{"id":48311,"date":"2018-10-25T11:46:21","date_gmt":"2018-10-25T10:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=48311"},"modified":"2018-10-25T11:46:21","modified_gmt":"2018-10-25T10:46:21","slug":"environmentally-friendly-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/energy-news\/environmentally-friendly-construction\/48311\/","title":{"rendered":"Environmentally friendly construction: What is it and why should we be paying it attention?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Within the next 20 years, it is estimated that as a planet, we will reach our peak capacity for oil consumption. As global production of all oil decreases, demand continues to increase, and this is no different when it comes to the construction industry<\/h2>\n

The construction sector and industries throughout the western world depend upon cheap crude oil for use within their manufacturing processes and the machines they use to implement these processes. What is striking is that within the UK, construction accounts for 50% of all carbon emissions produced by machinery and production.<\/p>\n

However, the industry as a whole is starting to change and recognise the problems of pollution and the long-term threats it poses to our planet. The UK government is beginning to pass legislation that stipulates construction firms should use green practices<\/a> within their production process, for example, the buildings they produce should incorporate energy-efficient technologies. Furthermore, in the US last year, eco-friendly construction<\/a> firms saw estimated revenues reach $245bn.<\/p>\n

Environmentally friendly construction techniques<\/h3>\n

When building a proposed structure, three things are considered if the design and implementation of that design is to be ecologically beneficial.<\/p>\n

Firstly, are the materials locally sourced and are they renewed, or have the opportunity to be recycled?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Second, is the energy being used to build the structure being wasted? For example, machines can be overused during the construction process and this leads to expendable energy being wasted. Nifty Lift cherry pickers<\/a> are designed with hybrid motor technologies that ensure no expendable energy is wasted on a construction site. When the electric engine is engaged, 0% emissions are produced if the \u2018electric only\u2019 option is on, and it can also run alongside the diesel engine so that the diesel engine is never overworked.<\/p>\n

Finally, once the structure is constructed, is energy being wasted that is generated within it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the construction of roofing, recycled paper can be used as insulation. This will function as a cheaper and practical alternative to the production of insulation materials that are being used specifically for the creation of that roof. As well as this, any timber that is used can be sourced locally from sustainably managed forests \u2013 or reclaimed wood can be used instead of chopping down a tree that will be used within construction.<\/p>\n

Examples of ecological structures and design<\/h3>\n

Here are some of the many ways the construction industry is incorporating energy-efficient and eco-friendly technologies into their structures:<\/p>\n