Book excerpt: The increasing level of pollution in the environment not only harms the natural world, but also accelerates the deterioration and corrosion of materials used in technical work, as well as objects with historical or artistic value. It is impossible to eliminate the numerous sources of this negative effect, so there are currently increased efforts towards improved preservation, which require a thorough knowledge of the causes of the degradation of individual materials.This book deals with the fundamental principles underlying environmental degradation of widely-used and economically important construction materials such as metals, stone, brick, concrete, timber, cast iron, steel, copper alloys and aluminium. It features information on the methods of deterioration, as well as general information on the economic impact of the damaging processes, and offers some suggested fundamental protection techniques for buildings, industrial and agricultural facilities, monuments and culturally important structures.This book will be of interest to materials and corrosion engineering experts, civil and environmental engineers, students and practicing professionals, designers, architects and restoration engineers. It will also be a useful tool for managers from various sectors of industry, for auditors of environmental management systems, and it can be used as a complementary course book for university students.