Abstract
This chapter introduces the reader to the vast world of construction materials. After describing the importance of these materials today, the concept of durability is raised since it is essential to the performance of construction materials. Product standards, used to guarantee the quality of materials, are further taken into account. To finish the chapter, the concept of sustainable construction is considered as well as that of life cycle assessment, the most widely used tool for assessing the environmental impact of products over their life cycles.
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Standards
ISO 13823: 2008. General principles of the design of structures for durability
ISO 14040: 2006. Environmental management – life cycle assessment – principles and framework
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Useful Links
Sustainability. sustainability.com
Sustainability for all. www.activesustainability.com
Sustainability Times. www.sustainability-times.com
International Organization for Standardization. www.iso.org
American Society for Testing and Materials. www.astm.org
European Committee for Standardization. www.cen.eu
BREEAM. www.breeam.com
U.S. Green Building Council. www.usgbc.org
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Bustillo Revuelta, M. (2021). Introduction. In: Construction Materials. Springer Textbooks in Earth Sciences, Geography and Environment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65207-4_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65207-4_1
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