Criteria of Low Embodied Energy Material Selection for Sustainable Building Design

The high use of construction materials that have a massive value of Embodied Energy (EE) is one of the causes of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and they are still widely used in construction projects in Indonesia. This study was conducted to investigate the criteria of materials selection that have low embodied energy in supporting the realisation of sustainable building design. An extensive literature review was done to conclude the essential decision criteria for suitable construction materials, followed by a survey to confirm the criteria and identify possible alternatives for materials. Triangulation methodology was applied through qualitative and quantitative approaches. Safety and durability, maintainability, cost, life cycle, availability, and the process of installation/construction are found to be the criteria in the material selection.