Abstract

Purpose: The construction sector accounts for nearly 37 percent of global energy related carbon dioxide emissions, with material production contributing a dominant share of embodied carbon. While sustainable materials engineering is widely promoted as a pathway to decarbonisation, quantitative integration of life cycle assessment, embodied carbon modelling, and cost carbon optimisation remains fragmented. This study develops a mathematically grounded framework to evaluate low carbon construction materials using combined Life Cycle Assessment and cost efficiency modelling.

Methodology: A quantitative methodology was adopted integrating process based Life Cycle Assessment, embodied carbon computation in kg CO2e per cubic meter, and cost carbon efficiency ratios. Comparative analysis was conducted across conventional concrete, geopolymer concrete, structural steel, recycled steel, and engineered timber. Mathematical modelling included carbon intensity index derivation and optimisation under budget constraints. Secondary data were extracted from high impact peer reviewed journals and internationally recognised databases.

Findings: Results indicate that geopolymer concrete reduces embodied carbon by up to 45 percent relative to Portland cement concrete, while engineered timber demonstrates the lowest carbon intensity index among structural materials. However, cost carbon trade off modelling reveals that economic feasibility varies significantly across regional supply chains. Optimisation modelling suggests that hybrid material strategies outperform single material substitution approaches.

Value: This study advances sustainable materials engineering by integrating embodied carbon metrics with economic optimisation in a unified quantitative framework. It challenges simplistic material substitution narratives and proposes a mathematically defensible pathway for low carbon construction decision making.

Keywords: Sustainable materials engineering; embodied carbon; life cycle assessment; low carbon construction; cost carbon optimisation; geopolymer concrete; engineered timber.