MATERIALS & RESOURCES

PILLARS

Environmental Declaration

Focuses on the environmental impact of construction materials, assessing their full life cycle from extraction to disposal.

Sustainable Materials

Utilizes materials that minimize environmental impact and promote resource efficiency throughout the building's life cycle.

Materials Flow

Manages the sourcing, transportation, and sustainability of construction materials to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of the built environment.

HOME • RESEARCH • PILLARS • MATERIALS & RESOURCES

Materials and resources are the foundation of sustainable construction, playing a vital role in reducing the environmental impact of buildings. The Materials and Resources pillar emphasizes the full life cycle of construction materials, from their sourcing, manufacturing, and transportation to their disposal and potential for recycling. By focusing on sustainable construction materials and project management techniques, we aim to reduce waste, embodied energy, and other negative environmental impacts. This pillar also explores innovative technologies like 3D printing and additive manufacturing, assessing their potential in the context of sustainability and resource management. Our research evaluates project delivery systems, material sustainability assessments, and the environmental performance of various construction resources.

Materials & Resources in Action: Interactive Building Life Cycle

Interactive Water Management Model

Explore the interactive model showcasing key projects under the Materials & Resources pillar. This dynamic representation highlights our research into sustainable materials, life-cycle assessments, and innovative techniques like 3D printing. The model demonstrates how different materials and project delivery systems influence the environmental and economic performance of buildings.

Goals

Reduce Construction Waste

Focus on minimizing waste from construction and demolition projects, optimizing material use, and encouraging recycling and reusability.

Promote Sustainable Materials

Develop and promote the use of materials with lower environmental impact, such as those with better thermal properties and energy efficiency.

Enhance Environmental Impact Assessment

Improve life-cycle assessment tools and methodologies to assess the environmental impact of construction materials, including emissions, resource depletion, and waste

Integrate 3D Printing Technologies

Advance the integration of additive manufacturing technologies like 3D printing into the construction industry to reduce material waste and increase efficiency.

Improve Project Delivery Systems

Optimize project delivery systems for green buildings to enhance performance, reduce costs, and ensure sustainability from design to execution.

Development of High-Performance Lightweight Concrete for 3D Printing

This project focused on creating a high-strength, lightweight concrete mixture suitable for 3D printing applications, improving thermal insulation, and reducing environmental impact.

Framework to Evaluate Quality Performance of Green Building Delivery

Explores project delivery systems and their effectiveness in the context of green building projects, linking obstacles faced with the capabilities of BIM.

Life Cycle of Primary Construction Materials Sourcing Under Geopolitical Uncertainties

Assesses the environmental and economic sustainability of building materials in Qatar, examining the impact of geopolitical uncertainties on material sourcing.

Framework for Organizational Efficiency Improvement in Qatari Organizations

Develops a framework for improving organizational efficiency in Qatari institutions, analyzing sustainability, economic, and environmental performance.

Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment of Polypropylene Manufacturing

Evaluates the environmental impacts of polypropylene (PP) manufacturing in the Middle East, focusing on emissions and resource depletion.

Sustainability of Additive Manufacturing for the Built Environment

Investigates the sustainability and challenges of 3D printing in construction, assessing the global warming potential and environmental performance of additive manufacturing technologies.

Examines progress towards the UN SDGs in the Middle East, focusing on gender equality and education quality in the context of sustainable development.

Investigated the potential of seawater toilet flushing technology in the GCC region, assessing its effectiveness and trade-offs with water conservation efforts.

Green Building Rating Systems and Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment

Compares various life-cycle assessment (LCA) tools available to building designers, analyzing their impact on sustainability metrics within green building rating systems.

Sustainable Composite Materials for Construction

This project focuses on developing composite materials with lower environmental impact for use in structural applications, assessing their performance and sustainability.

Optimization of Recycling and Reuse Strategies in Construction Waste Management

Explores strategies for improving recycling and reusability in the construction industry, focusing on minimizing waste and enhancing resource efficiency in the built environment.

Achievements

Achivement_logo_2020

The framework developed with Ph.D. student Ayman Raouf was awarded the 2020 Qatar Sustainability Award—Research Category by the Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), recognizing our work in sustainable construction.

Achivement_2019

The research paper "The Effectiveness of Project Delivery Systems in Executing Green Buildings" was selected as an Editor’s Choice in the 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Library, highlighting its impact on green construction projects.