Ley, J D (2004) An environmental and material flow analysis of the UK steel construction sector. EngD thesis, Cardiff University, UK.
Abstract
The stock of steel and the annual end-of-life arisings from the UK steel construction sector has been predicted using a dynamic material flow analysis (MFA) model of the sector. This model used data on the historical consumption of steel construction products, the typical life span and life span distributions, and derived re-use and recycling rates of steel construction products. Historical consumption data of steel construction products were estimated back to 1900 to incorporate life spans of up to 90 years in predicting current and future end-of-life arisings. Re-use and recycling rates of steel construction products were determined from surveying members of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to determine the effect of changing input variables (life span, life span distribution and recycling rates) on the end-of-life arisings and the stock of construction steel. These sensitivity analyses revealed that the life span of the products had the greatest effect on the end-of-life arisings. Model validation was implemented to determine the accuracy of the dynamic modelling. One approach involved deriving the stock of construction steel by using statistics on the floor space of UK buildings, steel's market share in these buildings and the weight of steel in them building. A second approach involved undertaking an MFA for the whole of the UK steel sector; this MFA used data from the steel construction MFA and was validated against actual data on end-of-life arisings of steel products for recycling. Both validation approaches suggested that the end-of-life arisings predicted from the steel construction dynamic model were accurate. Finally, recently compiled life cycle inventory data on steel construction products was coupled with the MFA data to assess the total energy consumption, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds and waste emissions of the sector. The coupled data were validated against energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions determined from steel producers as part of the UK climate change umbrella agreement and showed a good correlation. All these data and accounting methodology of the current work could be used as a starting point for collecting future data, to compare against, to assess if the UK steel construction sector was improving its sustainability performance.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | dynamic modelling; end-of-life arisings; material flow analysis; re-use; recycling; steel |
| Index terms: | climate change, dynamic modelling, accounting, consumption, steel construction, material flow analysis, validation, methodology, accuracy, carbon dioxide, sensitivity analysis, surveying, carbon dioxide emission, statistics, energy consumption, sustainability performance, recycling, life cycle, re-use, inventory, market share |
| Subjects: | environmental hazards, market analysis, material science and engineering, professional development, health safety and environment, inventory management, research methods, structural engineering, sustainability assessment, health monitoring assessment and metrics, economic analysis, energy systems, modelling and simulation, value management, climate science, consumer economics, waste management, mathematical modelling |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Health and Safety, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Stakeholder Management, Business Strategy, Information Management, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here