Potential Essay Questions

Question 1

Draw simple LCA framework and describe how to use it to guide the construction product development such as sewage pipes, windows, timbers, rail track beds, etc.

Answer 1

Goal
- should summarise reason for doing, the application and target audience

Scope
- State function and functional unit, system boundaries, data quality requirements (which ‘hotspots’) and critical review considerations (what form for results?)

Inventory analysis

• Looks at inputs and outputs of system
• iterative process as data gaps are identified

Impact Assessment

• does not compare to limits just states values
• Results but no conclusion
• Lead to performance indicators

Direct Application
- Strategic planning, product improvement, marketing, public policy making

USE RAIL BED

Question 2

Positive and negative impacts on ‘quality of life’. Draw a ‘construction overshoot’ and discuss how we can effectively address negative impacts

Answer 2

Positive
Alleviation of poverty (pro-poor mentality)
Contribution to UNSDG’s
Infrastructure and housing

Negatives
Pollution - overcome with climate change and climate action
Material use - overcome by using renewable, pacing rate at which we use renewable, resource efficiency
Living planet index (loss of biodiversity) - follow biodiversity chapter in Strategy for Sustainable Construction (2008). work to protect and enhance biodiversity at all project stages

Question 3

ANOTHER OVERSHOOT?

Answer 3

Population
Overcome by reducing poverty as is a cause of over population
Also to build for growing population use renewable resources efficiently

Question 4

Causes of poverty and as a civil engineer how can we work to overcome this?

Answer 4

Causes
Corruption, Population overshoot, Imbalances (wealth and employment)

Why does climate change affect poor more?
Infrastructure cant cope–> Amsterdam/Bangladesh example
Flooding of crop land–> no income

Overcome?
Capacity building, large projects small approaches, local decision making, labour intensive work
Also alleviate corruption by: accountability measures (fines and rewards), promoting transparency, robust policy making, create trust in industry, and CoST (COnstruction Sector Transparency Initiative)

Example- invest in roads as provides employment and also gives access to markets and schools etc

Question 5

Constructions industries contribution to UNSDG’s?

Answer 5

Follow chapters in Strategy for Sustainable Construction (2008)

Clean water and sanitation- water (SUDS and affordable, accessible water)

Responsible consumption and production- Waste (management, SWMP, Waste hierarchy, waste taxation)
Materials (materials of least environmental impact and grow renewable use)

Industry, Infrastructure and Innovation - Innovation (foster innovative ideas)

Sustainable cities - Innovation (exploit new ideas) and design (fit for purpose structures)

Climate action- Climate mitigation (50% reduction in CAP and OP carbon by 2025, 80% by 2050 relative to 1990) and adaption (build potential for adaption into design and construction methods)

Other chapters: people (training and reduce rate of injury), procurement (good practise reduces cost, improve economic efficiency), biodiversity (conserve and enhance through all stages), also better regulation