Scholarly record

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION LIFE CYCLE

Zdeněk Krejza

Abstract

Great emphasis has been placed on the issue of ecology and human impact on the environment in recent years as clear evidence of global warming and greenhouse effect due to human activity has been perceived. Air, water and soil are being polluted by pollutants, which subsequently negatively affect the environment and human health as a result of construction production. The aim of the research described in this article is to analyse the environmental aspects of construction production, identify their sources and carry out their possible valuation in the process of all phases of the construction process. Construction production goes through its unique life cycle. It is a very long process, which involves several stages, from the actual extraction of the material for the production of building structures, to the end of the operational life of the construction and its liquidation. All phases are associated with certain costs that determine the environmental impact of construction production. Establishing these costs represent a really complex and extensive topic, so solely the most significant environmental impacts negatively influencing the environment have been selected for the purposes of the research described in the article. The paper outlines the impacts of selected ecological aspects that could influence the usual construction price. It provides theoretical calculations for the valuation of harmful emissions, energy consumption, water consumption and waste management on the case study of the construction and operation of a residential building. Overall evaluation of the research has brought entirely unsatisfactory results. It has not been able to determine the price of all selected environmental aspects. The determined prices or costs for the environmental burden created by the construction production are very low. It results in the fact that the builders do not have motivation to implement greener buildings and houses and despite the annual increase in energy prices, they do not reduce their consumption.

Publication details

Back to publication list