Energy Content, Building Materials (manufacture of)

MATERIAL

MJ/kg

MJ/m3

KWhr/kg

KWhr/m3

Renewable

Recyclable

Bio-degradable

Aggregate; general

0.1

150

Aluminium; virgin

191.0

515,700

89.56

no

33%

no

Aluminum; recycled

26.56

no

33%

no

Bitumen

44.1

45,420

Brass

62

519,560

Carpet

72.4

Cement

7.8

15,210

Cement; brick

2.5

5,170

700

Cement; soil mix

0.4

819

Cement; Tile

2.5

5,250

Concrete, general

1.91 -2.16

no

low %

no

Concrete; block

0.9

Concrete; ready mix 17.5 MPa

1

2,350

Concrete; roofing tile

0

0.8

Copper

70.6

631,160

Adobe; block, straw stabilised

0.5

750

Adobe; bitumen stabilised

0.3

Adobe; cement stabilised

0.4

Earth; rammed soil cement

0.8

Earth; pressed block

0.4

Glass; float

15.9

40,060

Insulation

Insulation; cellulose

3.3

112

50

Insulation; fiberglass

30.3

970

Insulation; polyester

53.7

430

Insulation; polystyrene

117

2,340

450

Insulation; wool (recycled)

14.6

139

Limestone

350

Paint

90.4

118/litre

Paint; solvent based

98.1

128/litre

Paint; water based

88.5

115/litre

Paper; building

25.5

Plaster; gypsum

4.5

6,460

Plaster; limestone

1,100

Plaster; bonded resin

3,300

Plaster board

6.1

5,890

Plastics, general

11.21 - 44.29

no

50%

no

Plastics; polyethylene, low density (LDPE)

103

91,800

Plastics; polypropylene

64

57,600

Plastics; polystyrene, expanded

117

2,340

PVC

70

93,620

Rubber; natural latex

67.5

62,100

Steel; general

8.55 - 12.99

no

26 - 70%

no

Steel; virgin, general

32

251,200

Steel; recycled

10.1

37,210

Steel; reinforcing, sections

8.9

Steel; wire rod

12.5

Steel; galvanized

34.8

273,180

Steel; structural

57,000

Stone; local

0.8

1,890

Straw; baled

0.24

31

Timber; general

1.45 - 1.67

yes

low %

yes

Timber; building

180

Timber; softwood - air dried, roughsawn

0.3

165

Timber; softwood - kiln dried, roughsawn

1.6

880

Timber; softwood - air dried, dressed

1.2

638

Timber; softwood - kiln dried, dressed

2.5

1,380

Timber; hardwood

Timber; hardwood - air dried, roughsawn

0.5

388

Timber; hardwood - kiln dried, roughsawn

2

1,550

Wood; mouldings, etc.

3.1

1,710

Wood; hardboard

24.2

Wood; hardboard (formaldehyde bonded)

2000

Wood; MDF

11.9

8,330

1,400

Wood; glulam

4.6

2,530

Wood; particle board

8

Wood; plywood

10.4

Wood; shingles

9

Notes:

1 MJ is 0.2777778 KWhr

A tonne is a UK ton or 2240 lbs or 1016.05 kg

Sources:

Forestry and Timber Inquiry, Final Report; Australian Parliament Resource Assessment Commission; March, 1992 (http://www.metla.fi/archive/forest/1995/11/msg00063.html)

Appropriate Technology for Living Association Inc.; ATLA News; Issue 7, No. 4; November, 1998 (http://www.converge.org.nz/atla/new-11-98-p4.html)

Living Spaces, Sustainable Building and Design; Koneman; 1998, Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Cologne

Embodied Energy Content Analysis For Three Construction Materials

Material or Energy

Emissions or use of raw material per kg product (dry material)

Structural timber

Roof truss

Cladding boards

EMISSIONS

CO2

95.7 g

98.4 g

94.1 g

CO

5.91 g

8.33 g

5.83 g

NOx

3.39 g

4.02 g

3.34 g

SO2

0.112 g

0.121 g

0.110 g

VOC total

1.16 g

1.56 g

1.14 g

CH4

0.415 g

0.552 g

0.409 g

PAH

0.00123 g

0.00175 g

0.00121 g

Benzene

0.0341 g

0.0474 g

0.0336 g

Other VOCs

0.700 g

0.915 g

0.690 g

Heavy metals

0.000478 g

0.000679 g

0.000471 g

Dust into air (particulates)

0.773 g

1.06 g

0.761 g

Bound Carbon (CO2)

792 g

792 g

792 g

RAW MATERIALS

Wooden raw material (wet/dry)

4900/2660 g

5400/2940 g

4830/2750 g

Phosphate fertilizers

0.300 g

0.331 g

0.295 g

Nitrogen fertilizers

1.71 g

1.88 g

1.68 g

Potassium fertilizers

0.300 g

0.331 g

0.295 g

Pesticides

0.0173 g

0.0191 g

0.0170 g

Saw blade chain oil, biol.

0.0628 g

0.0691 g

0.0617 g

Saw blade chain oil, miner.

0.128 g

0.141 g

0.126 g

Lubricants, biol.

0.246 g

0.271 g

0.242 g

Lubricants, miner.

0.917 g

1.01 g

0.902 g

Steel bands

0.790 g

0.870 g

0.780 g

Wrapping

2.11 g

2.32 g

2.08 g

Stamping colours (latex)

0.0135 g

0.0380 g

0.0133 g

Blue stain prevention

0.320 g

0.350 g

0.310 g

Nail and nail sheets

6.22 g

42.2 g

7.22 g

Paints

-

-

201 g

ENERGY

Renewable energy (Higher Heating Value of logs)

54.6 MJ

60.2 MJ

56.5 MJ

Fossil fuels

1.40 MJ

1.38 MJ

1.38 MJ

Electricity

0.0140 MJ

0.0100 MJ

0.00695 MJ

Utilization of waste heat

0.208 MJ

1.21 MJ

0.205 MJ

Potential energy

of products

17.1 MJ

17.1 MJ

17.1 MJ

of loss at building site

2.61 MJ

-

4.95 MJ

Sources:

“Environmental Aspects of Building Materials", Tarja Häkkinen, The Finnish Building Technology Technical Research Center