Eco_Construct

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 emissi...

By: Stephandy Kyeraah Gravel, a fundamental resource in the construction industry, is vital for the development of roads, buildings, and various infrastructure projects. However, the extraction of gravel has extensive environmental consequences, including its role in contributing to climate change. In this article, we will delve into the gravel extraction process and its environmental effects on our planet's climate.                        Extraction Process Gravel is typically extracted from riverbeds, quarries, or open-pit mines, where heavy machinery, such as excavators and bulldozers, is employed to remove topsoil and access gravel deposits. This process involves substantial energy consumption and emits greenhouse gases (GHGs), primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), from the operation of fossil fuel-powered equipment. After extraction, gravel must be transported to construction sites, necessitating the use of trucks that further c...

By:  Ayovor Stephanie Agarthar Elorm Sand winning, also known as sand mining, refers to the extraction of sand from natural sources such as rivers, beaches, and sand dunes. Sand mining (extraction) is defined as the removal of primary (virgin) natural sand and sand resources (mineral sands and aggregates) from the natural environment (terrestrial, riverine, coastal, or marine) for extracting valuable minerals, metals, crushed stone, sand and gravel for subsequent processing (UNEP, 2019). Sand mining has tripled in the past two decades, with demand reaching 50 billion tonnes a year in 2019, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Indeed, the volume of sand and gravel used each year is enough to build a wall around the equator measuring 27 metres high by 27 metres wide. (AGENDA, 2023) It is often done to meet the demand for construction materials. However, sand winning can have significant environmental impacts, including habitat destruction, erosion, and the d...

By: Vivian Antwiwaa Gyang Climate change, as defined by the United Nations, refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. The fundamental cause of climate change is the greenhouse effect, which is linked to how certain atmospheric gases trap heat from the Earth in the atmosphere, leading to a warming of the air. This, however, becomes problematic when the quantity of heat and gases released into the atmosphere exceeds sustainable levels. One significant contributor to climate change is the building and construction industry. The majority of materials used in this industry are produced using methods that have adverse effects on the environment. In many countries, including Ghana, trees are cut down to provide roofing materials for buildings. Trees play a crucial role in safeguarding our environment from global warming. They act as natural carbon sinks, absorbing and storing carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming and climate chan...