How Reducing Construction Time Reduces the Environmental Impact of Projects
David Wright
2021-10-01
4 Minutes read
Abstract
Reducing the environmental impact of construction is one of the fundamental challenges that the industry must overcome for countries to meet the goals set by the Paris Agreement. Construction projects use a considerable amount of fossil fuels, such as gas and diesel, generate large amounts of waste, and cause noise pollution.
Although carbon emissions, waste, and noise pollution are inevitable, there are ways construction companies can significantly reduce them. One of them is reducing construction time, which is considered a primary means of minimizing the environmental damage caused by construction projects. So, how can construction companies speed up construction time while maintaining quality, safety, and reducing costs?
The construction sector is lagging behind in modernizing and integrating technology (especially in the construction phase), especially if the sector wants to significantly contribute to the fight against climate change. Although the integration of technology into the construction process is taking place in the industry, many of these technologies only have a relatively minor effect on construction time (e.g., digital platforms without automation). Therefore, they have little effect on reducing environmental impact. A specialized service that opposes this trend is offered by ObraLink. ObraLink is the first and only autonomous data collection system for construction projects. It uses powerful algorithms within its patented technology to measure concrete strength and automate project progress detection for the user.
The result is complete project management automation. So, what effect does this have on construction time? Well, when tested and used by various construction companies, such as Cemex and Ferrovial, it reduced between 1 and 3 days per floor of project time. Therefore, for a 20-story building, the reduction is from 20 to 60 days. This not only reduces the costs of the concrete phase by approximately 10% but also reduces its environmental impact. Reducing construction time means fewer fossil fuels are used for transportation, machinery, and electricity. Noise pollution is minimized as are construction site wastes, due to fewer construction days.
In summary, by using ObraLink, you are reducing costs, construction time, and the environmental impact of your projects. If construction is to help rather than hinder the fight against climate change, the integration of technologies like ObraLink is essential.
