journal article·2024-07Open access

Eco-efficiency and economic assessment of gypsum-based precast with polymeric waste: A case study

Alba Rodrigo-Bravo, Verónica Calderón, Lourdes Alameda Cuenca-Romero, Raquel Arroyo, Sara Gutiérrez-González

Abstract

The adoption of sustainable building policies and the society’s increasing emphasis on sustainability underscore the urgent need to evaluate the environmental and economic impact of construction materials. This study examines the effects of incorporating polyurethane foam waste into gypsum-based ceiling tiles. It compares its economic performance and eco-efficiency with conventional alternatives. Methodologically, Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) quantifies total life cycle costs, followed by Eco-Efficiency Assessment (EE), considering results from both Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and LCCA. Our findings reveal a compelling 5.91% cost advantage for the novel precast, driven by enhanced production capacity resulting from shorter drying times. The economic benefits of this approach are underscored by a detailed breakdown of cost savings in production phases. Furthermore, the EE remarks a substantial 7.5% boost, emphasizing the positive environmental impact achieved through reduced resource consumption and lower emissions combined with lower life-cycle costs. These results highlight the economic viability and eco-efficiency of polymeric waste-integrated gypsum ceiling tiles for environmental sustainability. The specific percentage improvements in cost and eco-efficiency provide a quantitative basis for understanding the advantages of adopting these innovative materials.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Recycled Aggregate Concrete Performance · Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials · BIM and Construction Integration

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

References (67)

Show source-provided references
1. Ellen MacArthur Foundation, What is a circular economy? https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview (accessed Dec. 07, 2022).
2. Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey & Company, Towards the Circular Economy: Accelerating the scale-up across global supply chains, World Economic Forum, no. January, pp. 1–64, 2014.
3. M. Jaeger-Erben and F. Hofmann, From Take-Make-Dispose to a Circular Society, 2019.
4. European Commission, Circular Economy. https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy_en (accessed Dec. 07, 2022).
5. European Parliament, Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits, 2015. 〈https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/economy/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits〉 (accessed Dec. 07, 2022).
6. European Commission, Sustainable Development Goals, Feb. 23, 2022. 〈https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/international-strategies/sustainable-development-goals_en〉 (accessed Nov. 27, 2023).
7. Review of 50 years of EU energy efficiency policies for buildings10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110322 ↗
8. United Nations, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development., Feb. 23, 2022. 〈https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda〉 (accessed Nov. 27, 2023).
9. United Nations, The Paris Agreement, Feb. 23, 2022. 〈https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/paris-agreement〉 (accessed Nov. 27, 2023).
10. United Nations, Paris Agreement, 2015.
11. European Commission, European Green Deal: Commission proposes transformation of EU economy and society to meet climate ambitions, Feb. 23, 2022. 〈https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_3541〉 (accessed Nov. 27, 2023).
12. United Nations, Llegar a las emisiones netas cero: el mundo se compromete a tomar medidas, 2022. 〈https://www.un.org/es/climatechange/net-zero-coalition〉 (accessed Nov. 27, 2023).
13. European Commission, A new Circular Economy Action Plan. For a cleaner and more competitive Europe, Brussels, 2020.
14. European Commission, Construction Sector. 〈https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/construction_en〉 (accessed Nov. 27, 2023).
15. Ryfan, Construction Conundrum: Ryfan. https://www.ryfan.ca/company/construction-connundrum (accessed Jan. 26, 2022).
16. Experimental study of thermal properties of a new ecological building material based on peanut shells and plaster
17. Prolonging life cycles of construction materials and combating climate change by cascading: the case of reusing timber in Finland
18. European Commission, Nearly zero-energy buildings. 〈https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficient-buildings/nearly-zero-energy-buildings_en#zero-emission-buildings〉 (accessed Oct. 27, 2022).
19. Review of global research advances towards net-zero emissions buildings10.1016/j.enbuild.2022.112142 ↗
20. Plastic Soup Foundation, Plastic Facts and Figures, 2022. 〈https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/plastic-facts-and-figures/#productie〉 (accessed Nov. 27, 2023).
21. Plastics Europe, Plastics-the Facts 2021. An analysis of European plastics production, demand and waste data, 2021.
22. Heinrich Böll Foundation · 2019
23. A review of the plastic value chain from a circular economy perspective10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113975 ↗
24. Investigating the influence of plastic waste oils and acetone blends on diesel engine combustion, pollutants, morphological and size particles: dehalogenation and catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste10.1016/j.enconman.2023.117312 ↗
25. Yusuf · Energy Convers. Manag. · 2022 · vol. 26410.1016/j.enconman.2022.115758 ↗
26. European Commission, A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy, Brussels, 2018.
27. European Commission, Plastics strategy. https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/plastics-strategy_en#:∼:text=The%20EU’s%20plastics%20strategy%20aims,the%20environment%20and%20human%20health. (accessed Nov. 23, 2023).
28. Plastics Europe, The circular economy for plastics - A European Overview, 2022.
29. Categorising tools for sustainability assessment10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.07.023 ↗
30. A systemic framework for sustainability assessment10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.09.015 ↗
31. An overview of sustainability assessment methodologies10.1016/j.ecolind.2008.05.011 ↗
32. Eco-efficiency: Philosophy, theory, and tools10.1162/108819805775248070 ↗
33. Life cycle cost analysis of structural concrete using seawater, recycled concrete aggregate, and GFRP reinforcement10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.04.183 ↗
34. Life cycle cost analysis comparison of hot mix asphalt and reclaimed asphalt pavement: a case study
35. Effects of high volume dolomite sludge on the properties of eco-efficient lightweight concrete: Microstructure, statistical modeling, multi-attribute optimization through Derringer’s desirability function, and life cycle assessment10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127107 ↗
36. An experimental study and sustainability assessment of plastic waste as a binding material for producing economical cement-less paver blocks
37. Multicriteria analysis of the environmental and economic performance of circularity strategies for concrete waste recycling in Spain10.1016/j.wasman.2022.04.008 ↗
38. Eco-efficiency analysis of the life cycle of interior partition walls: A comparison of alternative solutions10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.07.136 ↗
39. Plastic wastes to construction products: Status, limitations and future perspective
40. Characterization of hot bituminous-asphalt mixtures with recycled polyurethane foam10.2174/1874836801711010343 ↗
41. Introduction of recycled polyurethane foam in mastic asphalt
42. Bitumen modified with recycled polyurethane foam for employment in hot mix asphalt10.15446/ing.investig.v38n1.65631 ↗
43. Fatigue durability test of mortars incorporating polyurethane foam wastes10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.09.161 ↗
44. Construction applications of polyurethane foam wastes10.1016/B978-0-323-51133-9.00010-3 ↗
45. The use of polyurethane for asphalt pavement engineering applications: A state-of-the-art review10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.07.213 ↗
46. Ecological design of new efficient energy-performance construction materials with rigid polyurethane foam waste10.3390/polym12051048 ↗
47. Evaluation of properties and micro-characteristics of waste Polyurethane/Styrene-butadiene-styrene composite modified asphalt10.3390/polym13142249 ↗
48. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) between standard gypsum ceiling tile and polyurethane gypsum ceiling tile10.1016/j.enbuild.2022.111867 ↗
49. Assessing the eco-efficiency of different poultry production systems: an approach using life cycle assessment and economic value added10.1016/j.spc.2020.07.007 ↗
50. Toward a computational structure for life cycle sustainability analysis: Unifying LCA and LCC10.1007/s11367-012-0461-4 ↗
51. International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), ISO 14044:2006. Environmental management. Life cycle assessment. Requirements and guidelines, Geneva, 2006.
52. International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), ISO 14040:2006. Environmental management. Life cycle assessment. Principles and framework, Geneva, 2006.
53. Life cycle cost assessment and multi-criteria decision analysis of environment-friendly building insulation materials - a review10.1016/j.enbuild.2021.111582 ↗
54. International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), ISO 15686-5:2017. Buildings and constructed assets. Service life planning. Part 5: Life-cycle costing, Geneva, 2017.
55. Life cycle costing10.1002/9781118933916.ch14 ↗
56. Hunkeler · 2008
57. L.M. Walther and C.J. Skousen, Managerial and Cost Accounting. London, 2009.
58. Reciclado de placas de yeso laminado aligeradas con residuos de poliuretano = recycling of gypsum plasterboard lightened with polyurethane waste10.20868/ade.2015.3037 ↗
59. Eco-efficiency assessment of calcium sulfoaluminate clinker production10.1111/jiec.12967 ↗
60. International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), ISO 14045:2012. Environmental management. Eco-efficiency assessment of product system. Principles, requirements and guidelines, Geneva, 2012.
61. Disposable baby diapers: Life cycle costs, eco-efficiency and circular economy10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.11.146 ↗
62. Life cycle cost analysis of lightweight green concrete utilizing recycled plastic aggregates
63. Study of seashell waste recycling in fireproofing material: Technical, environmental, and economic assessment10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148102 ↗
64. A method for relative eco-efficiency analysis and improvement: case study of bonding technologies10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.03.004 ↗
65. Methodology for an integrated life cycle approach to design for environment
66. GlobeNewswire, Global Gypsum and Anhydrite Market to Reach 938.5 Million Metric Tons by 2030. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/02/17/2610833/0/en/Global-Gypsum-and-Anhydrite-Market-to-Reach-938-5-Million-Metric-Tons-by-2030.html (accessed Dec. 05, 2023).
67. Effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the strength development of cementitious materials10.1016/j.jmrt.2018.09.006 ↗