Climate change: Construction companies told to stop knocking down buildings

[Still Waters]

Britain’s top engineers are urging the government to stop buildings being demolished.

Making bricks and steel creates vast amounts of CO2, with cement alone causing 8% of global emissions.

They say the construction industry should where possible re-use buildings, employ more recycled material, and use machinery powered by clean fuels.

They are concerned about "embodied emissions", which is the CO2 emitted when buildings and materials are made..

The report, steered by the Royal Academy of Engineering, said a new way of thinking is needed before planning new homes, factories, roads and bridges.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58667328

[The_Phantom_Stranger]

Cementing here is one of the leading causes of the destruction of wetlands. It's a horribly polluting substance. It's not just sidewalks that use cement, but the utility boxes underground and all basements and foundations. The dust that gets raised into the air from construction is part of the air pollution and has to be regulated. I can imagine the destruction and reconstruction of new buildings is too.

Edited September 26, 2021 by Green Lion

[XenoFish]

1 hour ago, Still Waters said:

before planning new homes

In the town about an hour from me, they took an old yarn mill and turned it into apartments. I do think old structure that can be salvaged should be repurposed. 

[+joc]

30 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

In the town about an hour from me, they took an old yarn mill and turned it into apartments. I do think old structure that can be salvaged should be repurposed. 

never mind...i misread your quote

Edited September 26, 2021 by joc

[+joc]

5 hours ago, joc said:

6 hours ago, XenoFish said:

In the town about an hour from me, they took an old yarn mill and turned it into apartments. I do think old structure that can be salvaged should be repurposed. 

never mind...i misread your quote

I thought you were talking about them tearing down the old structure to make way for apartments.  But then I realized they turned it into apartments. 

[Silver]

Sand too, is a casualty of our need for concrete and cement. Some countries are running low on sand becuse so much is being taken from beaches:Why the World Is Running Out of Sand (businessinsider.com)

We don't often consider the damage done, even when we are pursuing greener, environmentally friendlier solutions- I have read that the resources needed to make a battery for a single electric car are equivalent to those used to power a gas-guzzling 4x 4 for 50 years.