Understanding the Environmental Impact of Construction Machinery

Emissions from mobile non-road machinery can have a significant effect on air pollution. Learn more about how construction machinery affects its surrounding environment and what measures can be taken.

Understanding the Environmental Impact of Construction Machinery

Emissions from mobile non-road machinery can have a significant effect on air pollution. To gain a better understanding of the environmental effects of construction machinery, comparisons were made based on the data reported in previous studies during the operation phase of construction machinery.

Lewis P, Leming M, Rasdorf W (201)

conducted a study to assess the impact of the engine at idle on fuel use and emissions of non-highway diesel construction equipment. The results of these comparisons can be used for future reference.

Construction machinery is designed to perform various tasks and sometimes to reuse parts of the land. Previous studies have come to a similar conclusion, which is that the operation phase of the machinery is responsible for most of the impacts in the impact categories evaluated. Appendix S4 shows the main LCI processes responsible for each type of machinery and each impact category. Uncertainty analysis reveals that the distribution of uncertainty is wider for machines with higher relative impacts (see figure).

The construction sector uses more than 400 million tons of material a year, many of which have an adverse effect on the environment. To meet a climate mitigation objective in the construction sector, a combination of measures must be taken with respect to construction machinery. According to the agency, this means that the surrounding environments can be heavily polluted, particularly water pools, which have experienced an increase in pollution due to several construction projects in recent years. Gronlund CJ, Humbert S, Shaked S, O'Neill MS, Jolliet O (201) conducted a study to characterize the disease burden of particulate matter for life cycle impact assessment.

This shift towards green building projects has led the EPA to initiate important research in this area, collaborating with the National Institute of Construction Sciences in creating a green building construction guide, which details how construction companies can approach green construction while incorporating various federal rules and regulations. In addition to network and sensitivity analyses, it was necessary to assess the uncertainties of single-point impact assessments to improve the reliability of the results. These modifications helped establish regionalized LCI processes for each subcategory of construction machinery. To gain a better understanding of how a particular type of construction equipment may affect its surrounding environment, it is important to consider all aspects that may affect its performance. This includes looking at fuel consumption and emissions during operation, as well as any potential impacts on local ecosystems or water sources.

Additionally, it is important to consider any regulations or guidelines that may be in place regarding green building practices. By taking all these factors into account, it is possible to gain a better understanding of how a particular type of construction equipment may affect its surrounding environment.