The Importance of Sustainable Construction in Engineering
You’ve probably heard a lot about climate change and sustainability in recent years, and for good reason. Climate scientists estimate that if we don’t change, humans have just a handful of years left on this planet. One of the biggest areas where we can improve is sustainable construction.
Sustainable construction aims to improve the materials and processes used for buildings. Read on to learn more about why this is so important and how we can make it happen.
What Is Sustainable Construction?
Sustainability has become something of a buzzword in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. Sustainability focuses around using renewable resources that don’t harm our environment. With just twelve years left to limit climate catastrophe, we all need to do our best to be sustainable where we can.
Sustainable construction aims to use green materials like bamboo, which can replenish itself very quickly and doesn’t harm the environment. It also works to eliminate waste and pollution from materials and machinery. And it tries to limit the release of toxic waste into the environment.
Why Is It Important?
According to the EPA, the biggest sources of greenhouse gases are transportation, electricity production, industry, commercial and residential energy use, agriculture, and land use. If these sectors sound familiar, they should. Of those six sources, construction is involved in five.
Some estimates say that manufacturing and construction are responsible for more than 13 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Climate scientists say we need to cut those emissions by about 45 percent in the next twelve years. That means the construction industry alone could take care of a third of that bill.
How to Ensure It
There are several ways the construction industry can use more sustainable practices. For one, they can commit to enhancing biodiversity by not using threatened species for materials. They can also make sure they’re being as efficient in their material use as possible.
The construction industry also needs to commit to using fewer fossil fuels and eliminating as much waste as possible. They need to start recycling their waste and using recycled material to build with. And where they can, they need to work on harnessing heat generated by their processes and turning it back into usable energy.
Learn More About Sustainable Construction
Developing sustainable construction practices is crucial if the human race is going to survive for the next twenty years. That means generating less waste, using better materials, and recycling as much as possible. Improvement in just this one industry could go a long way to saving our world for future generations.
If you’d like to start using more efficient materials, check out the rest of our site at CPV manufacturing. We have valves and fittings that can help you improve your efficiency and save water. Check out our product selection guide to find the right solutions for your project.