The sustainability of adobe construction: past to future

TLDR

Earth construction, the oldest building practice, provides economic and environmental benefits and is used by about 30 % of the world’s population, yet most existing earth buildings—especially in less developed countries—are deteriorating and preservation interest is rising. This study offers a global perspective on the historical use of earth construction and explores its future potential. The authors propose developing new, environmentally friendly materials—specifically alkaline‑activated geopolymers—that are compatible with existing earth buildings and suitable for interventions. Geopolymers demonstrate promising properties and ecological footprints, indicating they could become the next generation of earth‑building materials.

Abstract

The Earth construction is the oldest building practice on the world. Around 30% of the world population lives in buildings made of earth materials. These materials offer economic and environmental benefits, because of that the interest of these types of construction are being increased. The practice of earth construction is predominant in less developed countries, where lack of advanced technology and often the availability of labor and local materials encourage the use of these building techniques that are quite simple. Nowadays, most of the earth buildings, both in Portugal and in the other countries are in a high stage of degradation. However, the interest of preservation of these buildings is increased. So, this works pretends a global vision of the earth construction on the past, and a new look at these materials in the future. It is important developed new materials similar to these ones, with economic and environmental benefits, and which are compatible for interventions in these same old buildings. A new generation of materials, are geopolymers, these materials are alkaline activated and because of their properties as well as their ecological footprint they are promising to be a "kind" of materials that will follow the line of materials on land.