Construction is a massive industry today that impacts nearly every other industry across the globe. It accounts heavily in our global gross domestic product (GDP), indicating its economic reach. With Urban areas worldwide seeing an increase of roughly more housing and infrastructure, it's prudent we build a more robust and safe sustainable ecosystem that will develop for years to come and improve the infrastructural development.
The construction industry faces significant challenges in reducing its environmental footprint. Climate change, resource consumption, and water management are all environmental issues that must be carefully considered when working towards sustainability in construction today.
Ensuring sustainability during construction
Sustainability can be one of the most challenging aspects of this industry. Buildings are constructed using natural resources. Those resources are usually thrown out when they have reached the end of their usefulness. For example, remodeling a building might result in throwing away materials used in the initial construction to accommodate the desired changes. This process can deplete natural resources at a rapid rate to substantially impact the overall environment.
The way materials are used are not the only challenge in achieving sustainability in construction. The construction process itself can also have a significant environmental impact. Building sites, tools, equipment and machinery take ample energy. Energy used for heating the building or personnel quarters also contributes to the overall consumption. The way this energy is used and where it comes from can have a huge impact on emissions. Similarly, heavy machinery used in construction often runs on fossil fuels, further exacerbating the footprint of the construction process. Land grading can also affect the ability of the ground to absorb and capture water, which changes the overall scope of the landscape and the stability of the foundation. Reducing the amount of energy used in construction, shifting to electrically powered equipment, and improving the overall energy efficiency of the construction site could be ways of reducing the negative carbon impact.
Designing buildings for re-purposing
Instead of designing for a single purpose, today’s architect is challenged with the task of creating a building that can be reconfigured as needed to meet changing needs. When buildings are designed to be reused rather than demolished, we can reduce the amount of waste going to landfills and reduce the overall consumption of raw materials.
Fortunately, solutions continue to be developed that support sustainability in construction. Circular design eliminates the pattern of “design, build, use, and dispose” and replaces it with one that is more environmentally friendly. A cycle of designing out waste, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems is a more sustainable way to ensure construction keeps up with demand without the profound environmental impact seen in the past.
Considering the materials used
The construction industry produces more waste than all households. This is, in part, because building materials are not designed to be reused or recycled efficiently. This is not only problematic because of the huge amount of waste, but also because these structures are produced using raw materials. The extraction and treatment of these raw materials is taxing for environment resulting in damage on both local and global scale.
When constructing new buildings, or renovating old ones, it is important to consider the use of materials that can be source sustainable and can be recycled after use. Recycling forms a key element of the circular economy and it is time for construction to become circular.
Designing buildings with the circular economy in mind also sets a high standard for the longevity and robustness of the building elements used. Choosing building materials that are long-lasting and can serve multiple purposes lowers the cost of renovating the buildings over time and ensures consistent performance.