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Sustainable construction means building something with the environment in mind. Principles of sustainable construction include a plan to make the most of every facet of development. This entails looking into the best methods of saving energy, causing the least amount of pollution, utilizing fewer virgin materials, and creating less waste during the construction process. These methods should also leave the new structure with the best mechanisms in place to optimize its potential to be environmentally friendly.

There are many definitions to the word “sustainable” and they have grown in the new ecological realm of today. Basically, and for the purposes of this discussion, sustainability means that human beings need to find a way to live within the Earth’s resources and not “use the Earth up.” The Earth’s resources can be replenished but not at the voracious rate which humans have begun to use them up. Therefore, we must take care with the remaining resources on Earth and become better guardians of the planet.

It is important to remember that during the process of constructing something new, a lot of waste occurs. It has been estimated that one-fifth of all waste is generated through construction processes. This waste begins with the initial collecting of resources to be used in building, to the processing of those resources, to transporting them from origin to the construction site, use, and disposal of remnants and by-products of the materials.

Builders need to look at every step of the construction process to ensure the best choices are being made. For example, if wood (timber) is used, is it being purchased from a forest that is utilizing sustainable practices in harvesting the wood? When building with steel, waste is generated from the process of ore mining, transporting the materials, and smelting. If the steel being considered is created from scrap, a net reduction in waste can occur. Every aspect of manufacture needs to be thoughtfully considered in order to come up with a sustainable construction plan.

An example of minimizing the energy use and environmental pollution from transporting needed materials is to purchase local materials whenever possible. This is also a good incentive for local producers to comply with environmental practices to be considered for sustainable construction projects.

Another component of sustainable construction to watch out for is the spills, leaks, and dropped materials that end up being wasted accidentally. Some materials purchased for use at construction sites might never make it into use. For instance, sand is often “lost” through spills. In many instances, the sand is not cleaned up but left to spread into the Earth’s soil. One idea, used where possible, is to employ the use of pre-mixed mortar instead of sand. This method takes sand out of the equation altogether and can also lead to a higher quality product.

Much of the time, the problem fighting sustainable construction is cost. Everyone wants to build something cheaper so they can maximize their profit. That approach is finding itself in direct conflict with the overall health of our environment. Decisions are going to have to start being made for the good of the planet instead of the good of someone’s pocketbook or there won’t be an Earth to worry about constructing a building on.


Sherry Irvin
on behalf of the
BascoTec Internet Limited
Technologie Park 13
33100 Paderborn
Germany

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