International Industrial Ecology Day 2021

The study of building material use and associated impacts is challenged by the paucity of publicly available data, and the heterogeneity of data organization and classification between published studies. This work addresses the lack of publicly available data related to building material use in cities and the associated impacts, and the heterogeneity of data organization and classification between published studies. It presents a novel dataset and data structure to facilitate study of resource use in building design and construction, with particular focus on data useful for reducing material use in buildings.

The dataset is novel in both size and granularity; it consists of 60 buildings collected over two years and was developed by collecting design or construction drawings for the studied buildings and performing material take-offs based on the drawings. The data structure is based on Uniformat and MasterFormat, two widely used construction classification systems in North America, to facilitate interoperability with existing construction management practices, and to suggest a standardized structure for future material intensity studies. The data structure supports investigation into how form and building design are driving material use, opportunities to reduce construction material consumption and better understanding of how materials are used in buildings.

Overall, this study builds on earlier material flow analysis database research to include more buildings and more geographies in time, increase the level of detail on where in the building (e.g. above or below ground) and for what purpose (e.g. slab vs column) materials are being used. Much of the existing research have focused on understanding existing material stocks and the potential for building material reuse and recycling from that stock. This work focuses on the ability to investigate how building form and design decisions influence material consumption and as such focuses on new(er) buildings that reflect current construction practices.