By Leonard Toenjes

Q:The emphasis in the mainstream media on global warming and green is bothersome to me because construction is seen as a polluter. We provide jobs, skills, homes, the ability to grow and more. What are your thoughts?

A: This has been the traditional view of the construction industry as a spoiler of the environment.

You are correct that construction provides income, training, shelter, and economic growth. There are several other things that can be promoted about the construction industry.

First and foremost, construction and a strong construction economy can be shown to improve environmental conditions.

In third world countries where the commercial construction industry is not as robust as it is in the U.S., there are many more environmental concerns related to air and water quality. The construction industry is a key partner in our community in building power plants that provide energy in a clean manner and water treatment plants to keep our rivers and streams clean. While there is always room for the improvements that are being made, ask our critics just to stop and think for a minute about the quality of our environment without the commercial construction industry.

Second, we are seeing a revolution in construction related to sustainable construction.

Currently, a shift is taking place in the increased use of renewable construction materials. Efforts are being made to use materials that can be produced locally to reduce the amount of fuel and energy used to transport materials. New construction management processes are being utilized to make the building process more environmentally friendly.

Energy-Producing Structures?

Finally, many industry professionals envision that a new way of looking at our structures is beginning to evolve. In the future, our structures will be designed as energy producers, rather than energy consumers.

I recently saw a very dramatic video of a new multi-story structure being built overseas in which the floors revolved around a central core, minimizing energy usage. Wind turbines between each floor captured the wind power and produced the energy to power the offices and residences in the building.

My thoughts are that those who continue to see construction as a spoiler of the environment have a very narrow view of the many improvements in the environment that are directly attributable to our built environment.

Try this story. A vacationer was driving through farm country. Each field was beautifully green, clean, well organized and neatly tended. The vacationer saw the farmer out in the field and stopped to compliment him.

“God certainly has given you a beautiful piece of property” commented the vacationer. The farmer stopped for a moment, looked up and said “Yes, you should have seen it when He had it all to Himself.”

Do you have questions on construction human resources, safety or management? E-mail them to Leonard Toenjes at ltoenjes@agcstl.org or craig_barner@mcgraw-hill.com. If Len picks your question, he will answer it in a future issue of Midwest Construction.)