Environmental Impact Of Skyscrapers - Part 1

Everyday we hear and read how the Earth's climate and environment is changing and how we people are the ones to blame. Everyday we consume more and more energy, electricity and other natural resources. The big cities are becoming “urban jungles” where millions of people live, work and eat. Every our action has either positive or negative impact on the environment. The greater urbanization of the populated areas surely has negative impact on the environment. This includes the construction of manufacturing plants, roads and highways, construction of non-ecological building structures... the list goes on.

The sustainability is one very important issue. The total amount of attainable fossil fuels and other non renewable natural resources is becoming extremely lower. Because of this the world needs to find alternative solutions, and these alternative solutions can surely start with the construction. The sustainability is described as the ability to meet the needs of today without affecting or compromising the needs of the future generations, and their ability of meeting their needs. The following document describes how the design and the construction process of the skyscrapers and other tall buildings affects the environment where these massive buildings are situated in.

It has been reported that the level of carbon emissions is increased by 80% in the last 20 years. This is a result of the increased urbanization and the construction of more buildings, roads and other structures. From the start it should be pointed that the skyscrapers and the other tall buildings are described as the most non-ecological building structures, simply because enormous amounts of energy and other non renewable natural resources are consumed and used in the construction process. Even more energy is consumed in the everyday ordinary running of the skyscrapers.

A skyscraper is difficult to describe, usually it is described as a tall building with many storeys up to the sky. The most advanced technological breakthrough is implemented in the construction of these tall buildings. Large and bulky construction equipment, like cranes, loaders excavators, diggers, dumper trucks, are commonly used in the construction process. Furthermore, the world's most advanced technology such as the GPS and other surveying tools and equipment is implemented and used during the construction process. Different construction vehicles and machines consume large amount of fuel. For example, the crane is a big and heavy machine that is required for the construction of the skyscraper, and this machine consumes enormous amounts of fuel during its operation. This and other heavy machines emit and release large amounts of carbon emissions into the Earth's atmosphere. The materials that are used in the construction are also transported to the construction site. In some cases these materials come from different parts of the world, meaning that even before the skyscraper is completed, the construction process can have large carbon footprint.

Continue to part 2