Materials demand and environmental impact of buildings construction and demolition in China based on dynamic material flow analysis

Due to economic growth and improving of people's living standards, China is experiencing large scale building construction, which resulted in a shortage of domestic resource supplies and severe environmental impact. This study estimated materials demand and environmental impact from buildings in China from 1950 to 2050 based on MFA. Furthermore, the effect of prolonging the lifetime of buildings and strengthening materials recycling on reducing raw material demand, solid waste generation and CO2 emissions was investigated. The results indicated, for almost all scenarios, a strong drop in materials demand and related CO2 emissions for new buildings construction over the next years. From an environmental as well as a resource conservation point of view, this is a considerable conclusion. The iron ore and limestone demand from buildings construction will decrease around 2030, however, they always increase dependence on import for iron ore and accelerating depletion of limestone. Furthermore, prolonging lifetime of buildings and strengthening materials recycling are very effective methods to avoid more raw material consumption, waste generation and to mitigate CO2 emissions.

► The demand for new buildings in urban area will reach at peak in 2030. ► The demand for new non-residential buildings in rural area will keep increasing until 2050. ► Materials demand and related CO2 emissions from new buildings construction will display a strong drop after 2020. ► Prolonging lifetime of buildings has greater effect for timing of the peak in material demand.