MOOC: Auditing environmental impacts of infrastructure

Exercise 1

 

Module 1: This exercise is intended as part of your learning material. Work through these questions and find out what the adverse and positive effects of infrastructure development are.

Choose whether the impact described is positive or negative. 
 

The location of infrastructure is essential for several reasons. In addition to affecting local inhabitants|infrastructure can also be of architectural significance|raise cultural or scientific interest and cause changes in land use. Therefore|alternative locations for infrastructure should always be compared in the planning phase.

Changes in land use

Opportunity to investigate the archaeology of the site
Changes in land use|e.g. natural land|forest or agricultural land is changed into something else
Opportunity to regenerate and reuse previously contaminated land
Removal of trees|disruption of forests in particular (CO2 sinks|wind and erosion barriers)
Upon upgrading or decommissioning|the land may be cleaned up or remediated to the level required for its future intended use
Change in the condition of the soil structure|e.g.|compaction of soil|erosion|contamination|soil salinisation due to land irrigation.
Reduction in the capacity of the land to absorb rainwater|increased run-off
Visual amenity|e.g. wind turbines|large industrial sites
Water level changes (opportunity to take more land into use)
Pollution and waste contamination
Water level changes

Infrastructure projects often have an impact on the ecosystems and biodiversity of a site. This impact may be local but may also affect the surrounding areas. The main types of adverse impact and possible mitigatory or compensatory measures are presented below.

Ecosystems and biodiversity

Off-site ecological impact in surrounding areas
Enabling wildlife migration to continue (e.g. by creating ecoducts)
Degradation of the surrounding environment (noise|vibration|dust|etc.)
Recreation of habitats|as nearby as possible 
Moving affected species to a new site|where possible

Restoration and enhancement of surrounding features unaffected by the development or creation of new or additional buffer areas to reduce impact
Opportunities on the site to extend|improve or create new habitats for existing wildlife and plants (in the infrastructure development or disposal phases)
Destroying existing habitats and affecting the species that live there
Hindering the movement of animals through habitat destruction or fragmentation
Introducing new predators|pests or other invasive species from other areas

Impact on water may be related to water resources or the water environment.

Water resources and the environment

Installation of water-efficient equipment
Increased demand for water and too much pressure on water supplies in the local area
Contamination/pollution of on-site groundwater and surface water (leaks and spills|leaching|accidents during transport or storage|etc.)
Reuse of grey water on site 
Minimising the consumption of water through the collection and utilisation of rainwater during construction and operation
Pressure on water treatment facilities
New water infrastructure may be more energy-efficient and reduce the carbon intensity of the economy; therefore|the infrastructure itself can form part of the transformation to a lower carbon economy
(Acid) mine drainage
Water leaks caused by the wear and tear of the pipe and valve network; burst pipes can disrupt the water supply and lead to the flooding of areas and properties and also waste a valuable natural resource
Water level changes (opportunity to take more land into use)
Spillage of untreated wastewater caused by leaking discharge pipes
Water level changes (e.g. harm to the ecosystem)

Various materials are used in the construction and operation phase of infrastructure. During the construction phase huge amounts of different materials are used|some of them non-renewable and extracted from the surface. Furthermore|the disposal stage involves the handling of large amounts of different materials|most of which usually becomes waste.

Materials

Using embedded materials and extending the life of existing assets
Vast amounts of materials and energy used (in the construction and operational stage)
Designing the infrastructure in such a way that the use of materials with a higher environmental impact is minimised and the use of sustainable products is increased
Sourcing materials that are reused or recycled|therefore reducing waste from other sites that would otherwise need disposal
Materials can originate from unsustainable sources or damage the environment and create pollution during their extraction
Refurbishment and/or rebuilding by removing potentially harmful materials (e.g. asbestos) and replacing them with safer|better-performing materials

The production of many materials is an energy-intensive process (e.g. cement production)
Toxic emissions (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) due to the chemical treatment of some materials 
Large and complex waste stream created in the construction and disposal of infrastructure

Energy is consumed and greenhouse gases are emitted during infrastructure development and disposal.

Energy and air emissions

Emissions of carbon dioxide|carbon monoxide|nitrous oxides (NOx)|sulphur oxides (SOx)|dust|polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and particulate matter (PM)
Incorporating efficient energy-saving or energy-generating features in the design of the infrastructure
Consumption of fossil fuels for energy production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and other polluting emissions into the air
Possible inefficiency of energy infrastructure due to the loss of energy as it moves from the source to the end-user
Including technology to reduce emissions and carbon capture and storage in the design of the infrastructure
Reduction of third-party energy use by arranging multi-purpose transportation options
Compensation measures for local communities|such as cheaper energy from the new plant
Noise pollution from the energy production plant

In addition to having an impact on the surrounding nature|infrastructure projects can also affect physical|cultural|social and economic factors in an area. However|the infrastructure itself should deliver the benefits it is designed to achieve for the local community.

Human environment

Tax revenue for the local government or other support provided to the local community by the developer of the project
Displacement of local populations|thus threatening the sustainability of community structures and cultures
Using local companies and local employees during all stages of the infrastructure lifecycle
Bringing additional people|employment and tourism into the economy and the opportunity to invest in local services (education|healthcare facilities and housing)

Impact on archaeological and other heritage sites of architectural or historical importance
Increase in the value of properties in the area 

Impact on the local community (e.g. increased transport load by trucks moving to and from the construction site)
Health effects on local inhabitants (real or potential|in the event of an incident)|e.g. electromagnetic radiation from telecommunication pylons; sewage contamination from wastewater plants; radioactive leakage from nuclear plants
Decommissioning and disposal of infrastructure can be a burden on the economy
Decrease in travel times
Decrease in traffic accidents due to the construction of a new road

 

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