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The building and construction sector remains one of the largest contributors to global climate change, thus the industry is focusing on reducing the embodied emissions from materials and minimizing operational energy through superior building envelope performance. As the industry transitions from traditional products to advanced bio-based materials, the requirements for measurement precision, dynamic response tracking, and environmental simulation have surpassed the capabilities of legacy instrumentation. Modern l...

Portland cement–based materials represent the most widely used construction materials worldwide. However, their production and application are associated with significant environmental burdens, including high CO2 emissions and the depletion of natural aggregate resources. In response to the growing demand for environmentally responsible construction solutions, this study focuses on the development of building materials based on an alternative binder. Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) is considered a more sustai...

In an effort to develop binders with a reduced environmental impact, magnesium silicate hydrate (MSH) cement has recently attracted considerable attention. This binder belongs to the family of magnesium-based cements; however, unlike magnesium sulphate and magnesium oxychloride cements, it is classified as a hydraulic cement. It forms through the reaction of reactive magnesium oxide with silica sources in the presence of water, producing magnesium silicate hydrate (MSH) gel. Caustic-calcined magnesite, typically p...

Magnesium silicate hydrate (M-S-H) is a promising binder phase for the development of low carbon cementitious materials. However, its formation mechanisms, phase evolution, and dependence on curing conditions remain poorly understood, particularly during the early and intermediate stages of hydration. This study investigates the formation and development of M S-H in model systems using reactive MgO and diatomite as the silica source, focusing on Mg/Si molar ratios of 0.75, 0.90, 1.05, and 1.20 under controlled cur...

The most widely used building materials in the world are those based on Portland cement. Unfortunately, their use is associated with a number of negative environmental impacts, from CO2 emissions to the depletion of natural aggregate resources. In order to contribute to greater environmental responsibility, this work investigated building materials containing both alternative binders and fillers. Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) is considered to be a more sustainable binder than Portland cement and is characteri...

Non-destructive testing (NDT) of 3D-printed concrete is challenging due to complex geometries and layer-dependent material heterogeneity. Photogrammetry captures surface geometry, but its outputs cannot be directly linked to NDT values. This study presents a workflow that integrates photogrammetric models with rebound hammer measurements and applies radial basis function (RBF) interpolation to visualize near-surface strength. Each measurement point is matched to its 3D coordinates on the mesh, enabling consistent ...

In addition to excellent mechanical, physical and chemical parameters, magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) composites offer numerous environmental benefits, particularly with regard to the necessary reduction of carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of Portland cement based building materials. However, the limitation to the wider use of MOC is its low water resistance. Therefore, the possibility of improving the water resistance of magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) composites by nano-adjustment u...

Innovative construction materials and techniques can be sourced from natural resources and traditional methods, and applied to green housing concepts to enhance energy efficiency and occupant well-being. Innovation in vernacular traditions can be achieved by integrating the modern, current methods and techniques, materials and tools within local traditional technologies and associated natural raw materials (clay, sand, wood, straw, and wool) in order to enhance ecologic housing facilities with improved overall per...

The core insulators of vacuum insulation panels are mostly made from inorganic raw materials with a high SiO2 content, either in the form of nanoparticles or microfibers, while the proportion of organics is usually up to 3 %. The contribution is devoted to the study of reaction to fire in hybrid insulation materials made from a combination of nano SiO2-based particulate raw materials and organic-based fibrous raw materials, where the total proportion of organics is significantly greater than 3 %. Considering that ...

Chile is one of the largest copper producers in the world, which implies a significant generation of waste, particularly copper slag (CS). On the other hand, the high demand for concrete mixes generates a high consumption of natural aggregates as sand. However, specialized literature indicates that the fine aggregate can be partially replaced by CS keeping (or improving) the concrete properties. Then, this paper presents a sustainability analysis of the partial replacement of fine aggregate of concrete by CS. The ...

The paper presents the procedures of introducing the unsteady state numerical analysis domain for simulating the mechanical behavior of glue laminated timber (glulam) elements when subjected to high temperatures. For any analysis applied to characterize the fire resistance of wood, glue laminated timber implicitly, the unsteady state numerical analysis domain must be applied, considering the heat propagation, humidity percentage loss and the overall change of the mechanical characteristics of the components throug...

In a view of the sustainable development principles, the development of advanced lowcarbon building materials represents one of the most important issues in the construction industry. To follow the current trends in research and development of building materials, special attention is paid to the reuse of all kinds of waste and industrial byproducts. One of the serious problems of today-s society is the huge production of sewage sludge from waste water treatment and its disposal. As one of the promising ways of sew...

Among the newest and best performing metallic materials are high-entropy alloys, which is why more than five thousand articles related to them have been published in the last decade. However, there are few articles that refer to the brazing behavior of new types of metallic materials. In this publication, the brazed joint between two biocompatible alloy components from the MoNbTaTiZrW0.2 system were performed using an ecological Cu-Ag-Zn alloy as filler material. The optical and SEM microscopy analyzes were perfor...

The article aims to design optimized synergistic structures between additive materials from the category of industrial by-products, by applying experimental modeling, in order to achieve increase of performance parameters for the final products, in line with the needs of the building materials market and challenges to develop lower-carbon alternatives for reducing the climate impacts of the built environment. The experimental applications based on the integration of industrial by-products will results in defining ...

This paper is structured in two directions. The first one presents issues related to technical losses within a construction project. The second one analyzes the integration of technical losses resulting from building materials in a circular economy, as they occur from 2 projects. Each project assesses costs and specific situations for each type of material based on the profile of each presented project. Benefits of technical losses management from building materials and waste are identified as they can be engaged ...

The process of selecting and prioritizing investment project proposals in construction is characterized by multiple objectives and uncertainties due to incomplete information and the multitude and dynamics of factors that can intervene. Knowing their significance and influence on the final investment decision, it is a complex problem that requires a multi-critical analysis with both quantitative and qualitative factors, necessary for a good quantification and evaluation. In recent years, the increase in the comple...

The incorporation of natural fibres as reinforcement of concrete is attractive from a sustainable perspective. In fact, natural fibres improve the deformation capacity and increase the ductility of concrete. In addition, natural fibres are lightweight, renewable, less expensive than man-made fibres and locally abundant. However, in order to determine their use in different concrete applications, it is necessary to know the impact on the mechanical properties and the benefits that can be obtained by incorporating t...

Environmental pollution from polymer waste is one of the severe ecological problems. As of today, each day, approximately eight million pieces of plastic waste reach the ocean, where they are transformed into microplastics (small particles). Organisms in the sea are eating microplastics. The harmful effects of garbage ultimately affect humans. Due to the magnitude of the problem, the demand for biodegradable, eco-friendly materials, which will decompose after the operational period and will not pollute the environ...

In this study, magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) mortars reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and graphene were prepared and analyzed. The lower CO2 footprint of MOC in comparison with the production of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) predestines MOC-based materials to be an environmentally sustainable alternative to OPC. However, the wider spread of MOC is hindered by its low water resistance. The combined influence of MWCNT and graphene as 1D and 2D carbon nanomaterials on properties of MOC morta...

It is well known that at a European level, a large building fund must be retrofitted by 2050 to meet the climate and energy targets defined by a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions up to 80 - 95% compared to 1990 levels. In this regard, the proposed recast of the energy performance directive defines a new path: going from nearly Zero Energy Buildings to Zero Emission Buildings for residential and non-residential buildings. Thus, practitioners need more adequate instruments to perform reliable field measurements ...

Magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) is a non-hydraulic binder produced in a more eco-efficient way than Portland cement and due to its favorable properties represents its promising alternative in the production of construction materials for specific applications. The specific advantage of MOC is the fact that it can accommodate organic as well as inorganic substances in the form of fillers, aggregates, additives, reinforcement, etc. which enables enriching properties and performance of the final composite material....

The construction sector is one of the major consumers of non-renewable energy and natural resources, but also an important factor in increasing global warming and climate change by producing greenhouse gases. In Europe, around 30% of CO2 emissions and 36% of total greenhouse gases are a direct or indirect consequence of the construction sector. At EU level it is estimated that 40% of energy consumption is due to public / private sector buildings. All EU policies regarding climate, energy efficiency and the use of ...

Nowadays, along with creating materials with enhanced mechanical characteristics, it became important in the light of ecological problems, to design eco-friendly materials capable to disappear with time after fulfilling functions, in other words to develop biodegradable mechanically strong materials. The chemistry and technology of biodegradable polymers is one of the most important and rapidly developing fields of modern polymer science. A lot of biodegradibel polymers (BPs) were created mostly for medical applic...

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), a cheap carbon-based material with large surface-to-volume ratio, are currently broadly investigated as a promising reinforcement for composite materials in building industry to enhance particularly their mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. However, the uniform dispersion of GNPs in composite material is a crucial factor to fully manifest their superior properties. This study is aimed at the design of environmentally friendly composite material based on magnesium oxychlor...

The European mining industry is an active sector. Mining operations disturb large volumes of land and produce huge quantities of waste. The tailings dams of the mining industry occupy large areas representing a huge cost in terms of operation/maintenance, health, safety, environment and economy. This paper is an overview of the possible sustainable waste management strategies that are targeted on the reuse of residues as secondary resources. Therefore, it is focused on restoring mine tailings as inert materials to...

The European mining industry is an active sector. Mining operations disturb large volumes of land and produce huge quantities of waste. The tailings dams of the mining industry occupy large areas representing a huge cost in terms of operation/maintenance, health, safety, environment and economy. This paper is an overview of the possible sustainable waste management strategies that are targeted on the reuse of residues as secondary resources. Therefore, it is focused on restoring mine tailings as inert materials to...

The magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) as an alternative to commonly used Portland cement (PC) has been intensively studied in the past decade. Compared to PC it is more environmentally sustainable and it can be considered as CO2-neutral due to the low calcination temperature of the raw materials and its ability to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. The objective of this paper was to develop a composite material based on MOC, containing partially oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (partially oxidized MWCNTs) in o...

The stone industry is one of the most essential industries in the Alpine region. This research aims to evaluate the possibility of reusing secondary waste materials produced by the quarry sector as aggregates in Ultra-High-Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC). The secondary materials involved were Diabase Sand, Diabase Powder, Dolomite Sand and Dolomite Gravel from crushed stone quarries from the regions of Carinthia and Tyrol in Austria, as well as Limestone Powder from the preparation and production of...

Natural zeolites having a structure with a large number of cavities allow design lightweight plasters with improved thermal insulation parameters. Focusing on the assessment of plasters’ durability, their resistance to salt damage should to be taken into consideration, especially in case of their application in repair of salt laden masonry. Although the crystallization of salts in plasters presents a serious problem, there is as yet no standard procedure for its evaluation. To predict salt damage of lime-based pla...

The rising global average temperature was the main topic at the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference in Glasgow during the climate summit in 2021 (COP26). The meeting aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to discuss the transfer of funds to developing countries. The Europen Green Deal has the same goals. The European Commission aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Climate change has a negative impact on environmental biodiversity, the occurrence of natural disasters, and human health...

The paper presents some aspects of an experimental research in which basic recipes have been designed in order to obtain innovative products to be used in construction as finishing coatings. Starting from sunflower seed shells, considered a waste rather a by-product resulting from the industry of edible sunflower oil, and also from rough sheep wool, an animal waste from the zootechnical field, and also from the specific thermal insulating characteristics of theese two waste materials, a serie of basic recipes was ...

The use of information and communication technologies has many benefits. Based on many studies, their level is not sufficient. This can be caused by several factors and obstacles. Communication and ICT competencies are one of the key factors for the active use of advanced technologies for the management of sustainable construction projects. This digital age requirements systematic communication and project management. In this pandemic time, it can be considered an even more important requirement. It is the level o...

To address the global energy problem, energy from the solar source remains the most encouraging solution for buildings with a difficult-to-achieve goal such as achieving zero net energy consumption. In a solar thermal system, integrated solar collectors in buildings can convert the absorbed solar energy into thermal energy and can be better exploited in an area of the facade, while acting as an integral component of the building envelope, with good sun exposure. The aesthetic character and functionality of this te...

Currently, many researchers around the world have been focused on applying existing natural resources beside artificial and agricultural waste in RCC mixtures for dam construction to improve the properties of the resulting concrete, produce a greener RCC, and therefore, to protect surrounding environment. The aim of this experimental study is to estimate and compare pozzolanic activity of some active mineral additives used in roller compacted concrete for dam construction by using saturated lime solution method. T...

Sustainability is a criterion defined since the 1980s, essential in all areas of activity, without which development cannot be acheived. Thermal insulation mattresses produced using sheep wool, successfully meet the conditions imposed by this criterion. This type of building material ensures the responsible use of non-renewable natural resources, the possibility of reuse and recycling of materials, contributes to environmental protection and pollution reduction, energy saving and provides a hygienic and healthy li...

In remote, hard-to-reach areas, renewable energy resources such as the sun or wind are available and can be used to produce green electricity at competitive prices. The disadvantage is that we do not always have the source of energy available (sun at night or continuous wind). This disadvantage can be overcome by using hybrid combinations of two or more renewable energy sources together with the storage of the energy produced, thus ensuring the supply of electricity at very good performance levels and with low cos...

In the current global context where we talk about the depletion of conventional fuel resources and their impact on the environment, we find that it is necessary to integrate renewable energy sources/resources in new constructions, but also adapt existing constructions in order to reduce energy consumption. This article presents a system with solar thermal collectors combined with PCM phase change materials. During operation, some of that thermal energy may be diverted to a storage system where it is maintained for...

The paper shows the studies of methods for assessing of monetary and natural efficiency of energy-saving procedures in civil construction within comparative conditions. The groups of energy-saving procedures were identified by procedures for saving, procedures for losses reducing, procedures for resource consumption reducing. The factors that influence the assessment of energy-saving procedures are listed and the coefficients of comparable conditions in the assessment are justified. Methods for calculating the coe...

In the near future, all new buildings across European Union will have to meet the nearly Zero Energy Buildings requirements, namely to have a lower primary energy consumption and lower carbon dioxide emissions. In this regard, each country set its own targets concerning the reduction of these values. The paper presents a computational study regarding the thermal performances of an apartment, insulated in the first case scenario with a common solution such as expanded polystyrene and for the second and third case s...

The paper presents an analysis of the behaviour of an air-water vapour compression heat pump at the variation of some of the decisional parameters as the state of the fluid at the compressor intake. Different refrigerants as CO2, NH3 and R600a, and different schematics are considered. The large use of rotary compressors in the industrial and domestic heat pump area has determined the investigation of the influence of the wet compression. The analysis is based on the exergy concept that enables to point out the loc...

Wood-based materials belong to the popular and widely used materials in the building industry. For example, these plates can be easily used to create often complicated details. Not all wood-based materials are suitable for the proposed environment. The effect of mistaking the choice of the right wood-based material and its application to an inappropriate environment can then result in the destruction of the details of the particular part of the structure and thus often involves a considerable financial cost to rep...

Designing flat roofs has many issues and decisions. This can be, for example, the decision on how to close the flat roof. By default, roofs are terminated at the periphery by means of attics or by creating a so-called rigid edge of the roof. This paper focuses on the first option, and therefore the termination of the flat roof using the atics. The author is dealing with the findings with regard to the way the proposal is implemented and the subsequent realization of the details. As a major waterproofing layer, fil...

Nowadays, traditional residential houses are not built anymore, with few exceptions, although they represent valuable assets from the heritage point of view and also an important part in our cultural identity. In addition, they can be regarded as a seismically resilient typology and also as a cheap construction due to the use of local materials and especially of self-workmanship. The construction details of traditional houses used to be done very carefully, but this habit got lost with time. In recent years, due t...

Nowadays, raised awareness about the importance of sustainability and also the environmental impact of using concrete in the construction industry has led to numerous studies on how to create an environmental friendly material, with self-cleaning properties and how to possibly use it in urban areas and to ensure a cleaner environment and reduce maintenance costs. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) is the air pollutant which is directly responsible for the air pollution due to smog, smoke, vehicle emission, etc. The self cleanin...

Concrete production is closely connected with large energy costs and even larger emission of greenhouse gases. An ecologically sustainable and responsible approach is being adopted with respect to waste minimization and application of alternative materials in building construction, to improve sustainability through energy efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions, the cost of building and life-cycle maintenance. This paper is aimed at evaluation of relation between deleterious processes caused by bacteria influence on co...

The aerogel is a nanomaterial that may represent a viable alternative to the traditional thermal insulations, especially when it is required an increase of the thermal performance of the building envelope elements and also a reduced thickness of their finishing layers. The paper presents the conclusions of some studies regarding the thermal behaviour of the aerogel and also some improvement possibilities of this material and of other materials, by integration of the aerogel in their structure. At the same time, th...

Developing biocomposites materials is a part of the strategy of sustainable development in construction. This paper presents the advantages, the disadvantages and problems, still unclear, to achievement the biocomposites materials, HEMPCRETE type. The most important thing, highlighted by literature regarding the creation and use of this material type, is the extremely low impact with the CO2 pollution, which usually accompany technological manufacturing processes, putting in place and exploitation of construction ...

Nowadays, an important objective for researchers is to find an alternative to build cheaper and greener, sustainable and also durable. To discover a material with better thermal and acoustic performances than conventional concrete by using natural and renewable components in its composition became also an obvious trend. The agriculture products, mainly those considered as waste in this field, fulfill all the above mentioned requirements, being also widely available and with higher thermal and acoustic properties t...

Construction of green buildings has become a kind of global trend, but its implementation varies greatly by country and region, including the rate of growth in green involvement, triggers and obstacles impacting their growth. Green buildings gives to the forefront of energy efficiency also the impact of buildings on the environment, the environmental burden through production of raw materials and the impact of buildings on the whole region. Green building is therefore designed, built and operated also with regard ...

This article is referring to a study regarding the energy consumption and data for the internal heat gains and opening hours at a big size commercial building built in Bucharest, Romania. The monitoring was done during the maintenance building period of time starting with the opening day till the present days. It was calculated the energy demand for heating, cooling, ventilation and lightning systems depending on the average daily running hours and on the internal heat gains for each type of area destination (like...