Abstract
Building materials are selected according to their characteristics and properties which include the mechanical properties and functional، aesthetic and durability، and economic aspects, this paper aims to add sustainability criteria to these considerations strongly ، to protect environment and the future of human life on earth.
To achieve this goal ، environmental criteria to selection of building have been studied ، then the researcher make a survey of developments modern building materials for sustainability، then a study of available tools that can assist the architect to select building materials and comprise between the available alternatives has been studied .
In this paper، tools presently available for the selection of building materials are overviewed and discussed، they include four tools ، Environmental assessment methods ، materials eco-labeling ، materials Technical datasheets ، Environmental Product Declarations .
The comparison of commercial materials by means of different assessment tools is difficult، these assessment tools are mainly suitable for the early stage of building design، for a preliminary rough evaluation of the building materials’ environmental impact and، hence، for supporting the first ‘strategic’ choices, , Eco-label can be considered a thorough and detailed certification system , but It hasn't widely spread,
Research also found that it's difficult to use Materials Technical Datasheets; it does not include the energy data used in manufacturing and harmful emissions , Environmental Product Declaration , EPD is a tool for a comprehensive and detailed environmental assessment for building materials,Thus, a more widespread use of EPD must be regarded as the most practicable way toward a sensitive choice of materials at the working plan and construction stages