Construction is a massive industry that profoundly affects our daily lives, the economy, and the environment. There’s a growing trend of making the industry more environmentally friendly, so we’ve compiled some sustainable construction practices everyone should know about that are changing the industry.
Prefabricating Materials
Some great ways construction projects can save energy and resources are to utilize prefabricated materials and thoroughly design the construction beforehand. Obviously, every project requires immense planning, but new technologies and methods—like building information management systems—help the industry conserve materials, energy, and time before the project starts.
More projects are prefabricating materials and structures in controlled environments before construction. The prefabricated pieces and installations are then brought to the construction site and assembled—almost like a set of giant LEGOs.
Plastic Lumber
Construction materials provide opportunities for better sustainability and environmental protection. One of the most popular features of sustainable cities using plastic lumber is the productive ecological impact.
Plastic lumber is created with reusable plastics, which helps reduce plastic waste in landfills and means fewer trees are cut down for lumber and construction. Plastic lumber can last longer and is more durable than organic wood—meaning using fewer resources for maintenance and repairs.
Utilizing Local Suppliers
One of the simplest sustainable construction practices that every builder should know about is the environmental benefit of utilizing local suppliers. Construction requires many supplies and materials, but builders often import equipment and supplies from around the country.
Transporting materials and supplies across the country means burning more gas for trucks, planes, and ships—adding more carbon emissions to the air. Local suppliers often have just as good materials, and transporting them to the site won’t produce as much carbon emissions.
Waste Reduction
Waste and landfills are significant environmental problems, and the construction industry is one of the largest culprits of waste production. Experts estimate that construction operations produce billions of tons of solid waste annually—obviously not ideal for maintaining a sustainable environment.
That also means the construction industry has the potential to reduce waste as much as any other industry. Taking careful consideration to separate, recycle, and reuse otherwise wasted materials and supplies is a simple but effective strategy for combatting the growing problem of waste for our environment.
