Carbon-DI-Oxide in the Construction Industy Research Paper

Introduction

Background: Global Warming

Our Globe is a shell embraced by atmospheric gases. This atmosphere works as a gateway that allows most of the gases to make paths in order to reach the surface of the earth. This light, which comes from the sun to the earth, is absorbed by the surface of the earth after passing through the gateway. The earth coverts that light into heat energy and again send them back into the atmosphere.

As a result of the fact that these gases are present in the atmosphere in excessive amount, the heat that is sent back from the surface of the earth is put off by the atmosphere and resulted in heating of the earth. This initiates “Global Warming”.

The emission of heat-trapping gases from earth into the environment has caused the increasing warming around the globe producing or caused to be produced by human race resulting in the melting of glaciers and ice, and rising of sea level. Those emissions are called “Greenhouse Gases” levels of which are constantly increasing day by day especially after the advent of 21st century.

The term “greenhouse effect” has been the most debated term in the recent years. It defines the warming happening around the globe when those gases, which earth transmits back to the atmosphere, are stuck in the atmosphere. They don’t let heat to escape and hence constantly gathering heat producing gases.

The greenhouse effect term surfaced date back to two centuries ago, when in 1824, Joseph Fourier estimated the fact that it is the atmosphere that keeps the world warn otherwise Earth would be freeze to Ice (National Geographic, n.d).

Instead of using the term global warming, Scientist use “climate change” as the expression for defining global warming. Owing to reason of using this term as because of the irregular behavior of earth and climate around the global i.e. the cold in some parts, warm in other while drought in one as rain and flood in others.

Hence, many parts around the Earth are affected by Global Warming. “Global warming makes the sea rise, and when the sea rises, the water covers many low land islands. This is a big problem for many of the plants, animals, and people on islands” (CEDERE, 2007). As per an illustration, “The water covers the plants and causes some of them to die. When they die, the animals lose a source of food, along with their habitat.

Although animals have a better ability to adapt to what happens than plants do, they may die also. When the plants and animals die, people lose two sources of food, plant food and animal food. They may also lose their homes. As a result, they would also have to leave the area or die. This would be called a break in the food chain, or a chain reaction, one thing happening that leads to another and so on” (Oracle ThinkQuest, 2002).

CO₂ in Air:

Low down in the amount in atmosphere, it is obtained, from mixture of difference gases in atmosphere, in chemical laboratories. It is extracted as a by-product as the manufacturing of ammonia. It is also used for commercial purpose in daily life as refrigerant for beverages and in fire extinguishers.

Carbon dioxide is produced and released into the atmosphere when carbon-containing fossil fuels. As a result of the extreme world-wide consumption of such fossil fuels, the amount of CO₂ in air has risen and now its rate is 1 ppm / annum. It also dissolves in the water of the oceans (Shakhashiri, 2008).

Source: Carbon dioxide (Pidwirny & Reay, 2010)

History of CO2 Emission:

Joseph Black, a Scottish physician and chemist, was the very first identifier of Carbon dioxide in 1750s. Carbon dioxide is a molecule with the molecular formula CO2 i.e. each carbon is bonded with two oxygen atoms (Carbon Cycle, 2007).

There has been continuous increase in the release of CO2 in the atmosphere during the past one and half century as a result of human doings. Consequently, it resulted in the segregation of biomasses and other under ocean living species. Soaring amount of CO2 is produced in excessive concentration by humans because of the burning of fossil fuels, production of cements and forest combustion (Lenntech, 2009).

Svante Arrhenius, first, predicted the concept of global warming as a result of emissions of Carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels and others in a paper named “On the influence of carbonic acid in the air upon the temperature of the ground” in 1896 (NASA, n.d.).

Global warming advocates call for reduced CO2 emissions and this applies to a call for cuts in the use of energy. But the energy and power industries have made human life easier than any other inventions. And global warming supporters suggest strongly the idea of ‘renewable’ energy, i.e. energy by the sources as Wind, Solar and Geothermal, can replace fossil fuels (GreenPeace, n.d.).

As per an illustration, “It is physically impossible for wind and solar energies to supply the energy needs of the developed world and the peoples of the developing world are insisting on their right to develop too” (Courtney, 1999).

Construction industry as CO2 Contributor

There’s always been a view of cars, jets, and trucks as the only producers of carbon emissions and carbon dioxide. But, in fact, we all are responsible of letting this disaster to grow i.e. the heat or the temperature that is generated by most of the house hold things, from lighting of electricity; heating of gas for cooking, does contributes to the climate change. The carbon emission from construction industry and its products i.e. buildings and infrastructure has a considerable portion in their accounts for its emission around the world.

Only lightning and heating building generates 50% of the carbon dioxide emission in Britain. On the other hand, building material industry held a 10% emission on its account (Seager, 2007).

Constructions and building operations are the largest producers of almost half of the carbon dioxide emission in the United Kingdom, contributing to climate change and resulting in adding more and more pollution to the atmosphere.

Almost 90 M tones have been produced because of construction and demolition debris/material as a waste in the UK (UKSwedenSustainability.org, 2006).

On the other hand, more than 100 million tons of carbon dioxide emission has been produced by the Australian continent i.e. 1.43% of global emission comes from just 0.32% of world population of Australia. That approximates around 5 tons in number to each Australian (PDixon, 2008).

Also, the construction industry in India has its largest share in carbon emission that is approximated around 24%. Hence, use of excessive energy and power for the production of cement, steel etc as a major reason for carbon emission. These figures are excluded of 13% carbon emission from local transportation in India (Price & Amiri, n.d.).

Literature Review: International Standards and Regulations

Sustainable Construction

After it become evident that the largest producers of the carbon emission around the globe comes from Construction Industry, as mentioned in the text discussed above, governments in the developed world become active on this global disaster. In Europe, the British government in alliance with Strategic Forum for Construction (SFfC) led to the conclusion and mission of carbon reduction to a certain level in the UK. Therefore in June 2008, they published paper called “Industry-led Strategy for Sustainable Construction”. They make to form a document that would hold them accountable and responsible in an effort to bring down the carbon emission by 15%.

The paper targeted the aim of promoting construction processes towards drop in carbon emission. That defines the activities under the scope of assessment and emission as target scope of the paper. Hence, the paper identifies following future goals:

1. 15% reduction of carbon emission of the target scope by 2012.
2. 15% reduction of carbon emission of the target scope by 2012 relative to contractors’ output of the waste (Ove Arup & Partners Ltd, 2010).

Air Quality Standard

Clean air is a basic human health and well-being necessity. However, different mixture of gases that the surface of the earth transmitted back in atmosphere and those being produced as a waste from chemical and construction industry has posed a serious threat to the air quality across the globe. Poor air quality causes serious health problems especially in the largely populated and polluted cities in the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the following four major air pollutants as Particulate Matter (PM), Ozone (O3), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and Sulfur dioxide (S02) (WHO, 2005).

In the United Kingdom, the “Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010” quotes that WHO assertion of quality and clean air as a right of every citizen and human being. It also defined air standard by restricting via a clause; an area or zone is an agglomeration if it has population exceed above two hundred thousand residents.

Clean Air for Europe (CAFÉ)

The European Commission has developed a long-term, Strategic and Integrated policy for the effects of air pollution on human health and the environment in collaboration with the “Clean Air for Europe” or “CAFÉ” (APP, 2011). Hence, CAFÉ recognized the following points as its objectives:

1. The development and validation of scientific information on air pollution effects.
2. The assurance of requisite measures at relevant time level.
3. Information dissemination among general public.

Also, the paper “Reducing Carbon Emissions from Deforestation in the Ulu Masen Ecosystem, Aceh, Indonesia” has been published for the reduction of carbon emissions. The aim of the project is the reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions via the development and carbon finance test procedures. That would contribute to the economic sustainability, social development and the preservation of biodiversity over the next thirty years (Rafli, 2007).

An area of 750, 000 ha land of forest would be used in Ulu Masen town in Indonesia for reforestation, restoration and sustainable community and increased in monitoring over the defined range of land. An estimate of 85% reduction has been projected in the deforestation for that area with around 3.3 million of CO2 emission reduction per year.

Carbon Plan the United Kingdom:

The business processes, Industrial and Chemical Productions in the United Kingdom contributes to 17% of the greenhouse gas emissions which in itself is a huge number. The United Kingdom was the pioneer of being among those nations who developed themselves after the industrial revolution in Europe and almost in all regions of the West.

The emissions from those sources mentioned above are not just being produced from the combustion of oil and gas in the local vehicles and transportation but also from industrial and chemical processes. The chemical reactions in the industry business processes also contribute to this estimation of 17% as a whole. The UK government has assured the stockholders and management of different Industrial and Business processes in the UK the full support and back towards carbon and greenhouse gas emission.

Hence, among many of the steps towards this clean air and healthy environment for humans and well-beings, one is the creation of “The Green Investment Bank”. It has the task of keeping eye on the risk of financials in the market for the above mentioned cause and motivates the business processes for private sector investment as a catalyst (HMGovernment, n.d.).

Impacts of International Standards for the Carbon emission reduction:

With carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reaching a massive 28 billion metric tons in 2005 and continuing upward, climate change in terms of ensuring environmental sustainability remains an important goal in the current millennium. As per Maitra, “United Nations reports that in 2005 the CO2 emissions in the developed and the developing regions stood at 12 and 13.1 billions of metric tons respectively, an increase of 3.45 per cent and 36.46 per cent respectively from the year 2000” (Maitra, 2010).

The role of technology is viable in the reduction of carbon emission in this competitive global world. Hence, human race never want to go back to the pre-industrial era of 1830s or even before that. Therefore, avoiding the role of latest but environmental friendly technology cannot lead us to sustainable strategy or escape from the carbon emission disaster.

In “Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions TECHNOLOGY AND POLICY RECOMMENDATION AND GOALS in the Energy Sector”, five point agenda has been presented towards future green and environmental technology.

Revolutionalization:

Electricity generation via means by:

• Increase in generation and efficiency by exploring carbon-based fuel cycles.
• Development of renewable ways for electricity generation and its storage
• Next-generation nuclear power plant.
• Deployment of smart grid

Reinvent transportation by:

• Use of electric grid capable of energy storage vehicles.
• Renewable fuels concept for power and energy for trains
• Development of cellulosic ethanol and hydrogen fuels for environmental sustainable transportations.

Transform the buildings sector by:

• Codes and standards for construction industry for the use of sustainable materials and equipments.
• Energy efficient operations for building constructions and equipments.

Promote sustainable industry by:

• Concept of recycling and re-production for energy storage and preservation.

Empower innovation by:

• Increase in collaboration in R&D.
• Low carbon technologies incentives for latest technologies through R&D (ASME, 2009).

Advantages of Biofuels, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Vehicles:

In order to have a clean air, and low carbon emitted atmosphere, world is moving towards alternatives that can decisively reduced the green house gases and carbon emission around the earth to make earth better place for living and sharing.

Hence, biofuel is the alternate. Biodiesel and ethanol, biofuels, both are clean and on-site production based fuels i.e. best alternative of renewable resources of energy utilization, storage and preservation. This makes biofuels superior than fossil fuels that are terribly destroying our peaceful and calm and clean atmosphere (BiofuelGuide, 2008).

Hybrid Car Technology:

It operates under the sources of power, combines gasoline engine and electric drive motors. As a result, it generates much less combustion and co2 (Ariskan, 2009).

EN590 STANDARD:

A standard that specifies temperature grades for different climates for diesel fuel. As per a report, “furthermore, the diesel fuel is further characterized by different properties on the bases of “Arctic Classes” i.e. classes from 0 to 4” (Dieselnet, 2010).

EN 14214 STANDARDS:

These standards ensure the use of bio diesels. It allows or suggested the use of Methyl Ester, a Bio diesel, as a fuel because it is cleared as a renewable fuel alternative to mineral diesels derived from vegetable oils.

Concrete Production in Construction Industry:

Around 1.5 to 3 tons per capita has been the figures of the concrete production in the industrialized world. Hence, it has a decisive part in the construction and building operations and industry. Therefore, measures towards the sustainable production of the concrete in the Construction industry would be leading towards better and enhanced building and housing factors (Ecoserve, 2003).

Drilling:

The impacts or problems that the drilling process can cause during construction process are excessive. From troubling the local population to spreading the dusk in the locality are mentioned to be few. Other potential problems caused by drilling are:

• The removal or demolition of the trees and other artifacts can be the result of drilling in order to provide access to the drilling area. Hence, the opportunities of building an infrastructure in an area that was not accessible before comes at a handy cost.
• Increase in dust, combustion caused from bring trucks, machineries, heavy equipments for construction process can also be the potential threats (TEEIC, n.d.).

Carbon Emission in Construction Activities:

This calculation in this section consists of the quantity of carbon dioxide CO2 emissions related to the different phases of construction activities. This estimate is intended to calculate the contribution of construction industry in emitting the carbon dioxide CO2. The estimation / calculation does not mean as quantity of CO2 emissions during construction activities.

Estimation methodology

The calculations get a holistic analysis of carbon dioxide emissions which is influenced by the different phases of construction activities and this estimation also provides current proofs on emitted carbon dioxide of a building’s life cycle. Following are various phases of constructions are being discussed in detail;

Design

In the beginning emissions of carbon dioxide will take place through the design process, for example, power and mode of transport used by designing staff. Though, the main purpose of this phase is to minimize the chances of CO2 emissions through the innovative impact design like provision of way to natural light and towards building and ventilations.

Manufacture

The carbon dioxide emission can be also be prevented by utilizing local manufacturing industry instead of importing construction material.

Distribution

Human, material and construction vehicle movement also plays an important role in emitting carbon dioxide in to atmosphere.

On-site Operations

Combustion of fuels by the construction machinery and power generation are the main source of CO2 emissions during this phase of construction. The demolitions and refurbishment are not embodied in this phase.

In-Use Emissions

In this phase CO2 emits due to behaviors that change in the building.

Demolition & Refurbishments

As this phase is the main contributor of carbon dioxide emission that is why it was not included in on-site operations phase. Additional activity that makes it to be discussed separately is the removal of construction debris after demolition and also the major renovation and refurbishment of structure (BIS, 2010).

Conclusion

Upon reaching any consent over global pollution, i.e. greenhouse gas and carbon, reduction seems to benefit one country over the other in the short run; countries should focus on the long term environmental reduction benefits that would not only serve their national interest but also be beneficial to the whole humanity and living beings around the world.

Hence, a healthy and green environment can only take place if we all understand our responsibilities and role and move all together towards reducing such disastrous elements from our daily life production use things or others that are actually the cause of prioritizing the human strategies to those instead of providing human the basic necessities of life.

The use of bio fuels i.e. fuels from vegetables and oil must be urged to the citizens around the world in order to avoid any further combustion from the burning and heating of fossil fuels and chemicals. Vehicles must be use for long run distance only, riding of bicycle must be ensure if possible in order to play our role individually to reduce carbon emission by driving cars and vehicles individually.

Industries and business processes must be supported by the governments to make sure that industries especially the Construction industries are playing their role too for the CO2 reduction as we see in the “Carbon Plan” proposed and implemented by the government in the United Kingdom in order to provide the citizens a healthy and green environment.

Hence, now it is not the governments or organizations to blame, it is the real time for every one of us, that includes those organizations, business processes, governments and others, to play our part to make world a real, happier and green for our next generations to come.

References

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