CHANGING PLANET A N D T H E B UILT E N V IR O N M E N T There have been numerous discussions on how the construction industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and waste production. However, the factors of Earth’s increasing population size and of the over-use of resources both play key roles in placing a greater strain on our planet as it is impacted by modern living. Instead of focusing on how the built environment affects our planet, our focus should be on how our changing planet will influence how we build. Due to irresponsible planning, fossil fuels usage, and exploitation of resources, glaciers are melting and causing sea levels to rise. As well, wildlife is being threatened and is diminishing; the ocean is acidifying due to absorption of excessive CO2; Coral reefs are dying; and mercury pollution in the oceans from coal-fired plants is poisoning our food supply. Current NASA data on vital signs of the planet shows the following: • Carbon dioxide levels in the air are at their highest in 650,000 years (409 parts per million). • Seventeen of the warmest years on record have occurred since 2001, and the global temperature has increased 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880. • Arctic ice has been decreasing by 12.8% per decade.
• Satellite data show that Earth’s polar ice sheets are losing mass by 413 giga tons per year. • The global average sea level has risen nearly 7 feet (178mm over the past 100 years) at 3.2 millimeters per year. Studies have also found that civilization’s appetite for natural resources, such as water, clean air, and raw materials, are outstripping the planet’s ability to regenerate and renew. Excessive extraction of raw materials, for production of goods and materials to meet demands of an increasing world population, is placing a strain on the Earth’s resources. Global warming and over-use of natural resources without considered replacement are modifying our climate, resulting in a rise in extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heavier rainfall, wild fires, and destructive storms. PREPARING FOR CHANGES Within the construction industry, action is being taken to mitigate planetary impacts through various measures (such as waste segregation); focus on the three Rs (re-use, reduce, recycle); building for climate resilience through Passive House; more intensive building codes; and other environmental standards such as LEED, and the Living Building Challenge. The construction industry
18 | CONSTRUCTION ECONOMIST | www.ciqs.org | Winter 2018
has made leaps in minimizing wastage, reduced energy usage, and greenhouse gas emissions, supported by government and other associations. However, it has to be considered that we have perhaps reached a ‘tipping point’ and, although we are making changes, there is the potential that we cannot fully rectify the damage already done. In spite of all good intentions to turn things around, the industry may need to be prepared to face these changes. The construction industry will be affected in the following ways: CONSTRUCTION DELAYS Productivity delays will result from extreme and unpredictable weather – e.g. rain and cold temperatures are not ideal conditions for concrete pours – which invariably result in construction delays and a rise in disputes and litigation. While contractors can obtain non-compensable time extensions, clients sometimes include supplementary conditions that preclude award of extra time for adverse weather conditions. Increasingly, extreme weather conditions will be commonplace, so contractors will need to change their business plans accordingly, and developers are going to have to factor in delays with regards to revenues – essentially weather risk management. To return to Table of Contents CLICK HERE
