Best Practices for the Reduction of Air Emissions From Construction ...

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such as bridges also reduce on-site construction time.
Off-site fabrication of structural components can also
enhance the quality of work, as the production takes
place in controlled settings and external factors such
as weather and traffic do not interfere. Enhanced
structural quality will result in extended lifecycle of
structures and thus result in reduced lifecycle
emissions.
5.5 Minimize Distances Travelled for
Delivery of Materials
The delivery of materials such as concrete, asphalt
and aggregates to construction sites can generate
significant amounts of road dust and result in
increased vehicle emissions, especially for sites that
are relatively far from material manufacturers. Some
material deliveries can be eliminated by establishing
temporary, portable concrete and/or asphalt plants,
located on construction sites. This practice may be
feasible for large-size projects that require substantial
quantities of these materials. However, in many cases
these portable plants will not be feasible due to the
costs involved (e.g., installation, permitting, etc.).
Establishing temporary plants would reduce the
number of transport trucks travelling on public and
on-site roads.
5.6 Use Green Building Materials
Green building materials should be selected
whenever possible in order to reduce emissions
associated with the lifecycle of the building.
Alternative paints, flooring, windows, insulation,
walls, and other construction materials should be
evaluated. There is an extensive amount of
information on green building materials located on
the internet. The following sites can be accessed to
help identify green building materials that are most
applicable and appropriate for specific construction
activities:
• Canadian Green Building Council
(http://www.cagbc.org/);
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED Canada)
(http://www.cagbc.ca/building_rating_systems/le
ed_rating_system.php);
• Canadian Construction Association’s Green
Building Resource Centre
(http://www.cca-acc.com);
• Athena Sustainable Materials Institute
(http://www.athenasmi.ca/)
• Master Painters Institute
(http://www.paintinfo.com/mpi/)
• Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Healthy Housing
(http://www.cmhc.ca/en/imquaf/hehosu/index.cfm)
• Green Globes Canada
http://www.greenglobes.com/design/homeca.asp
• U.S. Green Building Council
(http://www.usgbc.org/);
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED U.S.)
(http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/LEED_main.asp).
• Environmental Choice Program
(www.environmentalchoice.com)
5.6.1 Choosing Road Surface Type
The best road surface for reduction of emissions
depends largely on the situation (the type of surface
put on a road, such as gravel, chip seal, or concrete,
is based on the level of traffic and amount of heavy
loads carried). Different surface types require
different amounts of aggregate materials as a base
(concrete pavement structures have less aggregate
than asphalt structures). Proximity of aggregate
materials also plays a role in the cost of the pavement
structure and potentially on the pavement chosen.
The amount of digging and earth moving also varies
according to road surface type. Less subgrade width
is normally required for a concrete pavement than an
asphalt pavement. In addition, less blasting is
required due to the narrower subgrade.
Best Practices for the Reduction of Air Emissions From Construction and Demolition Activities 14