Hussain H. Alzoubi

Analysis of Embodied Energy Requirements for Natural Dimensioned Stone Production in Jordan

Abstract Due to high costs in the building industry, this research focuses on tracking the manufacturing processes of natural stone including quarrying, transportation, sawing, and finishing. The study investigated the local conditions for embodied energy estimation in Jordan. Of 52 quarries in Jordan, a sample of 25 quarries was studied focusing on the manufacturing processes. The major focus was on embodied energy in producing a certain quantity of dimensioned stone. The study used systematic observation in the field associated with calculation procedures in parallel with constructing a process chart for tracking the manufacturing of dimensioned stone in Jordan. It was found that the results of calculating the embodied energy in manufacturing natural stone are applicable if three major variables are known: the distance from quarries to stone workshops, the distance from stone workshops to construction sites, and the costs of human labor. In addition, the resulting data give the possibility of developing and improving a process chart for stone production and manufacturing that eventually might lead to reducing energy flows of stone production. Overall, the findings of this study may help decision makers compare the embodied energy of natural stone as a building material with other common materials in order to estimate the differences in overall building costs.