Sustainability Potential of Intervention Strategies for Mortar Coating Repair: A Case Study in a Centenary Building

Abstract

Coatings play a fundamental role in the exterior wall system of a building and are directly related to its performance through life. Increased durability and lifespan can be achieved when coating’s integrity can prevent the entrance of aggressive agents on the substrate. Therefore, the condition of this system should be periodically evaluated, considering not only technical and economic aspects in the selection of the materials for repair, but also sustainability aspects, in order to reduce the environmental impacts incorporated into the building. In this study, a Brazilian building dated from 1908 was evaluated with the purpose of detecting pathological manifestations in its outer coating. In a primarily inspection stage, cracks and coating detachments were identified as the pathological manifestations with higher incidence in the evaluated facades. Three maintenance strategies were assessed for crack repair and two for the purpose of resolving the loss of adhesion. Subsequently, a life cycle analysis (LCA) was performed for each intervention alternative. Results indicate that regarding the cracks correction, the solution that presented the lowest environmental impact potential was the model that uses lime paste for filling, while for detachments the indicated solution from an environmental point of view is the polymer-free model.