Business View Magazine | July 2019

17 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JULY 2019 Understanding Sustainable Construction and Its Importance Courtesy of The Blog Frog I n this day and age, we need to all be a little bit more sustainable. From recycling our old things to choosing to carpool, even the little things we can do add up to a big difference. That being said, there’s one industry where a little change goes much further. This industry is construction, and the environmental impacts are far-reaching. How exactly does construction harm the environment? Frankly put, much of it has to do with the size of the operation. The world is growing in population, and more buildings and housing are necessary than ever before. This takes a huge toll. In this guide, we’ll uncover why construction has such a negative impact on the environment as well as the top trends for sustainable construction today. The Impact of the Construction Industry What exactly is the impact on the construction industry? The construction industry involves a lot of moving parts. First, materials are sourced through harmful mining practices. Next, these materials need to be transported to the building site. They often have to travel long distances to get from warehouses to their final destination. Finally, The construction process itself and the following disposal process can be a drain on the environment. As more and more countries are looking for new ways to construct necessary homes and buildings faster, it’s not unusual for corners to be cut at the expense of the environment. The truth is in the statistics. The construction sector contributes to 23% of air pollution, 40% of drinking water pollution, 50% of climatic change, and 50% of landfill waste. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) reports that the construction industry accounts for around 40% of the world’s energy usage. As you can see, this is a call to arms. It’s up to the