Environmentally Friendly Ways of Developing Land
Our planet has a finite number of resources and a growing population. The necessity for sustainable approaches to development has never been more important. This includes avoiding the depletion of natural resources where possible by reducing waste and reusing materials where possible and creating developments that meet the long term needs of the local community.
Too often we are seeing developments that are completed hastily, are low quality and negatively impact the environment and people’s well-being. Governments at all levels play a role in ensuring development is sustainable, as do the companies involved in developing land.
Approaches to Environmentally Friendly Development
There are a variety of approaches when it comes to environmentally friendly ways of developing land. The general principle is about doing more than the bare minimum set out by regulations, including:
- Using green or recycled materials in new constructions
- Designing projects that are capable of harvesting solar energy
- Reducing water and energy use during building
- Ensuring what is built has a long lifespan and will be easy to maintain
- Facilitating a high degree of recycling and minimising waste during the project
- Incorporating green space to counterbalance any green space removed during development.
Organisations like UDIA EnviroDevelopment certify companies that go above and beyond when it comes to sustainable development practices. Working with developers certified by such organisations is a good way of ensuring your project is as environmentally friendly as it can be.
Innovations That Facilitate Environmentally Friendly Constructions
Technological innovations are also helping to make the construction process more environmentally friendly, such as:
- Prefabrication – The process of manufacturing units within a factory rather than on site is eco-friendly as any excess isn’t thrown out and can be recycled immediately for another unit. The completed elements are shipped to the location and are then assembled, leaving no on-site waste. Prefabrication also allows for more accurate construction, also meaning less waste.
- Building information modelling – The technology around design and building information modelling is becoming increasingly accurate, allowing you to make the necessary calculations of material and time during the design phase and reduce excess material being wasted.
Importance of Sustainable Development
Sustainable development takes the finite resources of the planet into consideration. Incorporating and utilising renewable energy sources like wind and solar power and good examples of sustainable development. However, it goes beyond just environmental sustainability as it also considers economic and social sustainability, meaning the community’s current and future needs are accounted for.
Contact Arnolds for Sustainable Development Services
At Arnold Development Consultants, we are certified EnviroDevelopment professionals with a wealth of experience in providing surveying and strategic planning services for sustainable developments. If you’d like aerial surveying services or any other services related to land surveying or town planning, please contact your local ADC regional office in Brisbane, Townsville, Rockhampton, or the Gold Coast.