Decarbonization of Concrete Structures: A Path Towards Industrialization

Abstract

The increasing demand for more ef ficient and eco-f riendly building practices has led to developing and improving traditional construction methods to address building issues concerning environmental impacts and costs. However, alongside the incorporated benefits, they introduce new obstacles and challenges that impact the final product. Alternatives to decrease carbon dioxide emissions by reducing construction materials usage are strongly emerging in the industry due to environmental harm and its impact on climate change. In many developed countries such as Canada, dif ferent acts and measures are being taken to achieve net-zero emissions shortly, fostering a collaborative commitment across the industry to eliminate millions of tonnes of greenhouse emissions. This study employs building information modeling technologies and examines six construction methods regarding material usage, carbon footprint, and costs. This approach analyzes basement walls methods: Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) walls, concrete sandwich wall panels, ribbed wall panels, and concrete slabs: cast-in-place, hollow-core, and ribbed slabs to assess material cost implications and carbon footprint of reinforcement steel, insulation, formwork timber, and concrete in the manufacturing, transportation, and material waste, stages. The study aims to identify the most sustainable and cost-ef fective construction practices by comparing these methods under consistent project conditions, constraints, location, and transportation distances. The findings indicate significant mitigation of carbon emissions and cost savings with ribbed structures. However, these benefits may vary depending on construction location, transportation distances, material types, site temperature conditions, choice of manufacturers, and seismic activity. The study highlights the need for continuous innovation to meet environmental goals and ensure economic viability.