Comparative analysis and case study to evaluate conventional designs and environmentally sensitive infrastructure design solutions

Abstract

Globally the construction industry is one of the main contributors to the depletion of natural resources and a major cause of unwanted side effects such as air and water pollution, solid waste, deforestation, health hazards, global warming and other negative consequences. In the area of sustainability there is an urgent need to apply technologies and methods which deliver more sustainable performance in a way that is cost-effective. Sustainable, adaptive and mitigating approaches to climate change in the design of infrastructure are therefore important steering elements (FIDIC 2009)