Environmental impacts of construction products: An analize in the context of integrated product policy

Construction products, starting from production until end of life, in other words during their life cycle, may negatively affect the environment. In addition to all concerned stakeholders regarding construction products, architects as well as, with their architectural design and decisions about construction products, has a responsibility in terms of reducing the negative effects. Integrated Product Policy (IPP) aims to reduce the environmental impacts of the products within the life cycle in corporation with all concerned parties. In order fort the IPP to reach its aim, tools shaped according to the economical, environmental and social priorities are used in every country where it is implemented. In this dissertation, the proposal of methodology regarding the tools and principles of IPP in order to reduce and control the environmental effects of construction products in Turkey is presented. The methodology is based on defining the tools equivalent to those of IPP affecting the construction products in Turkey and analizing the requirements obtained by this definition according to the concerned party/ tool relationship. Study results are commented by taking the types of tools (directly regulating, economical, informative and socio-cultural) into account.