The Environmental Impact Of Building Activity On Climate Change

By: Ayavor Stephanie Agarthar Elorm

The building and construction industry plays a significant role in shaping our environment. Construction activities impact on the environment throughout the life cycle of development. However, it has profound impact on climate range. These ranges from the extraction of raw materials to the construction processes and the energy consumption of buildings, each step contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and the depletion of natural resources. In this article, we will explore the various ways in which building activities affect climate change.

Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG emissions) are one of the significant impacts of building construction on climate change. The construction process which includes the extraction and transportation of materials as well as the energy used during construction, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. According to Levin (1997), in the USA construction is responsible for 40 percent of atmospheric emissions. The emissions include some toxic substances such as nitrogen and sulphur oxides. They are released during the production and transportation of materials as well as from site activities and have caused serious threat to the natural environment (Spence & Mulligan, 1995; Ofori & Chan, 1998; Rohracher, 2001). The productions of materials like cement and steel releases greenhouse gases. Studies have shown that building and construction sectors has accounted for 36% of final energy use and 39% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2018, 11% of which resulted from manufacturing building materials and products such as steel, cement and glass. These emissions, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), contribute to the blanketing the earth and trap the sun’s heat which gradually leads to global warming and climate change.

Again, building and construction leads to deforestation and habitat destruction. The construction industry requires vast amounts of raw materials, such as timber and bamboo, which they use for roofing, tables, wardrobe, and cupboard, amongst others. This has led to loss of forest since most of the trees have been fallen to provide these materials leading to the loss of carbon-absorbing trees. Again, the habitats of animals are destroyed which trees are fallen and forest destructed. These activities for sourcing these materials contribute to the loss of biodiversity and disrupt natural ecosystems, further exacerbating climate change.

Waste generation is another way in which building activities affect climate change. According to Ofori and Chan (1998) majority of the wastes generated from construction activities resulted from the production, transportation and the use of materials. Construction activities generate a substantial amount of waste, including construction debris and packaging materials. Improper disposal of these wastes generates pollution and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions from landfill sites affecting the climate.

Furthermore, building activities has led to resource depletion. The extraction of raw materials for construction, such as sand, gravel and metals can deplete natural resources. Stone quarrying and sand winning has made every piece of land vulnerable leading to the loss of arable lands and environmental pollution, that is air and water pollution. Unsustainable extraction practices can lead to environmental degradation and the loss of valuable ecosystem. 

In conclusion, building activities are causing more harm than good to climate and must be readdressed. To mitigate these impacts, sustainable building practices, such as using renewable energy sources, incorporating energy-efficient designs, employing recycled materials and adopting green building certification can help to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry and make the climate a stable one. 

References

Ametepey, S. O. (2015). impact of construction activiteis on the environmeny, the case of ghana.

Levin. H (1997). Systematic evaluation and assessment of building environmental performance (SEABEP)’, . paris.

Ofori. G. and Chan. (1998). Procurement methods and contractual provisions for sustainability in construction in proceedings of construction and the environment.

Spence. R, (1995). ‘Sustainable development and the construction industry’,.