The Building Footprint

We are currently hearing a lot of dialogue about ones ecological footprint. What is this exactly? An ecological footprint measures the human demand on the earth so the quantity of nature it takes in by the way of water usage, energy consumption, building materials, waste, landfill and then it is converted into a measure of land area referred to as a global hectare. We tend to live beyond the world’s ecological means but we can all make positive educated choices that can help protect and rekindle a sense of belonging, a sense of unity, a sense of respect, a sense of responsibility towards the planet and humanity. A fantastic eco footprint calculator illustrates very clearly and simply how many worlds we would need to have to cope with our current demands on the earths resources. http://ecologicalfootprint.com

So looking at the development and construction sector, the building ecological footprint is massive. If we break down the one third amount of carbon emissions into percentages, building and construction is responsible for almost 40% of global carbon emissions with operational emissions accounting for up to 28%. The remaining 11% comes from embodied carbon emissions that is associated with materials and construction processes throughout the building lifecycle. As populations grow and cities become denser, this will increase the environmental pressure even more. Developers with the future in mind, need to adopt sustainable practices that reduce resource consumption, waste production and the overall environmental impact without compromising quality of life.

The built environment sector has to look closely at the life cycle phases of production, use and disposal in response to the climate emergencies we face. The choice of environmentally compatible building materials should be at the forefront of decision making. As cities continue to grow, and temperatures continue to rise dangerously, it has never been more important for the building and construction sector to be leading the way on climate action and being accountable for carbon emissions that affect global warming.

At Chiodo Corporation we see a huge potential in the reduction of emissions by choosing the right materials and planning for the lifespan of the building. When we stop to think about our giant footprint on the Earth, the notion and very essence of humanity becomes an important part of our efforts to create a better tomorrow. Something we at Chiodo are committed to.

“Our choices at all levels-individual, community, corporate and government-affect nature. And they affect us.” – David Suzuki