Environmental and Economic Sustainability Aspects in Lime-Based Construction Materials

Abstract

Lime-based construction materials (LBM) range from concrete blocks to mortars and plasters used in building new structures or to conserve our cultural heritage. However, little interest has been aroused in the scientific community about their sustainability assessment through Life Cycle Assessment. This research presents a case study carried out within the framework of the SUBLime Project (MSCA ETN-ITN network) and aims at contributing to the understanding of environmental and economic sustainability of LBM. Through a real case-study, a detailed Life Cycle Inventory was developed to calculate the environmental impact associated to different mixes, use of additives, aggregates, etc. Furthermore, Life Cycle Cost Assessment methodology was used to determine the share of different items in the total cost of the cradle-to-grave production of LBM. A thorough analysis of the combined environmental and economic results are presented along with suggestions regarding mix compositions, aggregates, additives, and critical processes in the production line to achieve more sustainable production of LB materials.