Sustainable Construction: Six Features Of The Natural Environment

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Robyn-Jo Williams.
Sustainable Construction.
Brian Jones.
Assignment One.

I have been asked to describe six different features of the natural environment that could suffer as a result of bad practice in the construction and built environment sector.

There are talks of a new and modern retail park being made on a brown field site.
After using books, websites and official documents to research the six features of the natural environment, I am going to state my opinion on whether or not these problems should be taken into consideration when constructing the new retail park.

ACID RAIN.

Acid rain is a result of air pollution. When a fuel is burnt, lots of different chemicals are produced. The smoke that rises from a fire or the fumes that
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(Paints, solvents and household cleaning products emit volatile organic compounds and other fumes; and stoves and fireplaces emit carbon monoxide and smoke particulates). Buildings also contain dust based pollutants.
Since the “GREAT SMOG OF LONDON” in 1952 which killed 12,000 people in 4 days, the UK government have been committed to reducing air pollution. Many measures were put in place. Including the clean air acts of 1956 and 1968 which restricted the use of coal fuels and introduced a policy that meant factories and other industry buildings would have to have tall chimneys to discharge pollution higher up into the atmosphere, away from urban areas.
While the government are trying to reduce air pollution by putting certain measures in place, everybody can play a part in helping keeping the air clean. One way we can do this is reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. We may have little control on how the energy we use is produced, but we can all reduce the amount of energy we consume. ((which will initially, reduce emissions that lead to air pollution.
We can do a series of things which will do
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By observing changes in soil quality, a land manager can conclude if a set of practices are sustainable.

There are many purposes of soil. Soil offers a physical, chemical and biological environment for organisms whose habitat is among the soil, as well as the roots and tubers of plants. Soil controls water distribution to overflow, access, or storage. This affects movement of soluble materials – materials that can be dissolved.
Another role soil performs is the regulation of biological activity and molecular shifts between solid, liquid, and gaseous phases. This affects the journey of nutrients in the soil and the plant growth. Physical functions of soil include acting as a support for buildings.
There are quite a few ways in which soil can be measured. Drainage, Texture, Acidity, pH balance, Level of contamination, Fertility, Mineral Content, Organic Content, and by assessing its structural properties.

Soil/Natural drainage is the removal of water from below the soil surface. It is important to maintain this, as too much drainage can cause tension within the soil and the soil to lose nutrients. There are many ways in which to assess the drainage characteristics of a soil. The most reliable technique is to examine a soil (or plants using the soil) by

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