THE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS PYRAMID: UNDERSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN BUILDING MATERIALS

Date: 03.06.2024
By: ReBuilt
Based on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), the pyramid helps visualise and compare the relative environmental impact of materials across categories, including their carbon footprint and other environmental indicators. It provides a simplified overview of how material choices can influence sustainability performance within construction projects.

The tool also supports discussions on material selection, design decisions, and life cycle thinking by helping stakeholders better understand the environmental implications of construction materials during the production phase (life cycle stages A1–A3).

Within the wider transition toward circular and sustainable construction, approaches such as the Construction Materials Pyramid can contribute to improved material awareness, resource efficiency, and more data-driven decision-making across the built environment.

As highlighted through the ReBuilt project, stronger understanding of material performance, sustainability data, and circular value chains plays an important role in accelerating more responsible construction practices across Central Europe.

For more information, explore the Construction Materials Pyramid.