Embodied energy of conventional load-bearing walls versus natural stabilized earth blocks

• We outline a framework including different construction types for an environmental comparison.
• The influence of the structural material used regarding the environmental impact of the building.
• The study shows a comparison of conventional and unconventional materials for load bearing walls.
• LCA is presented as eco-design tool to be taken into account when designing the building structure.

According to recent studies, the manufacturing and construction of the structural elements of buildings (for example, columns, beams and load-bearing walls) represent the largest proportion of embodied impacts. Some of these reports highlight the need to analyse the materials and techniques used today in order to make the building sector more sustainable. This paper presents the results of embodied energy and global warming potential, using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, for load-bearing walls, being these one of the most common types of structures for buildings. This study analyses through an eco-design tool new options for materials used in the construction of structural load-bearing walls. The research aims to examine the environmental performance of each material alternative assessed: fired clay brick masonry (FC), concrete block masonry (CB), reinforced concrete-based wall (RC), and stabilized soil block masonry (SS); stabilized with natural fibers and alginates. These conventional and new materials – especially those with a low level of embodied energy, such as earth blocks – are evaluated from the point of view of their environmental consequences.