NEWSGREEN EBOOKBLOG & VIDEOECO BUILDINGS
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NEWS | | GREEN EBOOK | | BLOG & VIDEO | | ECO BUILDINGS | |
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WaterNEWS: This page is Water Use in Construction (1 of 5 pages), and the Water Saving Tips chapter in our Green Home & Building Ebook published by Ecotist. Other chapters on Water are: Water use in Construction & Water use in Buildings. 400 pages, 105 chapters, read sample chapters!See more >
Water use in constructionConstruction projects can have a huge impact on the local environment and water supply. Altering landscapes and paving over soil systems if done without consideration for the natural environment can cause huge ecological problems.The use of some construction materials can be highly water intensive, and, in certain areas of high water charges, this can push up the cost of a build. Using copious amounts of fresh drinking water in construction reduces the total available. The UK has just 1334 cubic meters per person per year, compared to 3065 cubic meters in France and 2785 cubic meters in Italy. It is important that methods and practices be implemented to save water, not only throughout a building's life, but also during its initial construction. When construction projects are undertaken they inevitably replace highly permeable surfaces such as soil with non-permeable surfaces such as concrete. This has the effect of water running off and into drainage systems instead of being allowed to enter the topsoil, causing the soil to dry out. Land is particularly vulnerable to erosion during construction and dirt and silt that washes off of sites can end up in freshwater systems clogging the water, reducing the light available to plant and animal life which can prove fatal. To prevent this it is essential that as little landscaping as possible is done during construction. Plant life such as trees and hedgerows can be planted around natural sources of water on larger builds to act as a buffer to run-off. A common method of controlling dust on a site is to water it down. This requires a lot of water to be sprayed around collecting silt and man-made pollutants that can soak into the ground. Whilst more labour intensive, sweeping dust from a site will cut down on fresh water used. Weighted tarpaulins and seals should be used to keep dust in containers rather than constantly dampening them. Continues 5 pages.
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