STUDYING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IN THE SELECTION OF BUILDING MATERIALS

Abstract

The main objective of the research is to highlight the extent of considering environmental impacts of building materials when making choices about the selection of building materials. The research object was achieved through two stages, the first stage included a theoretical study to identify environmental impacts of buildings construction and the importance of building materials for a construction project, while the second stage included a practical study to collect the necessary data and information to realize the reality of the process of selecting building materials for buildings construction. The practical study included personal interviews with engineers that have experience in buildings design, and then a closed questionnaire was conducted in order to achieve research object. (45) Questionnaire forms were distributed. the results showed a clear interest from the research sample in the importance of considering environmental impacts when selecting building materials as well as a clear weakness in the application of it on the ground because of the absence of instructions and motivating factors on one hand and the absence of data concerning environmental impacts of building materials on the other hand.