Construction is one of the most important industries that exist when it comes to infrastructure and your city or town’s progress. Without construction, we wouldn’t have the buildings, roads, bridges, and other structures that allow for modern civilization to flourish. However, all these buildings and their construction can end up having a cumulative negative effect on the surrounding environment. Thankfully, there are strategies out there that you and your construction crew can use to make your construction projects more eco-friendly and hopefully reduce any collateral damage you might do to the environment.
Burn Fewer Fossil Fuels
One of the biggest contributors to air pollution and global warming is the burning of fossil fuels. If you need to use large vehicles, such as dump trucks, bulldozers, cranes, and other gas-powered machinery to do your work, you may want to reconsider when it comes time to replace them. There are now many great options for electric-powered, hybrid, and even alternative fuels, like ethanol, powered vehicles, and machines for construction companies to choose from.
Recycle
One thing that many construction companies do not do enough is recycling. Instead, much of the byproducts of their work are sent off to landfills. There is indeed a lot that is used and produced by construction sites that can be recycled. Possible candidates for construction recycling include lumber, steel, drywall, glass, concrete, asphalt, copper, and more. Much of this can be sent to recycling centers or reused for other products. Some it can even be sold for scrap to reduce the costs of the construction project.
Choose More Sustainable Materials
Traditionally, construction companies did not give much thought to the sustainability of the materials they used in their different projects. For one, there were not that many choices from suppliers that were eco-friendly. This is not the case today. For example, paint that is non-toxic and not harmful to the environment can now be purchased in large amounts. The same is also true of less harmful choices for insulation, adhesives, solvents, and many different building materials.
Take on More Green Construction Projects
What contracts you choose to accept can also make a huge difference in regard to your construction company’s impact on the environment. Try to choose more jobs that will involve constructing facilities and structures that are designed with environmental friendliness in mind. This may require learning new skills, such as the installation of solar panels, for example, or being on the lookout for greener materials to work with, but doing so can also help broaden your business to new clientele and markets you did not have access to before.
Just because construction projects usually have a big footprint does not mean they have to have as big of a negative impact on the environment. Consider the suggestions above as well as other strategies for making your projects greener. Your community will thank you in the long run.
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