Life cycle assessment of mortars: A review on technical potential and drawbacks. (21st June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Santos, T.; Almeida, J.; Silvestre, J.D.; Faria, P.
• Is Part Of: Construction & building materials. Volume 288(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06-21
• Subjects: ADP-E Abiotic resource depletion potential for elements -- ADP-F Abiotic resource depletion potential of fossil fuels -- AP Acidification potential of land and water -- Ca(OH)2 Calcium hydroxide -- CC Climate change -- CEN European committee for standardization -- CO2 Carbon dioxide -- EIAM Environmental impact assessment method -- EC European Commission -- EP Eutrophication potential -- EPD Environmental product declaration -- FD Fossil fuels depletion -- GWP Global warming potential -- ILCD International life cycle data system -- ISO International organization for standardization -- LCA Life cycle assessment -- LCI Life cycle inventory -- LCIA Life cycle impact assessment -- PEF Product environmental footprint -- POCP Formation potential of tropospheric ozone photochemical oxidants -- ODP Ozone depletion potential -- OEF Organizational environmental footprint guidelines; Environmental impacts -- Life cycle assessment -- Masonry mortar -- Plaster -- Render; Building materials -- Periodicals; 624.18
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-0618

Abstract

Highlights: Mortars sustainability was reviewed through a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Results normalization improved the feasibility to compare diverse LCA studies. Global warming potential category is strongly affected during mortars production. Conventional binders' replacement by secondary resources alleviates mortars impacts. Abstract: The in-depth research on efficient processes and alternative constituents for mortars production has a lack on the quantification of their environmental impacts. This work presents a critical review of life cycle assessment (LCA) studies performed in the construction sector, namely related to mortars. The gaps and barriers of these methods and final results are discussed through an overview of the main achievements on mortars' environmental life cycle studies in Europe. Despite the future trends, LCA studies are more focused on cement-mortars and few researches on air lime, gypsum or earth mortar binders are reported in the literature.