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Obtaining Sustainability In The Construction Industry Through Carbon Neutral ...


Obtaining Sustainability in the Construction Industry through Carbon Neutral Developments and Low Energy Construction Specifications
Introduction
This dissertation looks at how to obtain sustainability in the construction industry through carbon neutral developments and low energy construction specifications. First, a review of the issue of sustainability in the construction industry is provided, and a review of the massive environmental impact of construction firms is provided (in terms of the UK construction industry), in terms of it's usage of energy, its usage of materials and the pollution and waste that is generated by the industry. Following this review, a discussion of how the construction industry can become more environmentally friendly is presented, in terms of minimising the energy used, the materials used, minimising the pollution generated, and the waste generated. It is noted that if the construction industry as a whole minimised their pollution and waste generating capabilities, and minimised the amount of energy and materials used, then the UK as whole would be much more environmentally stable. Following on from this review, a presentation of two particular cases (the carbon neutrality issue and low-energy construction) is made, in terms of how these two energy-saving devices can be applied by the construction industry. The dissertation concludes with a review of how to obtain sustainability in the construction industry through carbon neutral developments and low energy construction specifications.
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is a fundamental concern for all of humankind, as the population of the Earth realise that we only have one Earth and that we need to look after it. The concept of sustainability has reached the construction industry, as this industry realises that it needs to begin to build sustainably, in order to meet demand, and also, as we shall see later, to come in to line with increasingly stringent government regulations and targets. The construction, use and maintenance of buildings contributes significantly to adverse environmental impacts, such as carbon dioxide production, which can only get worse as the population increases and the need for housing grows. What, however, does sustainability mean? The most common definition is, meeting needs, while minimising the impacts of consumption, providing for the people of today and no endangering the generations of tomorrow, which is objectified in a UK government white paper which aims for four objectives: i) social progress that recognises the needs of everyone; ii) effective protection of the environment; iii) prudent use of natural resources and iv) maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and development.


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