Environmental Effects of Concrete, Brick and Wood Usage in Construction on Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions; Case Study of Northwestern Iran

Aims: Increasing consumption of the earth's primary resources (materials and energy) in addition to the production of environmental and atmospheric pollutants (especially CO2), poses a serious threat to sustainable human life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of using concrete, brick and wood in traditional construction in northwestern Iran on energy consumption and carbon emissions. Methodology: This quantitative experimental study was conducted during 2015-2020 in two provinces of West- and East Azerbaijan (northwest of Iran). Concrete, brick and wood were selected as the materials studied. For each of the selected materials, 3 factories were selected. Preliminary information on the number of employees, gas input and electricity consumption was obtained from the HSE center of each plant. Data obtained from the survey of industrial units, quantities related to the amount of electricity consumption, the amount of gas consumption, the amount of manpower employed in the production line and in the transportation sector and the amount of diesel fuel used in rail and road transport. Using Revit software for modeling and Energyplus for energy analysis, the average of different industrial units was calculated for each material. Daily energy consumption of manpower was determined according to BMR and PAL according to the type of activity, height and weight dimensions and age. Findings: The average consumption of electrical energy to produce each ton of cement was 110kw.h, each ton of brick was 35kw.h and each ton of wood was 900kw.h. The total latent energy for the production of each ton of ready-mixed concrete was 559290kw and released 92t of CO2, each ton of produced brick was 283220kw and released 47.5t of CO2 and each ton of timber produced was 7213kw and the released 675kg of CO2. Conclusion: Despite the long distances due to the lack of gas in the production line, wood is the greenest material and concrete is the most polluting material due to the high dependence of the production line on gas consumption.