The importance of environmentally friendly construction : The peak capacity for oil consumption is upon us and is set to occur within the next two decades. However, demand continually appears to rise as the global production of oil decreases. In light of this, the construction industry still requires most of its energy sources from oil-based fuels.

With this knowledge, the construction sector must develop a secondary plan — as most organisations have become reliant on its usage. This is because they are used within the processes that allow construction to happen. Surprisingly, within the UK, 50% of all carbon emissions produced by machinery and production are accounted for by the construction industry.

The discussion is finally being held regarding the pollution our planet is facing — and more people have a desire to make a change. Together with Reconomy, providers of waste management solutions for recyclable materials and skip hire services, we establish how eco-friendly practices can be established within any construction site.

With more new-build homes being built, the government is enforcing construction companies to use more green methods. Post-construction, firms are also encouraged to incorporate green technologies within the build to benefit the environment once construction is complete.

Eco-friendly construction projects aren’t financially damaging — and the UK should adopt, as last year in the United States, construction firm revenues were around £245bn.

The techniques involved in eco-friendly construction

In order for a structure to be ecologically beneficial to and within the environment, three core principles need to be established before any construction project begins:

1. During construction, is any energy being wasted? Machines can often be overused during the production process, which leads to expendable energy that is wasted and can never be used again. Electric vehicles and machines with hybrid-engines should be used so that when a motor is being overworked, an electric engine can be engaged to cope with the load.
2. Once building the structure is complete, is there any energy generated within it that is wasted?
3. Establish whether materials have been locally sourced or if they’re renewed; if they aren’t, can they be recycled in the future?

As an alternative for roof insulation, construction projects could begin to use recycled paper. Insulation materials are often expensive. By using a cheaper and practical alternative, the cost of producing insulation for one roof will be minimised drastically by using existing materials. Furthermore, timbers sourced from sustainably managed forests in the local area can also be used. As well as reclaimed wood, this is an alternative to chopping down trees that are used within construction.

The way we design

There are many ways that construction firms can propose design changes in their structures:

• Solar energy panels: to generate electricity within a building, or domestically to power boilers and other electrical equipment. Solar energy is fast become a cheaper alternative to other forms of domestic power.
• Drainage systems and water filtration: with these systems in place, water can be re-used when biological waste is treated safely, which can then be recycled. Rainwater can also be collected in specific drains and storage taps, as opposed to always relying on water from a tap.
• Low-energy lighting: accounting for an energy saving of 100%, low-energy lighting lasts twice as long as a regular lightbulb.

What are the benefits of eco-friendly practices?

Over a building’s lifetime, maintaining the structure can equate to 80% of the entire running costs. Green initiatives reduce the total running costs of a building by one third, which amounts to around 53.3% of a building’s running costs.

To save costs on potential artificial lighting in the planning stages, daylight should be considered. The ‘indoor environment quality’ of a building can also be improved when daylight can shine through a building, which benefits the health of all of the occupants that are present.

At a continuous rate, long-lasting and recyclable goods should be utilised. As a result, fewer new materials will be used within the structure, helping to reduce costs whilst less energy is consumed (from crude oils) in order to produce the structure.

By following these methods, your business could help slow down climate change and create a better living environment for all. The end goal for the construction industry should be to produce homes and buildings that are greener, economically efficient and conceptualised with the environment in mind.

Sources:

http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/ecofriendlyconstructionmethodsmaterials.html

http://www.nationwideconstruction.us/eco-friendly-construction-8-advantages-of-green-building/

http://www.inc.com/best-industries/issie-lapowsky/green-construction.html

http://www.sustainablebuild.co.uk/ecofriendlyconstruction.html

http://www.innovationsforthebuiltenvironment.co.uk/

http://www.livingbeyondgreen.com/development-construction/

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