Sustainable Development Flashcards
What is the definition of sustainable development? (The Brundtland Report 1987)
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
Some characteristics of sustainable construction materials include: (8)
- Durable
- Local or regional extraction and production * Contain recycled materials
- Manufactured with minimal pollution
- Do not themselves pollute
- Minimum amount of energy required to produce
- Reusable
- Rapidly renewable
- Capable of being used in an innovative way to lessen social, environmental, and economic impacts
What are the negative impacts of Concrete and Steel Production? (2)
Enormity of resources used
Generation of large amounts of CO2
Cite CO2 emissions sources in the concrete industry (6)
Material manufacture (cement, reinforcing steel, aggregates, water, admixtures)
Concrete manufacture
Construction
Repair and rehabilitation throughout service life
Demolition and recycling
Transportation emissions related to each stage
What is the first time scale?
First - PAST: remedial measures for dealing with inappropriate disposal of industry wastes
What is the second time scale? (4)
Second - PRESENT: compliance with the existing regulations and preventing the obvious mistakes of the past:
- Emphasis on waste minimization
- Avoidance of known toxic materials
- Control of emissions
- Corporate personnel and safety officials often involvedalong with manufacturing personnel
What is the third time scale?
Third - FUTURE (10 - 50 years): industry-environment interactions dictated by the industrial products and processes of today (being used in design presently)
What is the fourth time scale?
Fourth - FAR FUTURE (50+ years): industry-environment interactions dictated by the industrial products and processes being developed for future use (planned changes to current designs)
What is the first stage of product cycle?
Stage 1: Resource extraction is performed by suppliers, drawing on virgin material resources and producing materials and components
What is the second stage of product cycle?
Stage 2: The manufacturing operation - under the control of the manufacturer
What is the third stage of the product cycle?
Stage 3: Packaging, shipping, and installation if required - under corporate control
What is the fourth stage of the product cycle?
Stage 4: Customer use (consumption) - Not directly controlled by the manufacturer, however, it is influenced by how products are designed and by the degree of continuing manufacturer interaction (a leased product under maintenance control maximizes this interaction)
What is the fifth stage of the product cycle?
Stage 5: The product is no longer satisfactory because of obsolescence, component degradation, or changed business or personal decisions - needs to be refurbished or discarded
How Can the Concrete Industry Become More Sustainable? (8)
Manufacturing Portland cement more efficiently
Using waste materials as fuels
Replacing Portland cement with supplementary cementing materials (SCM’s) and/or fillers
Using High Performance Concretes (HPCs)
Making concrete more durable
Using recycled concrete, or other industrial wastes, as aggregate
Capturing, storing or utilizing CO₂ emissions
Improving structural design and building codes Effective maintenance and repair strategies
What are the three “R’s” of sustainability? Numerate your answer in order of efficiency
Most efficient: 1) Reduce Next efficient: 2) Reuse Least efficient: 3) Recycle
