Page 10 - Transportation Infrastructure 2019

How Construction Harms the

Environment

There are many societal impacts of construction. Methods,
materials, and operations all contribute to the Shifting Attitudes and
environmental impact of construction. Construction Societal Change
projects worsen climate change. The sector accounts for 25 moving towards
to 40 percent of the world’s total carbon emissions. Sustainability through
Estimates suggest that emissions from commercial buildings
can grow up to 1.8 percent in 2030. Mining projects extract Green Construction
minerals needed for construction materials. Companies then Projects

transport these materials to different parts of the world.
Both processes burn up fossil fuels, and the combustion of Without a doubt, the
fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases. environmental impact of
construction is one of the
biggest global societal issues
One of the biggest environmental problems related to today. Fortunately, the
infrastructure development is energy use. The global number of environmentally –
buildings sector consumes around 36 percent of the world’s conscious companies are
energy. According to the Executive Director of the growing.

International Energy Agency, Dr. FatihBirol, we need to act
as the industry is depleting much needed natural resources. “More firms are requiring
builders to design sustainable
construction projects.
Increased efficiency in energy
systems has become one of the
top priorities. There have been
policy improvements when it
comes to sourcing materials.”

These strategies and practices
aim to make the global
construction sector greener.
Recent efforts have enabled
emissions to stabilize over the
past few years. Moreover,
more construction companies
have set emission reduction
targets in place. There is
indeed the great potential to
In addition, the environmental impact of construction can further minimize the

also affect wildlife. Roads in rainforests can cut off migration environmental impact of
routes. Dams can divert water from freshwater habitats. construction.
Spills from oil platforms can kill marine organisms and leave
the shoreline polluted.