year: 2023
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Technology and Engineering
• keywords: Newly manufactured Bricks, Reused Bricks, Lifecycle Impact Assessment, GaBi ts, openLCA
• language: English
• id: 9120793
• date added to LUP: 2023-06-12 15:21:17
• date last changed: 2023-06-12 15:21:17