Environmental performance of miscanthus-lime lightweight concrete using life cycle assessment: Application in external wall assemblies

Fabrice Ntimugura; Raffaele Vinai; Anna B. Harper; Pete Walker

doi:10.1016/j.susmat.2021.e00253

Environmental performance of miscanthus-lime lightweight concrete using life cycle assessment: Application in external wall assemblies

Fabrice Ntimugura, Raffaele Vinai, Anna B. Harper, Pete Walker

University of Exeter

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

In the UK context, miscanthus is a potential alternative perennial crop for the development of bio-based building materials. This paper presents the environmental benefits of using miscanthus shives in lightweight blocks and their potential application in wall assemblies. A systemic life cycle assessment (LCA) is carried out for miscanthus-lime blocks, and the effects of binder type and binder content are discussed. The environmental performance-based analysis reveals that miscanthus blocks can capture 135 kg CO₂eq/m³ for an assumed 100-years life period. The impact analysis using the University of Leiden, institute of environmental science (CML) baseline (v4.4) method shows that 75% of the greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to the production of mineral binders. A reduction of binder to aggregate ratio from 2.0 to 1.5 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 32.9%. The use of 10 wt% mineral additions can potentially stabilise blocks while having little effect on their overall environmental impacts. The environmental profiles of wall systems incorporating miscanthus-lime blocks have been evaluated in this this study. Combining miscanthus blocks with fired clay bricks enables a potential low carbon retrofitting technique for the current stock of residential buildings in the UK. Timber-framed system filled with miscanthus blocks enables a carbon storage of ~97.3 kg CO₂eq/m², which presents a potential carbon offsetting strategy in new-build dwellings. Consideration should be given to the potential negative impacts related to agricultural activities for the production of miscanthus shives. The largest negative environmental impact was ozone layer depletion, where a relative difference of 12.8% was recorded between miscanthus timber-framed wall and a typical solid wall insulated with mineral wool. It appears that miscanthus-lime composites can substantially improve the environmental profile of wall assemblies and sustainability be applied in existing uninsulated masonry walls or incorporated in timber- framed new-build houses.

Original language	English
Article number	e00253
Journal	Sustainable Materials and Technologies
Volume	28
Early online date	29 Jan 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2021.e00253
Publication status	Published - Jul 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This article is part of the ongoing research at the University of Exeter , College of Engineering Mathematics and Physical Sciences . This research project is supported by a NERC GW4+ Doctoral Training Partnership studentship from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) [ NE/R011621/1 ]. The authors are thankful for the support and additional funding from CASE partners, Miscanthus Nursery Limited and Agrikinetics Limited . ABH acknowledges funding from EPSRC Fellowship EP/N030141/1 and NERC project NE/P019951/1 . The assistance of Mike Cooper, David Stone and Ijwebber Richard with data collection at Lower Marsh Farm, is gratefully ackowledged.

Funding Information:
This article is part of the ongoing research at the University of Exeter, College of Engineering Mathematics and Physical Sciences. This research project is supported by a NERC GW4+ Doctoral Training Partnership studentship from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) [NE/R011621/1]. The authors are thankful for the support and additional funding from CASE partners, Miscanthus Nursery Limited and Agrikinetics Limited. ABH acknowledges funding from EPSRC Fellowship EP/N030141/1 and NERC project NE/P019951/1. The assistance of Mike Cooper, David Stone and Ijwebber Richard with data collection at Lower Marsh Farm, is gratefully ackowledged.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier B.V.

Funding

This article is part of the ongoing research at the University of Exeter, College of Engineering Mathematics and Physical Sciences. This research project is supported by a NERC GW4+ Doctoral Training Partnership studentship from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) [NE/R011621/1]. The authors are thankful for the support and additional funding from CASE partners, Miscanthus Nursery Limited and Agrikinetics Limited. ABH acknowledges funding from EPSRC Fellowship EP/N030141/1 and NERC project NE/P019951/1. The assistance of Mike Cooper, David Stone and Ijwebber Richard with data collection at Lower Marsh Farm, is gratefully ackowledged.

Keywords

Bio-based building materials
Carbon capture
Environmental impact
Miscanthus
Thermal insulation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
General Materials Science
Waste Management and Disposal
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.susmat.2021.e00253

LCA_paper_2.0_AH_FN_compressed.PDFAccepted author manuscript, 1.45 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Environmental performance of miscanthus-lime lightweight concrete using life cycle assessment: Application in external wall assemblies",

abstract = "In the UK context, miscanthus is a potential alternative perennial crop for the development of bio-based building materials. This paper presents the environmental benefits of using miscanthus shives in lightweight blocks and their potential application in wall assemblies. A systemic life cycle assessment (LCA) is carried out for miscanthus-lime blocks, and the effects of binder type and binder content are discussed. The environmental performance-based analysis reveals that miscanthus blocks can capture 135 kg CO2eq/m3 for an assumed 100-years life period. The impact analysis using the University of Leiden, institute of environmental science (CML) baseline (v4.4) method shows that 75% of the greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to the production of mineral binders. A reduction of binder to aggregate ratio from 2.0 to 1.5 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 32.9%. The use of 10 wt% mineral additions can potentially stabilise blocks while having little effect on their overall environmental impacts. The environmental profiles of wall systems incorporating miscanthus-lime blocks have been evaluated in this this study. Combining miscanthus blocks with fired clay bricks enables a potential low carbon retrofitting technique for the current stock of residential buildings in the UK. Timber-framed system filled with miscanthus blocks enables a carbon storage of ~97.3 kg CO2eq/m2, which presents a potential carbon offsetting strategy in new-build dwellings. Consideration should be given to the potential negative impacts related to agricultural activities for the production of miscanthus shives. The largest negative environmental impact was ozone layer depletion, where a relative difference of 12.8% was recorded between miscanthus timber-framed wall and a typical solid wall insulated with mineral wool. It appears that miscanthus-lime composites can substantially improve the environmental profile of wall assemblies and sustainability be applied in existing uninsulated masonry walls or incorporated in timber- framed new-build houses.",

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author = "Fabrice Ntimugura and Raffaele Vinai and Harper, {Anna B.} and Pete Walker",

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N1 - Funding Information: This article is part of the ongoing research at the University of Exeter , College of Engineering Mathematics and Physical Sciences . This research project is supported by a NERC GW4+ Doctoral Training Partnership studentship from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) [ NE/R011621/1 ]. The authors are thankful for the support and additional funding from CASE partners, Miscanthus Nursery Limited and Agrikinetics Limited . ABH acknowledges funding from EPSRC Fellowship EP/N030141/1 and NERC project NE/P019951/1 . The assistance of Mike Cooper, David Stone and Ijwebber Richard with data collection at Lower Marsh Farm, is gratefully ackowledged. Funding Information: This article is part of the ongoing research at the University of Exeter, College of Engineering Mathematics and Physical Sciences. This research project is supported by a NERC GW4+ Doctoral Training Partnership studentship from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) [NE/R011621/1]. The authors are thankful for the support and additional funding from CASE partners, Miscanthus Nursery Limited and Agrikinetics Limited. ABH acknowledges funding from EPSRC Fellowship EP/N030141/1 and NERC project NE/P019951/1. The assistance of Mike Cooper, David Stone and Ijwebber Richard with data collection at Lower Marsh Farm, is gratefully ackowledged. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier B.V.

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Environmental performance of miscanthus-lime lightweight concrete using life cycle assessment: Application in external wall assemblies

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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