Effects of construction activities on the planetary boundaries

Abstract

This study presents a part of an ongoing research on construction in developing countries and the need to operate within planetary boundaries for sustainable development. It is a desk-research and it uses the already established planetary boundary concept to provide insights on the negative consequences of construction activities on planet earth. Some of the harmful effects of construction activities include: production of re-suspended dust particles and bituminous aerosols during construction, emission of greenhouse gases from embodied energy in buildings, rapid loss of biodiversity, unsustainable disposal of domestic and industrial waste into oceans and other water bodies and the unsustainable use of limited fresh water. The paper concludes that continued unsustainable construction activities will have devastating and irreversible effects on a planetary scale.

Practitioners' experiences with the drivers and practices for implementing sustainable construction in Nigeria: a qualitative assessment

“…Over-dependence of the construction industry on fossil fuel particularly in developing countries is one of the leading causes of environmental pollution. Other environmental challenges arising from unsustainable construction activities include the generation of greenhouse gases (Akan et al , 2017; Dixon, 2010), over-use of depleting natural resources such as timber, freshwater, limestone and sand (Tunji-Olayeni et al , 2019a) and the creation of toxic landfills from construction waste (Ajayi et al , 2015). To achieve environmental sustainability in the construction industry emphasis has to be placed on the use of sustainable tools throughout the life cycle of a building (Rebitzer, et al , 2004; Ness, et al , 2007) and the adoption of sustainable construction practices across the construction supply chain.…”

“…When it comes to improving the living standards of people the construction industry is often at the forefront, providing basic infrastructure which is essential for social and economic development. However, infrastructural developments are not without a cost to the natural environment (Tunji-Olayeni et al , 2019a; Musenga and Aigbavboa, 2019; Zolfagharian, 2012; Dixon, 2010 and Du Plessis, 2002). Conventional construction adopts unsustainable production patterns which deplete scarce natural resources such as freshwater and timber.…”

Research trends in industry 5.0 and its application in the construction industry

“…It also generates tons of waste which contribute to landfills and pollute the environment. Furthermore, the industry has an unsustainable production pattern with a high dependence on scare natural resources such as fresh water and timber which paly vital roles as carbon sinks (Tunji-Olayeni et al ., 2019). Industry 5.0 requires that the earth's resources are preserved through the use of circular economy, carbon-neutrality, renewal integration and resource efficiency (Breque et al ., 2021).…”

Factors influencing the intention to adopt green construction: an application of the theory of planned behaviour

“…The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2046-6099.htm unsustainable activities in the industry have resulted in environmental pollution and ecological degradation. For instance, construction activities account for a third of all energyrelated carbon emissions (Lu and Lai, 2020), disrupt biodiversity (Tunji-Olayeni et al, 2019a), use large amounts of natural resources (Tunji-Olayeni et al, 2019b) and generate toxic landfills (Ajayi et al, 2015). These negative impacts of construction activities coupled with the rising global awareness of sustainability are exerting pressure on the industry to adopt sustainable approaches that can enhance environmental, social and economic outcomes (Tunji-Olayeni et al, 2020;Gou and Xie, 2017).…”