• Title/Summary/Keyword: Environmental impacts

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Development of the Assessment Framework for the Environmental Impacts in Construction

  • Tahoon Hong;Changwoon Ji;Kwangbok Jeong;Joowan Park
    • International conference on construction engineering and project management
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    • 2013.01a
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    • pp.196-203
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    • 2013
  • Environmental problems like global warming have now become important issues that should be considered in all industries, including construction. In South Korea, many studies have been conducted to achieve the government's goals of reduction in environmental impacts. However, the research on buildings has only focused on CO2 emission as a research target despite the fact that other environmental impacts resulting from ozone depletion and acidification should also be considered, in addition to global warming. In this regard, this study attempted to propose assessment criteria and methods to evaluate the environmental performance of the structures from various aspects. The environmental impact category can be divided into global impacts, regional impacts, and local impacts. First, global impacts include global warming, ozone layer depletion, and abiotic resource depletion, while regional impacts include acidification, eutrophication, and photochemical oxidation. In addition, noise and vibration occurring in the building construction phase are defined as local impacts. The evaluation methods on the eight environmental impacts will be proposed after analyzing existing studies, and the methods representing each environmental load as monetary value will be presented. The methods presented in this study will present benefits that can be obtained through green buildings with a clear quantitative assessment on structures. Ultimately, it is expected that if the effects of green buildings are clearly presented through the findings of this study, the greening of structures will be actively expanded.

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Bim-based Life Cycle Assessment of Embodied Energy and Environmental Impacts of High-rise Buildings: A Literature Review

  • Lijian Ma
    • International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.163-168
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    • 2023
  • Today 55 percent of the population in the world lives in urban areas which is expected to increase to 68 percent by the year 2050. In the cities, high-rise buildings as symbols of the modern cityscape are dominating the skylines, but the data to demonstrate their embodied energy and environmental impacts are scarce, compared to low- or mid-rise buildings. Reducing the embodied energy and environmental impacts of buildings is critical as about 42 percent of primary energy use and 39 percent of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the building sector. However, it is an overlooked area in embodied energy and environmental impacts of high-rise buildings. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely used tool to quantify the embodied energy and environmental impacts of the building sector. LCA combined with Building Information Modeling (BIM) can simplify data acquisition of the building as well as provide both tools with feedback. Several studies recognize that the integration of BIM and LCA can simplify data acquisition of the building as well as provide tools with feedback. This article provides an overview of literature on BIM-based of embodied energy and environmental impacts of high-rise buildings. It also compares with different LCA methodologies. Finally, major strategies to reduce embodied energy and environmental impacts of high-rise buildings, research limitations and trends in the field are covered.

Development of the Assessment Framework for the Environmental Impacts in Construction

  • Hong, Tahoon;Ji, Changwoon;Jeong, Kwangbok;Park, Joowan
    • Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management
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    • v.3 no.3
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2013
  • Environmental problems like global warming have now become important issues that should be considered in all industries, including construction. In South Korea, many studies have been conducted to achieve the government's goals of reduction in environmental impacts. However, the research on buildings has only focused on CO2 emission as a research target despite the fact that other environmental impacts resulting from ozone depletion and acidification should also be considered, in addition to global warming. In this regard, this study attempted to propose assessment criteria and methods to evaluate the environmental performance of the structures from various aspects. The environmental impact category can be divided into global impacts, regional impacts, and local impacts. First, global impacts include global warming, ozone layer depletion, and abiotic resource depletion, while regional impacts include acidification, eutrophication, and photochemical oxidation. In addition, noise and vibration occurring in the building construction phase are defined as local impacts. The evaluation methods on the eight environmental impacts will be proposed after analyzing existing studies, and the methods representing each environmental load as monetary value will be presented. The methods presented in this study will present benefits that can be obtained through green buildings with a clear quantitative assessment on structures. Ultimately, it is expected that if the effects of green buildings are clearly presented through the findings of this study, the greening of structures will be actively expanded.

New Environmental Impact Assessment Technology (신환경영향평가기술(新環境影響評價技術)의 개발방향(開發方向))

  • Han, Sang-Wook;Lee, Jong-Ho;Nam, Young-Sook
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.277-290
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    • 2000
  • The purpose of this study is to identify the problems of environmental impact assessment(EIA) and to suggest new EIA technology. The problems of EIA in Korea can be summarized as follows. First, the EIA does not reflect the impact of policy, plan and program on environment. Second, the project EIA does not consider the cumulative impacts such as additive impacts, synergistic impacts, threshold/saturation impacts, induced and indirect impacts, time-crowded impacts, and space-crowded impacts. Third, the EIA techniques in Korea are not standardized. Finally, the present EIA suggests only alternatives to reduce adverse impacts. To solve above-mentioned problems, the development of new EIA technology is essential. First, the new EIA technology should be developed toward pollution prevention technology and comprehensive and integrated environmental management technology. Second, new fields of EIA for pollution prevention contain strategic environmental assessment, cumulative impacts assessment, socio-economic impact assessment, cyber EIA and EIA technology necessary after the reunification of Korean Peninsula. Third, EIA technology for integrated environmental management contains the development of integated environment assessment system and the development of packaged EIA technology. The EIA technology for integrated environmental assessment system contains (1) development of integrated impact assessment technology combining air/water quality model, GIS and remote sensing, (2) integrated impact assessment of EIA, traffic impact assessment, population impact assessment and disaster impact assessment. (3) development of integrated technology combining risk assessment and EIA (4) development of integrated technology of life cycle assessment and EIA, (5) development of integrated technology of spatial planning and EIA, (6) EIA technology for biodiversity towards sustainable development, (7) mathematical model and GIS based location decision techniques, and (8) environmental monitoring and audit. Furthermore, there are some fields which need packaged EIA technology. In case of dam development, urban or industrial complex development, tourist development, landfill or combustion facilities construction, electric power plant development, development of port, road/rail/air port, is necessary the standardized and packaged EIA technology which considers the common characteristics of the same kind of development project.

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Process Life Cycle Assessment with Modified Allocating Method in PCB Producing Factory

  • Haepyo Chun;Kim, Young-Suk;Han, Sung-Ho;Han, Myung-Keun;Lee, Hong-Kee
    • Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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    • 2001.10a
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    • pp.301-306
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    • 2001
  • Applying life cycle assessment in PCB (printed circuit board) production, most of environmental impacts come from outside-factory-process due to power generation, especially, and other raw material productions. Relatively, small environmental impacts of inside-factory-process make it difficult to compare them. To overcome this problem allocating environmental impacts of outside-factory-process on inside-factory-process. It helps to identify the environmental impacts of each process and find sources of environmental impacts. Also, life cycle assessment shows reduction of environmental impacts after copper recycling process.

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Identification of Potential Environmental Impacts among Renewable Energy Technologies Promising to Minimize Global Warming (지구온난화 최소화를 위한 신재생 에너지들의 잠재환경영향)

  • Kim, Yong-Bum;Chung, Yong
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.67-79
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    • 2008
  • Global warming, which is one of the most serious challenges, has been the subject of intense debate and concern for many scientists, policy-makers, and citizens for at least the past decade. To protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations, we must reduce our emissions like carbon dioxide. Alternatives to achieve an energy future without serious global warming are to change to clean and renewable sources of energy like the wind, the sun lights, rivers, the biomass, hydrogen, and oceans. To identify some of the key and new environmental impacts associated with renewable energy and hydrogen energy, we set up the new conceptual methodology. Specifically, new identified environmental and health impacts are related with the usage of hydrogen energy. When comparing with fossil fuel, the renewable energies can reduce the release of carbon dioxide when they are used except hydrogen produced from fossil fuel. However, all renewable energy technologies are not appropriate to all applications or locations. Our results suggest that all of alternatives to replace fossil fuel can release the several global and local impacts although they seems to be smaller than the impacts from fossil fuel. Therefore, the quantitative and detail analysis to assess environmental impacts of the alternative energies might be useful to make our decision for the future energy against the global warming.

Socio-economic and Environmental Impact Assessment in Agricultural Cultivation, Case Studies in Rice Cultivation and Shrimp Farming in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam

  • Nguyen, Tran Nhan Tanh;Tran, Thi Hong Ngoc
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.18 no.6
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    • pp.461-467
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    • 2009
  • This paper provides two case studies of environmental impacts with socio-economic values. The first case is on flood protection levees conducted from 2003 to 2004 in Phu Tan district, An Giang province. The impacts were found by comparing full flood protection levees area (FFPL) to non-full flood protection levees area (NFFPL). Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools per each group of rich, middle, and poor people were used to list the impacts. Then, major impacts were selected by ranking and interviewing 60 households per site, and assessed by Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) in rice production from 1996 to 2002 between two areas. The tested research indicated moving system of NFFPL to that of FFPL lost about 11 million VND/ha/year. The second case is on impacts of Penaeid shrimp farming conducted in Duyen Hai District, Tra Vinh Province in 2004-2005. Ninety households and 12 local officials were interviewed. Four PRAs were conducted and 36 water samples were taken inside and outside shrimp pond to measure values of DO, COD, Fe total, TSS, N-$NO_3{^-}$, N-$NH_4{^+}$, P-$PO{_4}^{3-}$, and Chlorophyll-a. Research results showed only 36.7% of the households got profit from shrimp farming. Highest financial efficiency was 0.72 for the semi-intensive system. Tested water indicators showed surface water quality did not match Vietnamese standard for surface water in coastal area (TCVN 5943-1995) and in rain. The water was very muddy and contaminated by organic aluminum. Summarily, the impacts were clarified more obviously via adding socio-economic values to assessment. Importantly, the values were transformed to household's income which is an indicator for policy-makers to consider the impacts obviously. Besides, data of different group of people impacted are cases contributing to consideration of the impacts in an appropriate social level.

Perceived Impacts Influencing Community Satisfaction in Rural Development Projects - Moderating Effects on Community Participation - (농촌개발사업 영향인지가 지역사회만족에 미치는 영향 - 지역사회참여의 조절효과 -)

  • Ahn, Jaemun;Kim, So-Yun;Park, Duk-Byeong
    • Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.211-225
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    • 2020
  • It is important to understand what affects community satisfaction. Because community impacts and participation is a central aspect of fostering local community development, it is important to understand how these processes occur. The study aims to identify the factors influencing community satisfaction and to examine the moderating effects of community participation between community perceived impacts and community satisfaction. Data were collected from 328 usable questionnaires among community residents participating rural development projects in Buyeo and Chungyang county, Chungnam province. Results of a factor analysis yielded four dimensions of community perceived impacts which were negative socio-economic impacts, positive economic impacts, positive environmental impacts, and positive social impacts. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that negative socio-economic impacts, positive economic impacts, and positive environmental impacts affected significantly for community satisfaction. it reveals that there are moderating effects on community participation of negative socio-economic impacts and positive economic impacts. It was suggested that negative socio-economic impacts, positive economic impacts, and community participation should be considered to implement rural development projects and its policy decision making.

A Study on the Linkage between Environmental Imact Assessment and Environmental Management System in Korea (한국에서의 EIA와 EMS의 연계방안 연구)

  • Kim, Im-Soon;Han, Sang-Wook;Kim, Hea Sam;Kang, Seon-Hong;Kim, Dae-Kwon
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.165-178
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    • 2006
  • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) are perceived by many to be separate environmental tools. EIA serves as a systematic and predictive tool for assessing the potentially significant impacts of developments on the environment. An EMS, on the other hand, is used to consider the key impacts of operational businesses on the environment. The main difference to note is that during the EIA process impacts on developments are predicted. A proposed development has yet to be built and therefore an element of uncertainty is associated with these assessments. With an EMS, the business or organization's processes are already in operation. Even though there is also an element of prediction involved, it is a comparatively easier task to investigate what the environmental impacts of these processes are. However, in contrast with the orientation of EIA to further development actions, EMS involves the review, assessment and incremental improvement of an existing organization's environmental effects. EMS can thus be regarded as a continuation of EIA principles into the operational stage of a policy, plan, program and project. EIA may be carried out without fully supporting necessary informations to EMS.

Scoping for Environmental Impact and System Improvement of Marine Sand Mining in Korea (바다골재채취에 따른 환경영향 스코핑과 제도개선)

  • Lee, Dae-In;Eom, Ki-Hyuk;Jeon, Kyeong-Am;Kim, Gui-Young
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.335-345
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    • 2010
  • This paper assessed environmental impacts of marine sand mining on coastal areas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Korea, and diagnosed problems of the related assessment statements for suggesting key assessment items (scoping) and system improvement. To mitigate conflicts and environmental impacts caused by large-scale, concentrated sand mining, we suggest it is critical to promote sustainable and eco-friendly utilization of marine resources while listening opinions from various stakeholders and analyzing alternative plans. Especially, it should be mandatory as a scoping item to provide verifiable data on the amount of sand, potential and accumulative impacts by mining, and key assessment items (e.g. erosion and sedimentation by submarine topography, benthic change, spreading of suspended solids, water pollution, grain-size change, and impact on fisheries resources). We also suggest that postassessment and monitoring should be improved to enable tracking of environmental impacts caused by sand mining through seasonal monitoring together with intermittent short-term surveys. In addition, effective measures to mitigate the impacts is also essential. As repeated sand mining at large-scale can damage marine ecosystems by long-term accumulated impacts, we suggest that assessment systems and regulatory policies should be developed and established, especially for ensuring reliability of assessment and review on selected major sandmining projects.