Introduction

Around half of all non-renewable resources mankind consumes are used in

construction, making it one of the least sustainable industries in the world.
However, mankind has spent the majority of its existence trying to manipulate
the natural environment to better suit its needs so today our daily lives are
carried out in and on constructions of one sort or another: we live in houses, we
travel on roads, we work and socialise in buildings of all kinds. Contemporary
human civilisation depends on buildings and what they contain for its continued
existence, and yet our planet cannot support the current level of resource
consumption associated with them. Estimate of global resources used in
buildings Resource (%) Energy 4550 Water 50 Materials for buildings and
roads (by bulk) 60 Agricultural land loss to buildings 80 Timber products for
construction 60 (90% of hardwoods) Coral reef destruction 50 (indirect)
Rainforest destruction 25 (indirect) Estimate of global pollution that can be
attributed to buildings Pollution (%) Air quality (cities) 23 Climate change
gases 50 Drinking water pollution 40 Landfill waste 50 Ozone depletion 50
Buildings are long-lived, and cities have even longer lives: their impacts will
stretch into the lives of many generations of our ancestors; into a future of
unknown resources, pollution and unstable climatic conditions. Clearly, for the
good of the environment and the survival of the planet, its myriad of interwoven
and interdependent ecosystems and mankind, something has to change, and
construction companies have a leading role to play in that change. But that is
only part of the story. The buildings we construct create wealth. Half of all fixed
capital formation annually is vested in buildings, which, taken together with the
inherited assets of buildings, represents about 75 per cent of all UK wealth . The
long-term asset value of a building depends on its ability to satisfy user needs,
cope with the changing environmental conditions and survive the evolving
expectations of design quality. Naturally lit and well ventilated buildings, that
utilise alternative energy sources and those that are designed to offer attractive
whole life performance to consumers are more likely to be sound wealth
investments than those which are over-dependent on fossil fuels or which ignore
the fundamental human need for a healthy and engaging environment. The
typical ratio of economic costs of commercial building over a 50-year period is:
Cost of design and construction: Operating costs: Staff costs 1 2 10 It is
therefore prudent to address environmental issues at the outset; otherwise our
created wealth of the constructed asset will be significantly undermined. The
main impacts of the construction and use of our built environment can be
grouped as follows:- Energy Use, Global Warming and Climate Change In the
last hundred years the Earth has warmed by about 0.5OC. There is strong
evidence that this is due to an increase in the concentrations of certain trace
greenhouse gases. Principal amongst these is carbon dioxide which is produced
whenever fossil fuels are burnt to obtain energy. Globally,

Site Disturbance
All building construction work must be carried out in a way to
stop the entry of any pollution to the stormwater system.
If you are involved in the building industry, you are required to
provide the right circumstances necessary to reduce any
environmental impact as a result of building.

Site excavation
Work to limit disturbance at a site when cutting, filling and
excavating the building platform.
Preserving as much grassed area as possible will assist in
filtering sediment from stormwater runoff before it reaches the
drainage system.

Dust during excavation

Dust at a site must be controlled as to prevent nuisance to
nearby residents and to ensure particles do not enter the
roadside gutter or stormwater systems.

Site disturbance
Vehicles should enter and leave the site on the designated
entry/exit point
The access point should be gravelled to allow all weather
access and reduce the amount of soil carried off site by
vehicles.
Any sediment deposited on the roads must be lawfully (not
washed) removed following the conclusion of daily construction
activities.

Litter
Ensure all litter is stored onsite in either a skip bin or a threesided wind proof wire cage to ensure all materials are
prevented from entering the stormwater system

Penalties

Failure to prevent contaminates entering stormwater system

may attract on the spot penalties of $1100 for an individual and
$2200 for a company.

LEED
Intent
To preserve existing noninvasive trees, native plants, and
pervious surfaces.
Requirements
Option 1. Development footprint on previously
developed land (1 point)
Locate 100% of the development footprint and the construction
impact zone on previously developed land.
Option 2. Undeveloped portion of project left
undisturbed (1 point)
Depending on the density of the project, do not develop or
disturb a portion of the site that has not beenpreviously
developed, exclusive of (1) any land preserved by codified law,
(2) a prerequisite of LEED for Neighborhood Development or (3)
exempt areas designated as nonbuildable in comprehensive
land-use plans. Stipulate in covenants, conditions, and
restrictions (CC&R) or other binding documents that the
undisturbed area will be protected from development by a
private or governmental agency for the purpose of long-term
conservation. When determining the minimum area to be left
undeveloped, mixed-use projects must use the lowest
applicable density from Table 1 or use the weighted average
methodology in NPD Credit Compact Development. Densities
and minimum percentages are as follows:
Table 1. Minimum undeveloped area, by project density
Residential density
(DU/acre)

Residential density
(DU/hectare)

Nonresidential density (FAR)

Minimum area left undisturbed

< 13

<32

< 0.5

20%

> 13 and 18

> 32 and 45

0.5 and 1

15%

> 18

> 45

>1

10%

DU = dwelling unit; FAR = floor-area ratio

For portions of the site that are not previously developed,

identify construction impact zones that limit disturbance to the
following:

40 feet (12 meters) beyond the building perimeter;

10 feet (3 meters) beyond surface walkways, patios,

surface parking, and utilities less than 12 inches (30
centimeters) in diameter;

15 feet (4.5 meters) beyond street curbs and main utility

branch trenches; and

25 feet (7.5 meters) beyond constructed areas with permeable surfaces (such as

areas, stormwater retention facilities, and playing

fields) that require additional staging areas to limit compaction
in the constructed zone.
For all projects
pervious paving

Survey the site to identify the following:

trees in good or excellent condition, as determined by an

arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture
(ISA) or local equivalent professional for projects outside the
U.S.;

any heritage or champion trees of special importance to

the community because of their age, size, type, historical
association, or horticultural value, as defined by a government
forester;

all trees larger than 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter

at breast height (dbh, 4 feet 6 inches [1.4 meters] above
ground); and

any invasive plant species that affect trees present on the

site, and whether those plants threaten the health of other
trees to be preserved on the site, as determined by an ISAcertified arborist or local equivalent professional.
Preserve the following trees that are also identified as in good
or excellent condition:

all heritage or champion trees and trees whose dbh

exceeds 50% of the state champion dbh for the species;

a minimum of 75% of all noninvasive trees (including the

above) larger than 18 inches (45 centimeters) dbh; and

a minimum of 25% of all noninvasive trees (including the

above) larger than 12 inches (30 centimeters) dbh if deciduous
and 6 inches (15 centimeters) dbh if coniferous.
Tree condition ratings must be determined by an ISA-certified
arborist using ISA-approved assessment measures or by a local
equivalent professional utilizing an equivalent methodology.
Develop a plan, in consultation with and approved by an ISAcertified arborist or equivalent, for the health of the trees,
including fertilization and pruning, and for their protection
during construction.
If an ISA-certified arborist or local equivalent professional has
determined that any trees to be preserved are threatened by
invasive vegetation, develop a plan to reduce the invasive
vegetation. Stipulate in codes, covenants, and restrictions or
other binding documents that the undisturbed area of the
preserved trees will be protected from development by a
private or governmental agency for the purpose of long-term
conservation.

GIRA
Intent:
The intent of this criterion is to ensure preservation of mature
trees and fertile top soil on site, thereby minimizing the impact
of construction activities on existing landscape.
Maximum Points: 4
Non-applicability :

If there are no mature trees on site, then project is exempt from

6.1.1 & 6.1.2

If the top soil is not fertile & cant be made fertile through
organic means, then project is exempt from 6.1.3 Appraisals:
6.1.1: Ensure that no existing mature tree is cut on site OR
transplant mature trees within the site and ensure they survive
OR Plant 3 trees for every 1 tree cut of the same
native/naturalized species OR any combination of these for all
mature trees on site Mandatory

6.1.2: Increase total number of trees on site by 25% above the

pre-construction phase OR Plant 4 trees for every 1 tree cut of
the same native/naturalized species 2 points

6.1.3: Preserve top soil during construction, maintain its fertility

(during construction phase) and use for landscape postconstruction 2 points Compliances:
6.2.1: Submit site plan (drawing) of existing landscape plan
highlighting (in different colour coding/layer) the following:

Existing trees which have been protected and preserved, along

with table listing their species

Existing trees which have been transplanted

Existing trees which have been removed

Area from where top soil has been removed

Location on site (or off-site) where top soil will be preserved

6.2.2: Submit CAD drawing of proposed landscape plan
highlighting (in different colour coding/layer) the following:
1 Replantation of new trees in the ratio of 1:3 for each
tree which has been cut, with the details about the
species that have been planted
2 Replantation of tree done in excess of 25% than the
minimum requirement, with the details of the species
that existed
3 Landscape area where top soil has been reapplied
6.2.3: Submit soil fertility test reports of sites top soil from
an ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research )accredited laboratory
6.2.4: Upload photographs, with description, of the
measures implemented

Soil
Soil is a major component of the Earth's ecosystem. It is the
thin layer of loose and mixture of minerals, organic matter,
gases, liquids, and countless organisms that together support
life on Earth.
The world' soil are impacted in far-reaching ways by the
processes carried out in the soil, from ozone depletion and
global warming, to rainforest destruction and water pollution.
the soil is the next largest carbon reservoir on Earth, and it is
potentially one of the most reactive to human disturbance and
climate change. As the planet warms, soils will add carbon
dioxide to the atmosphere due to its increased biological
activity at higher temperatures. Thus, soil carbon losses likely
have a large positive feedback response to global warming.
Most soils have a density between 1 and 2 g/cm3.
Soil is a natural body called the pedosphere which has four
important functions:
(i)it is a medium for plant growth
(ii)it is a means of water storage, supply and purification
(iii)it is a modifier of Earth's atmosphere
(iv) it is a habitat for organisms; all of which, in turn, modify the
soil.

Fig.1 Vertical Profile of soil

India is primarily an agricultural country. The success of

agriculture depends upon the fertility of soils.
Types of soil present in India

Fig.2 Major soil types in India

Soil Distribution Classification