Question

Identify the sustainable development principles applicable to sustainable construction. Explain how construction industry is impacting the environment?

Answer 1

Sustainable Development is characterised as development that offers unique solutions for improving our welfare and which does not come at the cost of degrading environment or negatively effecting other people. It conserves resources without effecting its quantity or quality. The key principle is to balance among population, various resources, aspects of environment and development.Since this development could include activities in many different industry sectors, and construction industry which has one of the highest impact on environment, a close observation of the construction industry is necessary to minimise its impact. This emerges term 'sustainable construction'. Sustainable construction is all designed to create a healthy built environment through resource-efficient and ecologically sound processes, ecosystem preservation and themaintenance of natural equilibrium between the development and capacity of this planet. On a whole principles of sustainable construction are explicitly addressed the links between social, economic, biophysical and technical.

Principles that are applicable for sustainable construction are as follows:

Economic sustainability which has key theme in maintenance of high and stable levels of local economic growth and employment which in turns leads to Improved productivity, consistent profit growth, employee and supplier satisfaction, shorter and more predictable completion time, lower cost projects with increased cost predictability.

Environmental sustainability would curtail effective protection of the environment and prudent use of natural resources which would result in avoiding pollution, protecting and enhancing biodiversity and efficient use of resources.

Social sustainability would give results like provision of effective training and appraisals and equal opportunities, Health, safety and conducive working environment, Maintaining morale and employee satisfaction, delivering services that enhance the local environment, building long-term relationships with clients.

Impact of construction Industry on environment:

Construction Industry plays a huge role in terms of investments, employment and contribution to GDP in every country. The environmental impact of the construction industry is expected to be significant, especially with regard to the loss of soil and agricultural land, the loss of forests and wildlands, air pollution and the loss of non-renewable energy and minerals. Construction Industry uses up lot of raw materials, energy, water and land and results in pollution emission such as atmospheric emissions, water effluents, adverse human health due to poor indoor air quality, global warming, acid rain, and smog due to emissions generated by building product manufacture and transport that consumes energy . The construction industry thus places considerable loads on the environment and has a severe impact on practically every environmental issue that affects sustainability.The challenge for the construction industry is to re-engineer its entire process to reduce its impact on the environment considerably.