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Air Pollution could cause a problem

February 14, 2018/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

The Considerate Constructors scheme have recently conducted a survey which reveals an urgent need for greater awareness and understanding of air pollution across the construction industry, and provides advice on tackling the issue.

Air pollution is a key concern for the construction industry due to the sector’s considerable impact on air quality.

•Less than a quarter of all air pollution-related deaths are in London, so it is clear that air pollution is everyone’s problem.

•Construction sites are responsible for 7.5% of nitrogen oxide emissions, 8% of large particle emissions and 14.5% of emissions of the most dangerous fine particles.

•The construction sector mostly contributes to air pollution through construction dust, plant machinery and construction transport.

•The industry is taking steps to reduce air pollution through air quality plans, emissions monitoring, dust management, low-emission plant machinery, delivery management and raising workforce awareness.

Air quality plans

At the outset of a large project or one adjacent to sensitive receptors, it is important to incorporate air quality considerations into the management and logistics plans. These can include the following:

•Where the risk of dust is deemed to have a negative impact on amenity, health and the natural environment – relative to site-specific factors such as proximity to sensitive receptors – an Air Quality Assessment may be required. This assessment should identify the level of risk to air quality during each stage of the project.

•Air Quality and Dust Management Plans should outline the steps being taken to mitigate the adverse impact of construction activities on air quality.

•In preparing Construction Logistics Plans, contractors should engage with their client/developers to demonstrate how they will deal with pollution issues during construction. This can include the controls and systems outlined in the above documents and traffic/delivery considerations.

Monitoring

It is difficult to assess a site’s impact on air quality if no monitoring is carried out, so sites could consider the following:

•Baseline monitoring of air quality levels in the vicinity of the works before the project commences will act as a reference point to identify good and bad practice throughout the project.

•Dust emissions should be monitored through specialised machinery, visual inspections, daily dust logs etc.

•Continuous air quality and particulate monitoring will alert the contractor to any rapid increases in pollutant concentrations, so that mitigation measures can be put in place.

While 84% of survey respondents acknowledge there is an issue with air pollution in the construction industry, nearly two thirds (64%) feel the industry is not doing enough to tackle this issue.

The survey, which involved over 600 respondents from across the UK and Irish construction industries, also revealed:

•91% said air pollution is a nationwide issue.

•88% said the importance of minimising air pollution is being communicated to the workforce on their site.

•62% said their site has appropriate measures in place to address air pollution.

•56% have a good or detailed understanding of air pollution.

•39% have an average understanding of the regulations surrounding air pollution.

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive, Edward Hardy said:

A staggering 40,000 deaths a year are linked to air pollution in the UK, and many people are suffering long-term health problems caused by poor air quality. As construction is a significant contributor to air pollution, it is essential for the industry to put measures in place to clean up our air by working together to reduce our impact on air quality.

The Scheme’s ‘Spotlight on…air pollution’ campaign provides everyone within the industry access to a practical suite of resources including best practice, guidance and case studies from Scheme-registered construction sites, companies and suppliers on how to tackle this issue, as well as guidance from organisations including the Institute of Air Quality Management, Healthy Air Campaign and the Greater London Authority.

We are proud to be at the forefront of collaborative efforts to tackle air pollution, having partnered with the Institution of Civil Engineers to produce Scheme posters for registered sites, companies and suppliers to raise the issue of air pollution to their workforce. The Institution of Civil Engineers has also recognised the value of the industry being committed to the Considerate Constructors Scheme, having highlighted Scheme registration within its London Air Quality Taskforce report published in 2017.

Professor Peter Hansford FREng FICE, Chair of ICE Air Quality Task Force commented:

The Institution of Civil Engineers is delighted to be partnering with the Scheme for the launch of its ‘Spotlight on…air pollution’ campaign. The Scheme offers a golden opportunity for the industry to ‘up its game’ in relation to air quality around our construction sites and is a key driving force in helping to address this issue across the industry.

For the full report please go here:

https://ccsbestpractice.org.uk/spotlight-on/spotlight-on-air-pollution/#Introduction

Sources: cscscheme.org

What is a smart building?

July 10, 2017/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

Fundamentally, Smart buildings strive to maintain the lowest costs whilst being the most productive and having the lowest environmental impact. Important building operations in smart builds include ventilation, heating, air conditioning, lighting and security. The building uses sensors to collect data and manage it accordingly, therefore reducing energy use and optimising the space.

Navigant research estimates that the smart building technology market will generate global revenue of $8.5 billion in 2020, up from $4.7 billion in 2016, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15.9% over the forecast period.

Smart building technology is expected to grow by 34 percent annually over the next five years, with a prediction of reaching a total market value of nearly $25 billion by the year 2021.

Energy savings and sustainability are the main benefits. Reducing energy costs, increasing productivity of staff and improving building operations are also important.

If a building is not performing to its design standard, this means a smart building should be able to gather information as to why, and adapt accordingly. Interconnected technologies make the building more responsive and ultimately improve its performance.

The fundamentals on construction have not changed significantly for many years. Concrete, timber, glass and brick are still the materials of choice for most contractors. Construction is continually criticised for not being innovative or inventive enough, and advances in other industries have outstripped it. These relatively new technologies could bring about real change.

However, there is a downside. Soon smart buildings and structures will become so automated, they’ll be able to diagnose and make structural and system repairs on their own without the need for humans.

There are always risks with new technology. The advantages are obvious, but there could be additional risks related to cost, delays and materials. The smart building gold standard is moving faster than conventional construction, and the ability to keep up remains to be seen. Its an exciting period on construction, and one that is becoming ever more important in the society that we live in. Going green as much as possible and reducing the carbon footprint as we discussed last month are construction buzz words that investors and designers are interested in.

For further information on smart buildings, The Crystal in London is a great example.

How can the construction industry reduce its carbon footprint?

June 14, 2017/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

With the threat of global warming constantly looming, reducing the carbon footprint within the construction industry has become a point of upmost importance.

Eco friendly buildings are on the rise in the UK, and pressure is mounting to build in a more environmentally friendly way – so are we reaching our goal? The number of eco friendly construction companies is growing, and those who haven’t started using these methods may fall behind the times.

One of the main ways to become more environmentally friends is by using better insulation. The best ones, made from recycled material, reduce energy waste and have a low environmental impact. Buildings need to ensure that their hot water, heating, lighting and cooling systems all meet energy efficient measures. Windows, doors, vents and roof lights also need to be draught proofed.

Sustainable materials are also crucial. Cement production is responsible for around half of the industry’s CO2 output because of the energy required to make it, and the chemical reactions that are involved. Choosing an alternative cement that has different chemicals or use different methods such as wood, straw bales and compressed soil, have a much lower carbon footprint than cement.

The old adage of reduce, reuse, recycle is an important message with regards to reducing waste. Making sure that materials are not over ordered and recycling where ever possible is key. Sourcing materials locally is also a plus, because it means that there is less need for transporting them, and using materials that can be packed more efficiently and weigh less mean that energy is saved.

Optimising natural light and using solar power can be a great energy saver. Lighting can account for up to 40% of the energy used in a typical commercial building so making savings here seems obvious.

Water usage can also make savings. Efficient fixtures and appliances can reduce water usage. Reduced flush toilets and rain water harvesting are becoming more popular as people seek to reduce their costs as much as possible.

Passive houses are also becoming more prominent. Passive house is a rigorous, voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing its ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling. Passive House is not a brand name, but a construction concept that can be applied by anyone and that has stood the test of practice.

Carbon reduction is a complex challenge, and companies that can demonstrate green credentials are at the top of the construction sector in the UK. Managing and reducing the carbon footprint is becoming increasingly important in such a fast paced industry as ours.