Sustainability Assessment and ENVISION Rating of Lightweight Masonry Walls in Conventional Buildings

The input energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are key environmental performance measures in environmental footprints of engineering practices, including building construction. This paper presents a case study on these measures to assess the sustainability of a completed conventional building using actual records. Discussions will focus on the application of masonry walls utilizing lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) masonry units. Masonry walls typically influence architectural, structural, and mechanical components of the building, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). Furthermore, the manufacturing processes of masonry units and their ingredients, such as LECA, introduce more challenges to the measurement of energy and emissions. The proposed methodology in this paper attempts to facilitate these measurements using a bottom-up approach based on actual values recorded at the end of the construction phase. Presented results include considerations on the energy consumption and GHGs involve the operation of building and the need for HVAC systems.