Evaluating Environmental Impact in Foundations and Structures through Disaggregated Models: Towards the Decarbonisation of the Construction Sector

Abstract

Having a tool in Spanish regulations to evaluate the sustainability of the construction process in a simple and efficient way (Annex 13 of the Structural Concrete Instruction EHE-08) means an advance with respect to regulations in other countries. However, the complexity of homogenising the conditions that affect the execution of each structure, which are of a very heterogeneous and variable nature, in order to be able to evaluate their contribution to sustainability within the same reference framework, is the greatest obstacle and can have a great influence on the representativeness of the obtained results. However, there are variables that, given their specificity and nature, are not contemplated in this methodology (dust, noise and vibration emission, transportation). This paper proposes a complementary disaggregated model to evaluate the sustainability of variables that are not considered, namely the transportation of materials to the worksite, the commute of workers, the construction process, the emissions of dust, noise and vibrations, as well as the necessary load tests. The results of the application of this model to the real case of the foundations of two singular buildings, show the importance that these previously unexamined variables can have when choosing the most sustainable technical solution in terms of CO2 emissions.

Decarbonization and Circular Economy in the Sustainable Development and Renovation of Buildings and Neighbourhoods

“…Pilar Mercader-Moyano and Jesús Roldán-Porras [20] go beyond manufacture of materials and explore the greenhouse gas emissions related to the phases related to transportation of materials to the worksite and the construction process, applied to foundations and structures. The variables related to those phases are not contemplated in the sustainability assessment in the Spanish legislation and the results they present show the importance of these variables to be considered when choosing the lower contaminant option.…”

Mitigating Dust Pollution from Construction Activities: A Behavioural Control Perspective

“…Overall, behavioral control methods are a promising alternative to the engineering control methods as it deals directly with dust generation. Zuo et al [3] found behavioral control methods to be well suited for dust pollution, though most construction workers consider dust as a nuisance rather than a serious health risk.…”

“…Zhang et al [54] found strong evidence to suggest a company can influ- In addition to personal norms, there is evidence that an organization's environmental practices could influence its workers' environmental behavior [72]. Whether the construction company has adopted dust control measures in the past and maintains an environmentally conducive work environment will have a bearing on employees' individual dust control behavior [3]. Employees of civil engineering projects felt the preparedness and company's commitment to dust pollution control more than that of building companies, which in turn helps form a positive behavioral intention among managers of civil construction companies towards pollution control compared to those from building companies [6].…”

“…Nevertheless, construction projects are renowned for their role in environmental pollution due to noise, waste, dust, and hazardous emissions [2]. These negative impacts are highly visible on projects undertaken in cities, making an undeniable mark on the nearby communities, especially where rapid urbanization takes place over a long period of time [3]. Environmental protection measures such as certification systems, assessment methodologies, and environmental management guidelines were proposed over the years to mitigate the adverse impacts during construction activities with mixed results [4].…”

The Church Tower of Santiago Apóstol in Montilla: An Eco-Sustainable Rehabilitation Proposal

“…A sustainable rehabilitation is one whose interventions on a building are in line with the definition of sustainability understood in a broad sense. In other words, it must consider environmental, economic, and social aspects [34,35].…”