Challenges of a Healthy Built Environment: Air Pollution in Construction Industry

Roadway construction as a natural experiment to examine air pollution impacts on infant health

Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) poses a significant public health risk that is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Large roadway infrastructure projects present a natural experiment to examine how resulting congestion change is associated with adverse birth outcomes for nearby populations. This study is designed to examine the influence of living close to a roadway before, during, and after a construction project using a difference-in-differences design. We integrated data on all large roadway construction projects (defined as widening of existing roads, building new roads, improving bridges, installing intelligent transportation systems, improving intersections, and installing or upgrading traffic signals) in Texas from 2007 to 2016 with Vital Statistic data for all births with residential addresses within 1 km of construction projects. Our outcomes included term low birth weight, term birth weight, preterm birth, and very preterm birth. Using a difference-in-differences design, we included births within 3 years of construction start and 2 years of construction end. In our main model, the exposed group is limited to pregnant individuals residing within 300 m of a construction project, and the control group includes those living within 300-1000 m from a project. We used regression models to estimate the influence of construction on infant health. We included 1,360 large roadway construction projects linked to 408,979 births. During construction, we found that the odds of term low birth weight increased by 19% (95% CI: 1.05, 1.36). However, we saw little evidence of an association for other birth outcomes. Contrary to our hypothesis of decreased TRAP after construction ends, we did not observe consistent improvements post-construction for pregnant individuals living within 300 m. Continued consideration of the influence of traffic congestion programs on birth outcomes is necessary to inform future policy decisions.

Phytoremediation of formaldehyde by three selected non-native indoor plant species

Formaldehyde is an organic volatile compound and a commonly used chemical in various construction materials thus causing dwellers to be exposed to it inside a building. Its remediation from indoor air has been carried out through various techniques where potted plants and living walls are at the front foot. It is necessary to study plants under various conditions for their efficiency. We selected three plant species Epipremnum aureum, Chlorophytum comosum, and Spathiphyllum wallisii non-native of Bahrain. These plants were tested under normal conditions in a sealed fumigation box where formaldehyde concentration was kept ∼3 ppm, CO2 ∼ 450 ppm, light intensity 1000 Lx (equal to 13.5 µmol.m-2.s-1), irrigated with tap water. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical method was performed to test the significant differences of purification efficiencies of the tested indoor plants against HCHO. In addition, the statistical method was used to test the significant difference, if any, of the plants to CO2 emission because of absorbing HCHO. The physical health of plants and their short-term remediation ability reveals that all plants exhibited up to 70% remediation potential and tolerance to remediate the target chemical. It is evident that the impact of local environmental factors on the plants is negligible.

Exposure of construction workers to hazardous emissions in highway rehabilitation projects measured with low-cost sensors

Construction workers on highway rehabilitation projects can be exposed to a combination of traffic- and construction-related emissions. To assess the personal exposure a worker experiences, a portable battery-operated Air Quality Device (AQD) was utilised to measure emissions during normal construction operations of a major road rehabilitation project. Emissions measured were nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) and Particulate Matter (PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁). The objective of the paper is to document the hazardous emissions that construction workers may be exposed to and allow for a basis of informed decision making to mitigate the risks of a road construction project. Most critically, this article is designed to raise awareness of the potential impact to a worker's wellbeing as well as highlight the need for further research. Through statistical analysis, asphalt paving was identified as the most hazardous activity in terms of exposure relative to other activities. This activity was further assessed using discrete-time Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations with results indicating a high probability that workers may be exposed to greater hazardous emission concentrations than measured. Limiting the distance to the source of emissions, large-scale use of warm-mix asphalt and reducing the idling times of construction vehicles were identified as practical mitigation measures to reduce exposure and aid in achieving zero-harm objectives. Finally, it is found that males are more susceptible to long-term implications of hazardous emission inhalation and should be more aware if the scenarios they might work in expose them to this.

Analysis of the Energy Efficiency of Le Corbusier’s Dwellings: The Cité Frugès, an Opportunity to Reuse Garden Cities Designed for Healthy and Working Life

This paper looks at the energy efficiency of the Cité Frugès in Pessac, designed in 1924 by Le Corbusier. Many of the innovations introduced by the Modern movement, such as flat roofs, large windows and solar protection elements, are still evident in the way architecture is carried out today. Most of these contributions were implemented in the Cité Frugès. The aim is to evaluate the architectural design criteria that most influenced the energy performance of Le Corbusier’s works, and to analyse the improvement that could be achieved by energy rehabilitation. The methodology used consisted of a systematised study of the five dwellings designed by Le Corbusier. For the modelling and calculation of their energy performance the “Líder–Calener unified tool” was used for evaluation, under the standards of compliance with European regulations for nearly zero energy consumption buildings. Energy parameters, such as thermal transmittance, solar gains and overall annual energy demand, were tested. The results obtained provide information on energy performance and allow for the analysis of possible energy refurbishment alternatives. The analysis of the results makes it possible to identify and qualitatively and quantitatively assess the limitations of the most relevant architectural and construction aspects in relation to energy efficiency and to draw up an energy map of the Cité Frugès in Pessac.

Situating Health Within the 2030 Agenda—A Practical Application of the Sustainable Development Goals Synergies Approach

Background: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are integrated, indivisible and interdependent and interact and affect each other directly and indirectly. However, the 2030 Agenda does not attempt to identify or characterise these interactions.

Evidence: The SDG Synergies approach was developed to enable the investigation of the strength and nature of interactions between SDGs based on the perception of a multistakeholder group. Two examples are given to concretely demonstrate how this approach overcomes present challenges and can be applied to situate health within the 2030 Agenda.

Policy Options and Recommendations: There are clear benefits to situate desired health policy outcomes within the 2030 Agenda, and the SDG Synergies approach can be used as lever for including health aspects in traditional non-health sectors. Although focusing on specific health policies cannot be substituted with multisectoral policies alone, utilizing tools and methods such as the SDG Synergies approach can help policy makers put health at the centre of the SDGs.

Conclusion: SDG Synergies is an impactful approach for policy makers to gain a systemic understanding of how broader sustainable development shape the health and well-being of people and vice versa.

Spatial Correlation Network and Driving Effect of Carbon Emission Intensity in China’s Construction Industry

To explore the spatial network structure characteristics and driving effects of carbon emission intensity in China’s construction industry, this paper measures the carbon emission data of China’s construction industry in various provinces from 2006 to 2017 and then combines the modified gravity model and social network analysis method to deeply analyze the spatially associated network structure characteristics and driving effects of the carbon emission intensity in China’s construction industry. The results show that the regional differences of the carbon emissions of the construction industry are significant, and the carbon emission intensity of the construction industry shows a fluctuating trend. The overall network of carbon emission intensity shows an obvious “core-edge” state, and the hierarchical network structure is gradually broken. Economically developed provinces generally play a leading role in the network and play an intermediary role to guide other provinces to develop together with them. Among the network blocks, most of the blocks play the role of “brokers”. The block with the leading economic development has a strong influence on the other blocks. The increase in network density and the decrease in network hierarchy and network efficiency will reduce the construction carbon emission intensity.

Nonlinear Influence of Chinese Real Estate Development on Environmental Pollution: New Evidence from Spatial Econometric Model

Environmental pollution is a problem of universal concern throughout the globe. The development of real estate industry not only consumes huge resources, but also has close ties with high-consumption industries such as the construction industry. However, previous studies have rarely explored the impact of real estate development on environmental pollution. Therefore, this paper employs the entropy method to construct a comprehensive index of environmental pollution based on panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2000 to 2017, and empirically examines the impact of real estate development on environmental pollution. This article uses real estate investment to measure the development of the real estate industry. In view of the high spatial autocorrelation of environmental pollution, this paper selects a spatial econometric model. The empirical study found that: (1) By using the Spatial Durbin Model, real estate development has an inverted U-shaped impact on environmental pollution. Meanwhile, most cities have not yet reached the turning point; that is, with the continuous development of the real estate industry, environmental pollution will continue to increase. (2) Further regional heterogeneity found that the inverted U-shaped relationship still exists in coastal and inland areas. (3) Finally, this article used the Spatial Mediation Model to explain the nonlinear impact of real estate development on environmental pollution, with two important mediating variables: population density and industrial structure. Through the above analysis, it can be observed that real estate development has a significant impact on environmental pollution. Thus, the country and the government can reduce environmental pollution by improving the investment structure, using environmentally friendly building materials, guiding population flow and promoting industrial upgrading.