Tables for Sustainable Landscape Construction, 3rd ed.

Embodied Energy of Selected Landscape Materials By Weight

Table 7.13 Embodied energy of selected landscape materials by weight.

Material by Weight

CSI Avg. Est. Btu/lb.

Earth

2.3

172

Earth, stabilized 5% concr.

2.3

241

Paving, bitum., 1.5″ (wearing surf. only) 2.7

1,242

Fertilizer (ammonia)

2.9

27,596

Fertilizer (phosphatic)

2.9

32,373

Fertilizer (superphosphate)

2.9

2,701

Aggregate, crushed stone

3.0

929

Aggregate, river stone

3.0

9

Sand

3.0

16

Cement, dry powder

3.1

3,062

Concrete, ready-mix

3.1

656

Lime, hydrated

3.1

4,406

Mortar (hydraulic & masonry cements)

4.0

860

Adobe block, bitumen stablzn.

4.2

123

Adobe block, cement stablzn.

4.2

160

Adobe block, straw stablzn.

4.2

202

Brick, common

4.2

1,075–4,085

Concrete block

4.2

370–964

Concrete, aerated

4.2

1,548

Glass

4.2

5,934

Glass block

4.2

6,200

Straw, baled

4.2

103

Tile, quarry & paving

4.2

9,017–22,886

Tile, struct. facing, 6 × 12 × 4″

4.2

8,385

Stone

4.4

446

Stone, granite, cut

4.4

2,537

Aluminum

5.1

67,368

Aluminum, anodized

5.1

87,294

Aluminum, extruded

5.1

71,380

Aluminum, plate & sheet

5.1

93,153

Aluminum, struct. shapes

5.1

92,200

Aluminum, recycled

5.1

3,348

p.1 of 3

Embodied Energy of Selected Landscape Materials By Weight

Aluminum: Recycled, anodized

5.1

18,447

Aluminum: Recycled, extruded

5.1

7,439

Aluminum: Recycled, plate & sheet

5.1

6,364

Brass

5.1

26,660

Copper

5.1

32,158

Copper, pipe

5.1

73,100

Copper, sheet

5.1

69,700

Copper, struct shapes

5.1

46,800

Iron, cast

5.1

14,891

Steel, alloy, struct shapes

5.1

26,900

Steel, carbon, galv sheets

5.1

27,800

Steel, carbon, pipe

5.1

25,800

Steel, carbon, sheets

5.1

16,800

Steel, carbon, struct shapes

5.1

22,700

Steel, mild

5.1

12,214

Steel, mild, galvanized

5.1

15,652

Steel, stnls, coldroll bar

5.1

193,000

Steel, stnls, coldroll sheet

5.1

138,000

Steel, stnls, hotroll bar

5.1

157,000

Steel, stnls, hotroll sheet

5.1

89,800

Steel: Recycled

5.1

4,647

Zinc

5.1

22,145

Zinc, galvanizing /kg steel

5.1

1,204

Metal expanded lath

5.7

12000 - 33000

Steel common nails

5.9

34,000

Steel HS bolts

5.9

26,600

Lumber, hardwood, airdry

6.0

215 – 602

Lumber, hardwood, kilndry

6.0

1,054

Lumber, softwood, airdry

6.0

499

Lumber, softwood, kilndry

6.0

1,269

Lumber, ¾” ext. plywood

6.1

4,472

Lumber, glue-lam beams

6.1

5,531

Lumber, plywood

6.1

4,522

Lumber: Roughsawn

6.1

163

Plastics, ABS

6.5

47,715

Plastics, general

6.5

35,389

p.2 of 3

Embodied Energy of Selected Landscape Materials By Weight

Plastics, HDPE

6.5

42,226

Plastics, LDPE

6.5

30,560

Plastics, PET

6.5

45,800

Plastics, polycarb glazing

6.5

68,200

Plastics, polyester

6.5

23,091

Plastics, polypropylene

6.5

34,260

Plastics, polystyrene

6.5

49,607

Plastics, polyurethane

6.5

31,410

Plastics, polybutylene

6.5

25,000

Plastics, PVC

6.5

35,130

Rubber, natural latex

6.5

29,013

Rubber, Synthetic

6.5

39,063

Rubber, Synthetic

6.5

39,063

Waterproofing, asphalt

7.1

1,221

Waterproofing, paper

7.1

10,500

Insulation, rigid polystyrene

7.2

63,355

Shingles, cedar

7.3

3,870

Adhesives, epoxy & resins

9.2

35,000

Adhesive, concrete

9.9

3,010

Adhesive, phenol formaldehyde

9.9

37,410

Adhesive, urea formaldehyde

9.9

33,626

Paint, exter oilbased

9.9

42,962

Paint, exter waterbased

9.9

35,672

Fabric, cotton

12.0

61,580

Fabric, polyester

12.0

23,096

Pipe, steel

15.1

25,800

p.3 of 3

Table 7.14 Average densities of selected landscape materials.

Material Type Soil cement 5% Aggregate Cinder or ash Clay, dry Cement powder Concrete Earth, loose dry Earth, packed dry Sand Mortar Adobe Bricks Concrete, aerated Glass Straw, baled Tile Stone (nonspecific) Stone, granite Stone, limestone Stone, marble Stone, sandstone Stone, slate Aluminum Copper Steel Zinc Lumber (nonspecific) Lumber, hardwood Lumber, particleboard Lumber, plywood Lumber, softwood Polyester Polyethylene sheet Polypropylene Polyurethane PVC Rubber, natural latex Rubber, synthetic Bitumen Adhesive, concrete Paint (all types, US) Paint (all types, metric)

CSI 2.3 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.4 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.1 9.9 9.9 9.9

lb./yd.3 lb./ft.3 2,885 107 2,700 100 1,350 50 1,701 63 2,538 94 3,967 147 2,052 76 2,565 95 3,305 122 2,797 104 2,628 97 2,939 109 1,312 49 4,247 157 214 8 3,646 135 4,149 154 4,455 165 3,645 135 4,671 173 3,888 144 4,644 172 4,503 167 15,041 557 13,230 490 11,964 443 1,669 62 1,433 53 1,062 39 1,011 37 927 34 243 9 1,635 61 1,517 56 244 9 2,255 84 1,551 57 2,136 79 1,736 64 1,686 62 2,186 81 N/A N/A

kg/m3 Equivalent 1,710 1,602 801 1,009 1,506 2,354 1,218 1,522 1,961 1,659 1,559 1,744 779 2,520 127 2,163 2,462 2,643 2,163 2,771 2,307 2,755 2,672 8,924 7,850 7,098 990 5.2 lb./bd. ft.

850 4.4 lb./bd. ft.

630 3.3 lb./bd. ft.

600 3.1 lb./bd. ft.

550 2.9 lb./bd. ft.

144 970 900 145 1,338 920 1,267 1,030 8.6 lb./gal.

1,000 N/A 10.8 lb./gal.

1,300 1.3 kg/L

Table 7.15 Embodied energy of selected landscape materials by volume.

Material by Volume

CSI Avg. Est. Btu/cu. ft.

Concrete, ready-mix, cu. ft.

3.1

96,100

Concrete, ready-mix, cu. yd. 3.1 2,590,000 Lumber, hardwood

6.0

9,820

Lumber, softwood

6.0

8,555

Lumber, glulam beams

6.1

15,611

Lumber, plywood

6.1

14,883

Lumber, rough-sawn

6.1

495

Waterproofing, asphalt

7.1

8,639

Insulation, rigid polystyrene 7.2

15,300

Paint, exterior oil-based

9.9

488,264

Paint, exterior water-based

9.9

489,032

Stains and varnishes

9.9

503,668

Table 7.16 Embodied energy of selected landscape materials by area.

Material by Area

CSI Avg. Est. Btu/sq. ft.

Paving brick, 2.25″ thick

2.7

133,000

Paving, 4″ concr., wire reinf.

2.7

44,000

Paving, 6″ concr., wire reinf.

2.7

60,000

Paving, bitum., 1.5″ (wearing surf. only) 2.7

54,600

Reinf. wire, welded, 4 × 4 10/10

3.2

7,500

Reinf. wire, welded, 6 × 6 10/10

3.2

5,080

Brick, common:

4.2

281,000

Metal expanded lath

5.7

52,100

Lumber, 1/2″ ext. plywood

6.1

2,450–7,710

Lumber, 3/4″ ext. plywood

6.1

11,600

Lumber, 3/8″ ext. plywood

6.1

5,790

Shingles, asphalt

7.3

26,787

Shingles, cedar

7.3

7,320

Roofing, aluminum, 0.032″

7.4

720,000

Roofing, copper, 20 oz.

7.4

97,700

Roofing, plastic corrugated

7.4

50,000

Roofing, steel, 20 gauge

7.4

54,750

Roofing, stnls. steel, 32 gauge

7.4

46,900

Paint, ext. oil-based

9.9

1,390

Paint, ext. water-based

9.9

1,400

wall 2 bricks thick, incl. mortar

Table 7.17 Embodied energy of selected landscape materials by length.

Material by Linear Measure

CSI Avg. Est. Btu/lin. ft.

Rebar #2

3.2

2,620

Rebar #3

3.2

5,900

Rebar #4

3.2

10,500

Rebar #5

3.2

16,400

Rebar #6

3.2

23,600

Masonry reinf., 4 in. (truss or ladder) 4.0

3,670

Pipe, ABS, 2 in.

15.1

20,459

Pipe, cast iron, 2 in.

15.1

86,368

Pipe, copper, 2 in.

15.1

32,107

Pipe, PVC, 2 in.

15.1

22,984

Wire, copper insulated, #10

16.1

1,740

Wire, copper insulated, #12

16.1

1,090

Wire, copper insulated, #14

16.1

688

Wire, copper insulated, #16

16.1

427

Table 7.18 Embodied energy of selected landscape materials by each.

Material by Each

CSI Avg. Est. Btu/Each

Brick, common

4.2

14,300

Brick, paving

4.2

25,600

Concrete block, 12 × 8 × 16″

4.2

49,400

Concrete block, 4 × 4 × 16″

4.2

9,330

Concrete block, 8 × 8 × 16″

4.2

27,401

Tile, struct. facing, 6 × 12 × 4″ 4.2

117,000