Life Cycle Energy Assessment of Rajasthan’s Marble Processing Plant for Sustainable Environment Planning

Abstract

The construction sector plays a vital role in achieving sustainability; therefore, monitoring and continuous improvement in energy and environmental performance in this sector are crucial. The Rajasthan state of India contains 64% of Indian marble resources, and approximately 90% of the marble is being processed in Rajasthan alone. In past decades, the production of marble stones has been in very high volume, leading to high energy consumption. Since the processing of marble worldwide is performed by Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs), these industries lack technology, leading to low efficiency and more expensive production with significant waste generation. The objective of this study is to assess the energy consumption and environmental impacts of typical marble processing SMEs in Rajasthan and to propose strategies for enhancing production efficiency and reducing the ecological footprint. Through site surveys, power rating data were collected to quantify electrical energy usage across various operations of marble production, and further, each operating scenario's energy consumption was compiled. Environmental impacts, particularly CO2 emissions, were quantified using the GaBi® sustainability software. This study presents a consolidate index for assessing the economic and environmental performance of different operating scenarios and for ranking processing lines for One Square Feet (ft2) of processed marble stone, providing a comprehensive sustainability performance assessment. The findings highlight the potential for substantial environmental advantages by implementing energy-efficient practices and critical technological advancements to improve the marble processing industries' sustainability and operational efficiency, potentially assisting broader regional environmental initiatives. Eventually, the findings aim to contribute to the development of greener production practices in the sector, promoting both economic and environmental sustainability.