Research Publications

Life cycle assessment of TiO2 coatingson facade systems: The use of Titanium dioxide TiO2 nano-particles as coating for concrete facades has received considerable attention in recent years as these coatings have self-cleaning properties and can trap and absorb organic and inorganic pollutants by a photocatalytic process. Despite these promising benefits, the promotion of TiO2 coatings based on these factors does not provide a complete evaluation of this technology and may omit critical environmental factors that should be considered in sustainable material selection decision-making process. The objective of this research is to determine the life-cycle assessment of TiO2 coating technology in building facade systems. To achieve this objective, a life cycle inventory (LCI) that quantifies the energy and emissions of TiO2 coatings from cradle to grave was developed. This included energy consumption during extraction of ilmenite or rutile, manufacture of TiO2 and nano-particle production, cooling energy savings by high reflectivity maintenance during summer, energy savings from the elimination of pressure washing and the energy used in disposal. Some of the factors that were taken into account for this evaluation are the street canyon effect, heat island effect, wind speed and heat transfer through building facades in summer months. Based on this inventory, a life cycle impact assessment of TiO2 coatings for concrete facades will be performed using EcoIndicator-95 and SimaPro impact assessment models.