All eyes were on Scotland this month, as world leaders gathered to discuss how to tackle the global climate crisis.
COP26 – the UN Climate Change Conference which took place in Glasgow – saw politicians and business leaders agree on solutions to care for the planet and slow global warming.
It will have far reaching effects, likely to impact all industries as well as individuals’ behaviours.
For the built environment sector this is likely to cover which materials are used and what methods are applied during works, along with how emissions are calculated and reported.
While these commitments will make a real difference worldwide, it remains important to deliver and maintain localised environmental efforts.
Protecting our immediate environment
During the groundworks for construction projects, environmental protection can be achieved by:
- Protecting ecosystems and biodiversity within and surrounding construction sites
- Reducing and eliminating wastage and maximizing resource efficiency during operations
Geotechnical products can support this.
Silt control measures support immediate environmental protection. These prevent silt from reaching watercourses and harming biodiversity, while maintaining the integrity of the ground and supporting safe, on-time delivery of works. These include sediment control barriers – in the form of sediment mats, silt fencing or silt curtains – to divert, filter or capture water runoff around sites.
The importance of these products means environmentally friendly solutions have been developed too, including bentonite liners. These are a naturally derived product used to form areas for bodies of water, such as ponds or detention basins, or provide ground protection below developments. By creating an impermeable layer between ground, preventing water and soils from migrating, they ensure stable ground and environmental protection.
Where stable ground is required to prevent pollution, not stripping soil too early on in a project, or too late on in the year, will also help. Doing so risks soil migration and erosion during preparatory works or bad weather.
Managing and using soils wisely is essential to ensure resource efficiency and minimise wastage during groundworks too.
Should topsoil need to be stripped, careful stockpiling will negate the need to bring in new materials later on, reducing emissions from heavy vehicles and costs of additional materials. Correctly stored topsoils will remain oxygenated and valuable, able to be reused once works are complete.
Stratec are experts in geotechnical products and applications to make ground good. We are committed to bringing you up-to-date information and advice on environmental protection measures.
Get in touch for more information or to see how we can optimise your projects
