Sustainability in Civil Engineering and Construction

Sustainability in Civil Engineering and Construction

By Dr.Mohammed N. Al-Ghanimi

   The goal to carry out operations without using up resources or having a negative effect on the environment is referred to as sustainability. Utilizing sustainable construction techniques will assist reduce the negative effects of construction activity. Other actions that fall under the category of construction include using a variety of building materials, using machinery, tearing down old buildings, using open space, and cutting down trees. can have a variety of effects on the environment 1.

Around the world, courses for civil engineering and construction are increasingly emphasizing sustainability. Sustainability has three facets: environmental, economic, and social. However, the social aspect frequently receives less attention than the other two. Most students studying civil engineering and construction are undoubtedly better equipped to comprehend and contribute to the environmental and economic components of sustainability given their technical backgrounds and training 2.

There are a number of ways that construction directly affects the environment, including waste production, emissions from cars and equipment, noise pollution brought on by the use of heavy machinery and vehicles, and the discharge of trash and pollutants into water, land, and the air 1,2.

Wherever possible, environmentally friendly construction should stop endangering human usage of the environment to protect natural ecosystems. Additionally, it is necessary to stop the unnecessarily excessive use of resources including land, cash, building, use, and disposal. It is not advised to squander water, materials, resources, or money on subpar design. The building must also be manageable and cheap. Along with promoting a decrease in the use of energy, transportation, and other polluting resources. Globally, billions of tons of demolition trash are produced each year to meet the demand for new construction projects. Additionally, inappropriate disposal of this waste tends to be harmful to the environment and improves the working, living, and leisure environments for construction workers and building occupants. Additionally, building construction and operation directly account for around 40% of overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The greatest approach to lessen this impact is to build with green building practices 3.

 

References:

1- Zavadskas, Edmundas Kazimieras, Jonas Šaparauskas, and Jurgita Antucheviciene. 2018. “Sustainability in Construction Engineering” Sustainability 10, no. 7: 2236. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072236.

2- TIZA, M. (2022). Sustainability in the civil engineering and construction industry: A review. Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies. https://doi.org/10.14744/jscmt.2022.11

3- Klotz, L., & Grant, D. (2009). A Balanced View of Sustainability in Civil Engineering and Construction. Construction Research Congress 2009. https://doi.org/10.1061/41020(339)136