When more is better – Comparative LCA of wall systems with stone

Abstract Stone is one of the oldest construction materials to have withstood the test of time, as evidenced by the numerous heritage stone buildings and monuments. Its use throughout the centuries has changed from massive stone blocks for walls to thin tiles that are part of the cladding system of the facade of buildings. The objective of this paper is to compare the most commonly used wall systems with stone in an attempt to determine the best use for this material from an environmental point of view. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of three different wall systems has been carried out using data collected from two quarries and processing facilities in Switzerland. The analysis has shown that the use of a thin cladding in the facade is not necessarily the most sustainable solution and that the type of stone product to be used in a structure largely depends on the local availability of the material.

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