Evaluation of materials impact on sustainability for buildings

The use of materials in architecture is lacking a systematic approach allowing the adequate comparison of performance from well established criteria and international standards. This situation is critically complex when the evaluation is developed at a design stage. Sustainability of materials in architecture requires a thorough analysis on the concepts of the ecology of contemporary construction, and the relevance for the final user. This effort involves identifying standards, databases and user profiles for defining requirement attributes of our existing anthropogenic stock of buildings while formulating design strategies that contribute to reuse and recycling of building materials and components. After considering all relevant information a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) approach is introduced for the correct evaluation of materials in the sustainable building. This paper provides an academic guide for a systematic approach to this evaluation. Materials are compared and ranked from the building systems perspective, through the previously defined LCA approach. The impact of hybrid materials is also explored as an alternative strategy for the architectural use of materials today. At the final stage the relevance of materials in the overall evaluation is performed through commercial software solutions and incorporated to the design. Life cycle engineering design (LCED) is the key and comprehensive procedure to realize manufacturing industries sustainable development. This paper puts forward knowledge management architecture of LCED based ontologies and multi-agent system. Relevant conclusions are identified for the design and use of new materials in architectural design which are implemented into relevant courses at UPV.Non UBCUnreviewedFacult