Comparative Analysis of Sustainable Building Materials in Urban and Rural Contexts

Thesis Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable construction practices necessitates an in-depth understanding of the performance and applicability of various sustainable building materials within diverse spatial contexts, specifically urban and rural environments. This study addresses the critical gap in comparative assessments of sustainable building materials by examining their environmental, economic, and social performance factors across these contrasting settings. The primary aim is to evaluate the suitability, environmental impact, cost-effectiveness, and user satisfaction of selected sustainable building materials—such as bamboo, rammed earth, recycled concrete, and composite wood—in urban and rural contexts, thereby informing policy and practice in sustainable construction. The specific objectives include identifying the material performance differences between urban and rural settings, assessing the environmental impacts using life cycle assessment (LCA), analyzing cost implications via economic analysis, and exploring user perception through qualitative surveys. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study integrates quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques to provide a comprehensive comparison. The population comprises construction practitioners, architects, and end-users within the metropolitan and rural districts of a selected region, with a total sampling frame of 450 participants. A stratified random sampling technique is used to select 150 participants from each setting, ensuring representation across professional expertise and user demographic groups. Data collection instruments include structured questionnaires, semi-structured interview guides, and observational checklists, with validity ensured through expert reviews and pilot testing, and reliability confirmed via Cronbach’s alpha coefficients exceeding 0.8. Environmental performance of the materials is measured through life cycle assessment according to ISO standards, using SimaPro software to analyze impacts such as carbon footprint, resource depletion, and waste generation. Cost analysis employs detailed life cycle cost assessment, accounting for material procurement, construction, maintenance, and end-of-life disposal costs. Data analysis involves descriptive statistics, inferential tests—particularly ANOVA to compare performance differences—and multivariate regression analysis to identify key predictors of sustainable performance. Thematic analysis is applied to qualitative data to explore user satisfaction and perceptions, adhering to Braun and Clarke’s framework. Expected findings suggest significant differences in environmental impacts, cost efficiency, and user acceptance between the two settings, with rural materials showing lower embodied energy but potentially higher maintenance costs, whereas urban materials may demonstrate superior structural performance but higher initial costs. The study anticipates identifying context-specific material suitability, with implications for policymakers, builders, and researchers in optimizing sustainable construction practices tailored to spatial settings. This research contributes novel insights into the comparative performance of sustainable building materials, integrating environmental, economic, and social dimensions within a unified analytical framework. It extends existing literature by providing evidence-based recommendations for selecting context-appropriate materials, emphasizing the importance of site-specific factors in sustainable material adoption. It also introduces a comprehensive evaluation methodology combining life cycle assessment, economic analysis, and social perception studies, offering a replicable model for future comparative analyses. The study’s main conclusion highlights the critical need for context-aware material selection to enhance sustainability outcomes in construction. Recommendations include developing guidelines for rural and urban builders to optimize material choices, encouraging policy incentives for sustainable material use, and promoting further research into long-term performance monitoring. A key suggestion for future work involves expanding the scope to include additional environmental indicators and broader social factors, such as community engagement and cultural acceptability, to deepen understanding of sustainable building practices across varying spatial contexts.