Sustainability, reuse, and climate considerations in stonework
From reclaimed stone to life cycle assessment
Stone is in itself one of the most sustainable building materials that exist – it lasts for generations and can often be reused. But also in the stonework trade, sustainability has become a fixed part of the training and daily life, from choice of working methods to documentation of materials' climate footprint.
§Why sustainability has entered the trade
Construction accounts for a large part of Denmark's total CO2 emissions and this has focused attention on how each individual craft can contribute to more sustainable construction. For the stonemason and stone technician this includes among other things knowledge of what is meant by sustainable construction how the UN's world goals relate to the construction industry and what climate policy goals make demands on future construction.
§Life cycle assessment (LCA)
A lifecycle assessment (LCA) looks at a material's or building's total environmental and climate impact — from extraction and processing through use to disposal or reuse. For stone among other things it means waste in processing and the choice between new stone and recycled stone can make a real difference in the account. Being able to use digital tools to document material consumption is part of being able to work sustainably in practice.
§Reuse and reclaiming of stone
Because stone is so durable, old stone elements can often be reused or reshaped for new purposes instead of becoming waste. Being able to reclaim and reshape reclaimed stone, and choosing appropriate and sustainable work methods — including traditional hand-tool techniques rather than always opting for the most energy-intensive solution — is part of what the programme calls sustainable stone technique.
- 01Assess whether an old stone can be reused or cut before it is discarded
- 02Sort and dispose of construction waste according to regulations and from a resource perspective
- 03Choose work method and tools based on both task and sustainability
- 04Use traditional hand techniques where they are a sustainable alternative to energy-intensive machine processing
§Greenwashing — beware of empty promises
With increasing interest in sustainability comes also the risk of greenwashing — that a product or company appears greener than it really is. As a craftsperson it is therefore useful to be able to evaluate suppliers' sustainability certifications and labelling schemes with a critical eye instead of just taking words like 'sustainable' and 'green' at face value.
§Climate policy and construction
The climate policy goals Denmark and the EU have set are gaining increasing relevance for construction — from requirements to document climate footprint to support for reuse and sustainable materials. As a qualified stone carver or stone technician it is an advantage to know the big picture of this development so you can advise customers and employers competently when questions about sustainability come up in a task.