Evaluation of the Embodied Energy for Building Materials in Turkey

Abstract

Building materials damage to the environment during each stage of their life cycle. An important part of these damages is due to the energy consumption during the process. Many building materials sector like cement, iron, steel, glass etc use high rates of fuel and electrical energy. Greenhouse gases resulting from the use of energy lead to global warming that cause climate change. And acid rain damages living and non- living beings on the earth. In addition, volatile organic compounds and granular particles as a result of combustion of fossil sources enter the human body through the respiratory or digestive systems which lead to serious illnesses. Therefore, responsible use of energy is important for both resource efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. An important part of life cycle energy of building materials is consumed during the production and transportation processes. In this study, it is aimed to investigate initial embodied energy of cement, marble, glass and aluminum sectors in Turkey. The current situation was stated by the method of literature review and inventory analysis of the energy flow to calculate the amount of the total energy consumption of the building materials during these processes was recommended. Thus, it will be possible to compare the amount of total energy consumption in different production plants.