(737a) Sustainability Metrics for Miscanthus in Building Materials

There are large areas of land that are contaminated from past military, mining, dumping, or other activities. One aspect of sustainable development is to improve soil quality and simultaneously produce a useful product. Miscanthus is a perennial grass that has large biomass yields, has a low nitrogen fertilizer requirement, and moderate water needs. Research is in progress to grow miscanthus on land contaminated by past military operations. One of the uses for miscanthus is to incorporate it into building materials such as composites and fiber board products. Sustainability metrics related to the process of producing miscanthus while improving soil quality and using it in building material products will be the focus of the presentation.