Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 4.6
Comparison of EE Values and Carbon Emissions for
Different Building Materials
Material
Embodied
energy (MJ/kg)
Carbon emission
(kg of CO
2
/kg)
Density
(kg/m
3
)
Steel
24.4
1.77
7850
Aluminum
218
11.46
2710
Recycled
aluminum
28.8
1.69
7850
Concrete
0.95
0.13
2710
Copper
40-55
2.19-3.83
9000
Glass
15
0.85
2500
Bitumen
47
0.48
1200-1360
Ceramic
10
0.65
5600
HDPE
76.7
1.6
~970
LDPE
78.1
1.7
~910
PP (oriented
film)
99.2
2.7
~900
Polycarbonate 112.9
6.0
~1300
GPPS
86.4
2.7
~1000
HIPS
87.4
2.8
~1000
PVC
77.2
2.41
1390
Source: Data of Hammond and Jones (2008b).
Fossil fuel resources are used in plastics manufacture both as a raw material
and also directly or indirectly as a source of process energy (for instance, to
operate injection molding machines).
Figure 4.10
compares the percentage
of energy in each of these categories and the small amount of energy used in
transportation of raw materials in the manufacture of plastic resins. Similar
data for thermoset polymer (polyurethane (PU)) are also included in
Figure
is larger than that for thermoplastics. With most common polymers (other
than PVC), more than half the fossil fuel cost is in raw materials.
