. This paper focuses on building materials which contribute to environmental impacts as a result of energy consumption and depletion of natural resources. The topic of sustainability assessment rapidly gains importance. Consequently, there is need to assess environmental impact for building materials. Minarets are the study samples which are significant formal elements in mosque. The aim of the research is to assess the minarets’ materials of historical mosques in Mosul. The research conduct a survey to building materials used in all parts of the Minarets. In order to evaluate the sustainability of the major materials of the Minarets, the comparison is conducted for the environmental impact of life cycle inventory LCI for clay brick and limestone by the aid of GaBi 6.0 Education software. The results of the survey shows that 70% of constructed Minarets in old Mosul city were used clay brick other than limestone which was represent 30%. Clay brick contributes higher environmental impact than limestone due to manufacture process which consumes more energy for firing and drying. The research recommended to use local materials to reduce transport effects and reuse building materials in order to reduce the environmental impacts resulted from manufacture process.

1. Environmental Impacts of Building Materials
for Minarets of Historical Mosques
Hafedh Abed Yahya, and Muna Hanim Abdul Samad
POST GRADUATE CONFERENCE IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT 2014 [PGCBE 2014]
1

2. Introduction
Methodology
Preparing for Implementation
Results and Discussion
Environmental Impacts of Building Materials forMinarets of Historical Mosques2

3. Introduction
1. 2. 3.
Energy
Consumption
3
Depletion of
Natural
Resources
Building materials are affecting on
ecological environment in terms of
Emissions

4. Use
Environmental
impacts are
generated
Introduction
Mining
Manufacturing
Construction
1
2
3
4
Demolition 5
4

5. Introduction
1. 2. 3.
Enhancing
construction
techniques
5
Developing
methodologies and
techniques for evaluating
environmental impacts
Choosing
environmental–
friendly materials
To minimize environmental impacts of buildings
by different parties in various ways including

6. Introduction
The concept of environment
in Islamic perception means
more than a simple
enumeration of its
components of the ecological
system;
it transcends this to establish
a link between these
components and human.
Thus, built environment in
Islamic World was a reflection
of Muslims view of the
environment as a living entity
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7. Introduction7
The architecture of Mosul
was an example of the
architecture of Islamic cities
As well as the mosque is a
representative building for Islamic
architecture

8. Introduction
The functional and behavioural
attributes of minaret can be
neutralised, therefore the minaret
can be studied apart from the
mosque’s other components.
Function
The minaret is an extremely
distinguished architectural element of
mosques.
Form
8
The reasons for choosing minarets as a subject to investigating the
environmental impact of building materials can be attributed to:
1. 2.

9. Introduction
The minaret is an expression
basically based on the Arabic
word indicating "sign" or
"marker". It is the principal
vertical feature of most
mosques which “provides a
local landmark as well as
allowing the voice of the
muezzin (the man appointed to
call for prayer) to carry over a
considerable distance when
calling for prayer”
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10. Introduction
In Mesopotamia, minarets initially emerged
in the twelfth century and the cylindrical
shaft was distinguished in early forms
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11. Methodology
Quantitative data collected for 10 Minarets about the
building materials for each Minaret referring to
construction date, structural and finishing materials, the
dimensions and quantities of the materials.
11

12. Methodology
According to the ISO 14044 standard details the selection
of system boundary of the study will be cradle to grave.
12

13. Methodology
By the aid of GaBi 6.0 Education software the task is to
build (plan-model) for each material which represent the
system with its boundaries.
13
A plan-model is the manner the system becoming
investigated is described in the software. According to
the survey, two plan-models must be built.

14. Methodology14
The plan-model made up of processes
representing the actual processes taking
place.

15. Methodology15
Each process consists of input and output flows which
represent all the material and energy flows passing
between the processes and to end from the system.

16. Methodology
The methodology is presented within four basic steps;
16

17. Methodology17
Five impact categories were assessed
2
Acidification
AP
4
Eutrophication
EP
1
Global Warming
GWP
3
Ozone Depletion
ODP
5
Human Toxicity
HTP

18. Preparing for implementation18
Table 1, Building materials survey for the minarets

19. Results and Discussion
Results of environmental impact of Minarets used clay brick
19

20. Results and Discussion
Results of environmental impact of Minarets used Limestone
20

21. Results and Discussion
The results of this study show that clay brick
was essential material used in construction
of historical minarets as structural and
finishing material. The environmental
impacts of using clay brick are much higher
than for minarets which constructed with
limestone.
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22. Results and Discussion
Although clay brick was not popular in other historical building
in Mosul but it used widely for three reasons;
22
1st
. Light weight of clay brick make
it possible to used it in higher parts
so it was used in minarets, arches,
and domes.
2nd
. The ability of moulding in exact
form and size.
3rd
.The ability to carving made clay
brick perfect finishing material for
inscriptions and calligraphy

23. References
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emissions house.
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Verlag.
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houses in the French context. Energy and buildings, 2001. 33(5): p. 443-450.
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in Scotland. Building and Environment, 2007. 42(3): p. 1391-1394.
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University Press.
8. Frishman, M., H.-U. Khan, and M. Al-Asad, The mosque: history, architectural development
& regional diversity. 2002: Thames & Hudson.
9. NSAI, Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - requirments and guidelines
(14044:2006). 2006, National standard authority of Irland: Dublin. p. 60.
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24. Thank you
POST GRADUATE CONFERENCE IN BUILT
ENVIRONMENT 2014 [PGCBE 2014]
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