The potential for renewable materials to reduce the embodied energy and associated greenhouse gas emissions of medium-rise buildings

Abstract

The development of medium-and high-rise buildings has performed a vital role in the creation and expansion of modern cities. Our ability to build tall structures has enabled us to reduce our land use on a per-capita basis, allowing cities to manage their population growth while limiting the land degradation from urban expansion. However, the construction of these buildings comes at a price. The mining and processing of building materials uses significant amounts of energy, and the building industry is a major contributor of global greenhouse gas emissions. This paper investigates the potential of renewable building materials to reduce embodied energy and greenhouse emissions in medium-rise c..