Expanded polystyrene wall and conventional concrete wall sustainability issues in housing

Abstract

The provision of sustainable houses for the multitudes in developing nations has been a priority over the years. Numerous ecological issues, such as the use of unsustainable construction materials and non-economical building materials, are necessitating the search for improved and economical alternatives in housing delivery. As a result of research and technological improvements, modern eco-friendly building materials have been developed to fulfil the requirements of sustainability issues and alleviate environmental problems. One such material is expanded polystyrene (EPS). This paper focuses on EPS wall and conventional concrete wall sustainability issues in housing delivery. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to analyse the sustainable potential, environmental impact, timely delivery and economic implications of EPS and conventional concrete walls. EPS walls provide higher sustainability potential, and are environmentally friendly and cost-effective, with faster construction time than conventional concrete. The conceptual framework developed from this study could help government agencies, real estate developers and other stakeholders to solve the sustainability issues of housing delivery.