192-ECM : Environment-conscious construction materials and systems
Technical Committee 192-ECM
General Information
Deputy Chair: Prof. Dr. Dionys VAN GEMERT
Cluster C
Subject matter
The marked development of science and technology in the twentieth century brought us a convenient and comfortable human life in the industrialised society, supported by a mass production, mass consumption, mass waste disposal system. However, such a system caused various global problems such as global warming, the destruction of the earth's ecosystem and the overuse of natural resources. In recent years, great interest has been oriented toward the impact of construction activities of the environment, and the development of environment-conscious or sustainable construction materials such as efficient use of natural fibber, green concrete, CO2 absorption material and/or systems such as environment-symbiosis construction, life prolongation of the structures have been groped all over the world. These environment-conscious construction materials and systems should be in harmony with the natural environment, consist of reusable and recyclable resources with minimum environmental loads and minimize the consumption of the natural resources.
Terms of reference
The committee work will have the duration of five years. The committee will comprise about ten active members and about three to five corresponding members. The affiliations of the committee members will be approximately 40 to 50% academic, 30 to 40% industry and 10 to 20% practice. The committee work will be mainly conducted by bibliographical research and organising an international symposium. The results of the committee work will be prepared as the-state-of-the art report and the symposium proceedings. The provisional timetable is as follows: · 2001-2003 Survey, review and evaluation of various references · 2004 International symposium (Tokyo) · 2004-2005 State-of-the-art report
Detailed working programme
To accomplish the proposed goal, the committee will survey, review and evaluate comprehensive references on the following items, organise the international symposium, and prepare the-state-of-the-art report : 1) Effective applications of natural resources such as wood, natural fibbers and clay as construction materials 2) Effective systems for minimising environmental loads in materials production and application 3) Development of environment-conscious materials and systems such as CO2-adsorbing materials and systems, Cl--adsorbing materials and systems, and green (planted) concrete materials and systems
Technical environment
The committee will liase with national and international organisations, i.e., ISO, ISCOWA, ACI, ASTM, etc. and the following previous and existing RILEM Technical Committees: 1) RILEM TC ECB Environmental Criteria for Building Products 2) RILEM TC EDM Environmental Design Methods in Materials and Structural Engineering 3) RILEM TC EID Systematic of the Environmental Impact Database of Building Materials 4) RILEM TC SRM Sustainable Application of Mineral Raw Materials in Construction The committee work fits in with the following items of RILEM Technical Programme: 1) Improved and controlled manufacture of materials and structures 2) Impact of building materials on the environment and on the health of human beings
Expected achievements
1) State-of-the-art report 2) Symposium proceedings I . 7. Group of users 1) Academics (universities, colleges and research institutes) 2) Testing and certification laboratories 3) Industrialists (materials suppliers and application engineers) 4) Practitioners (architects and specificers)
Group of users
Specific use of the results
The use of the results will contribute to the development of the environment-conscious construction materials and systems to be in harmony with the natural environment, to be made from reusable and recyclable resources with minimum environmental loads and minimise the consumption of natural resources.
