TABLE OF CONTENTS - The Professional Green Building Council

Theme C: Education and Market TransformationThere is a lack of information and knowledge on masonry products which showdifferences with respect to diverse technologies and methods used during theirmanufacture and construction according to countries’ specific conditions anddifferent priorities for sustainable construction.In Turkey, residential buildings are mostly built with in-situ reinforced concretestructural frame and infill external walls made of lightweight masonry such asautoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), pumice concrete blocks and fired clay hollowbricks. External insulation systems are also being increasingly used lately. Whilesome information on LCA of AAC blocks and bricks can be found in the literature,there is very limited information particularly on LCA of pumice concrete blocks.Recently, increasing use of pumice concrete blocks in Turkish construction sectorincreases the importance of LCA studies about these blocks [7].The aim of this work is to gather environmental information, and in turn, to make ageneral model for assessing environmental performance of aforementionedmasonry products regarding the raw materials acquisition, manufacturing andconstruction phases.2. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTResearch work on environmental assessment is principally based on the followingkey issues:Energy consumptionGreen house gas emissionRehabilitation of the quarry and the surrounding landdue to raw materials extraction and manufacturing processes of masonry wallproducts.640