The Biophilic Power and Environmental Urgency of Earthen Construction

Central Europe towards Sustainable Building

生态环境科学

Ben-Alon, L.^1 ; Loftness, V.^1 ; Harries, K.A.^2 ; Hameen, E.C.^1

Carnegie Mellon University, School of Architecture, Pittsburgh

PA

15213, United States^1

University of Pittsburgh, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Pittsburgh

PA

15260, United States^2

关键词: Conventional constructions;    Conventional materials;    Earthen constructions;    Environmental benefits;    Environmental life cycle assessment;    Human built environment;    Intangible benefits;    Resource management;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/290/1/012006/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1755-1315/290/1/012006

学科分类：环境科学（综合）

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

The built environment must meet the highest demands of human habitation, resource management and community enrichment. To achieve these goals, modern built environments should adopt restorative environmental and biophilic design principles which seek to reconnect the human built environment with nature. In this paper, the biophilic aspects and environmental benefits of earthen construction are assessed and compared to conventional construction in order to demonstrate the tangible and intangible benefits of earthen materials. Specifically, the synergies between biophilic design attributes and earthen construction are elaborated, characterizing the ecological, health, and community collaboration advantages that earthen structures provide. Subsequently, the results of an environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of earthen building materials from cradle to gate enumerate the environmental preferability of earthen materials over conventional materials.