Urban areas across the UK are constantly developing and evolving, with countless construction projects currently underway. These building projects allow for the regeneration of our towns and cities, giving us new office spaces, modern housing, improved transport networks, and pedestrianised routes through the busiest areas.
Building projects will always be a necessity, but a consequence of this essential work is the detrimental impact it has on the environment. The construction industry accounts for half of all non-renewable energy consumed, whilst concrete is believed to be the second most used substance on the planet, after water.
As a key ingredient in concrete, cement is also in high demand. Cement manufacturing contributes to 8% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, where this involves the processing and transportation of raw materials.
These figures represent just a small fraction of the wider issue at hand. Construction projects are often completed hastily, with limitations set by tight profit margins. This means that environmental and safety concerns are often overlooked in favour of financial gain.
Fortunately, there are lots of ways that construction work can be made more environmentally friendly, where many projects today prioritise sustainability throughout their building processes. These construction teams handle their materials and waste with care, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect local habitats.
Lots of these changes are affordable and easy to implement, meaning you could also make a big difference with small eco-friendly swaps on your own site.
Read on to find out more about how you can minimise environmental harm during your next construction project.
Pollution Control
As a consequence of construction, harmful substances can pollute the surrounding environment, harming local habitats and contributing to global warming. Each type of pollution can be managed and reduced with the implementation of sustainable processes, where some of these methods are discussed below:
Air Pollution
The combustion of fossil fuels releases various greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which reduces air quality in the area and contributes to climate change. Heavy duty machinery, industrial manufacturing equipment and transportation vehicles are all typically run on fossil fuels, which explains the huge quantities of non-renewable energy consumed by the construction industry.
To combat this, building sites can consider switching to greener, renewable energy sources. Solar panels and geothermal systems for instance can be installed on-site to run tools and to power lights, where these won’t release any carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Sites can also choose to optimise delivery routes to keep road travel to a minimum, in addition to investing in low emission, hybrid or electric vehicles. Further to this, protective screens and covers can be installed to restrict the spread of dust and other airborne particles in the local area.
Noise Pollution
Noise is also considered a pollutant, where loud building projects can impact the quality of life of nearby residents, in addition to forcing wildlife populations out of the area. Most construction projects will carry out a noise risk assessment to understand the issues involved, after which processes to mitigate these noise levels can be implemented.
As with dust control, sites can install sound barriers and protective screens to combat noise pollution. For longer term projects, disruptive work can be scheduled for day-time hours to avoid complaints. Additionally, planting new vegetation in the area can also help to reduce noise whilst encouraging wildlife back to the site.
Water Pollution
Some building projects will need to consider the risk of water contamination and pollution before the planned work gets final approval. If a site is near a natural waterway, then run-off from building works could harm local wildlife species whilst also impacting drinking water supplies.
To combat this, the site should handle all liquid waste with extreme care, carrying out a full risk assessment ahead of time. Procedures should also be in place to quickly respond to leaks in order to minimise the potential for an environmental disaster.
Resource Management
Lots of waste from building projects comes from a mismanagement of resources, where this leads to excess quantities of materials ending up in landfill. There are lots of ways that sites can handle their resources more efficiently, where some of these strategies include:
● Ethical supply chains - ensure that best practices are being followed at every stage of the delivery process to minimise carbon emissions.
● Sustainable materials - wood, concrete or building blocks can be sourced from local or sustainable suppliers, whilst some materials can be recycled from previous projects.
● Lean manufacturing - also known as ‘just-in-time’ manufacturing, this means that parts are prefabricated or materials are delivered only when they’re needed to reduce waste and energy consumption
Sensitive Waste Handling
Whilst good material management can help to reduce waste, most projects will still have some refuse or leftover material that needs to be disposed of. It is important that any materials that can be reused, recycled or repurposed are kept separate from non-salvageable waste, where skips can be used to keep materials organised.
It is then important to work with a skip removal or waste handling team that prioritise recycling across their operations. For instance, at Cherry Hill Waste, we work hard to salvage as much of your construction waste as possible, minimising the quantities that end up in landfill.
Machinery Hire
Hiring your construction machinery could also help to make your project more sustainable. This is because you will be able to afford newer, better quality machinery, compared to making an expensive outright purchase. As such, you will be able to benefit from greener, more efficient engines that will keep emissions to a minimum.
The hiring process also helps to reduce waste and resource consumption, as you can source a specialist vehicle only when you need it. This means you won’t have to worry about repairing or disposing of a piece of equipment that you no longer have any use for.
Sustainable Building Projects Today
Lots of commercial and residential developments today are prioritising a sustainable approach, where this is essential for attracting environmentally-conscious consumers. Some top case studies are detailed here:
Case Study: Island Reach
One residential development in Newquay, Cornwall implemented some of these sustainable approaches to create an environmentally friendly block of townhouses, completed in 2016.
Island Reach by Verto Homes is built from locally sourced timber frames, built by contractors in the area. These frames are also designed to be recycled once they reach the end of their natural life.
Additionally, each home was built with solar panels, triple glazing and air source heat pumps to improve energy efficiency.
After completion, the project was awarded Best Residential Development in Cornwall by the UK Property Awards, with Verto Homes claiming that Island Reach was the first zero-carbon development in the UK.
Case Study: Roots in the Sky
The Roots in the Sky project plans to convert the old Blackfriars Crown Court in London into an eco-friendly workspace. Designs include the UK’s first urban rooftop forest, which will be built to attract local wildlife to the area.
Other notable features include community gardens, as well as a rooftop restaurant and swimming pool. The building is designed to achieve net zero in both construction and operation, with wastewater heat recovery and air source heat pumps included inside.
Importantly, the development is utilising reclaimed steel for its framework, sourced from the demolition of another structure. The existing building will also be retrofitted to minimise waste at every stage.
If everything remains on track, the project is set to be complete by the end of 2024.
Cherry Hill Waste: Environmentally Friendly Waste Disposal Services
At Cherry Hill Waste, we can help you to reduce the environmental impact of your next construction project. We offer a range of skip hire and commercial recycling services, where we always aim to recycle 95% of the waste we collect.
We can also provide you with a range of grab and tipper hire options to assist you in meeting the specific needs of your project. Our selection includes tippers with a 20-tonne payload capacity, ideal for large-scale waste clearance. You can also use our grab trucks as essential pieces of recycling equipment, as they are perfect for sorting and separating your reusable materials.
Get in touch with our team today to find out more about our eco-friendly waste management services.
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