Building construction and townships - Environmental Clearance

EIA Guidance Manual – Building, Construction, Townships and Area Developmentopportunities, and building envelope and system choices, as well as economic guidelines andoccupant activities, are all factors that need to be considered in an integrated approach.Application of new building concepts can yield for savings during the construction process.Measures that are relatively easy to implement can result in savings to natural resources in thefollowing areas:Lower energy costs, by monitoring usage, installing energy-efficient lamps and fixtures,and using occupancy sensors to control lighting fixtures;Lower water costs, by monitoring consumption and reusing stormwater and/orconstruction wastewater where possible;Lower site-clearing costs, by minimizing site disruption and movement of earth andinstallation of artificial systems;Lower landfill dumping fees and associated hauling charges, through reuse andrecycling of construction and demolition debris;Lower materials costs, with more careful purchase and reuse of resources andmaterials;Possible earnings from sales of reusable items removed during building demolition;and1.2 Environmental Clearance ProcessThe objective of the EIA Notification, 2006 is to set procedures of environmental clearance beforeestablishment of identified nature and size. The suitability of site for a proposed developmentis one of primary concerns in according environmental clearance to a project.The applicant will have to furnish, along with the application, in addition to Form 1 and thesupplementary Form 1A, a copy of the conceptual plan. The details of the categories mentionedin the given schedule are as follows:Project or ActivityCategorywiththreshold limit- B CategoryGeneral Conditions8. Building /Construction projects/Area Development projects and Townships8(a) Building and >20000 sq.mtrs and "Any project or activity specifiedConstruction projects