{"id":316,"date":"2024-04-04T20:20:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T17:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/env-infra\/?page_id=316"},"modified":"2024-04-07T14:29:27","modified_gmt":"2024-04-07T11:29:27","slug":"exercise-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/env-infra\/exercise-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise 1"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Module 1<\/strong>: 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.<\/p>\n

Choose whether the impact described is positive or negative.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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1. <\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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

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2. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0measures are presented below.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ecosystems and biodiversity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Off-site ecological impact in surrounding areas<\/td>\n
Enabling wildlife migration to continue (e.g. by creating ecoducts)<\/td>\n
Degradation of the surrounding environment (noise|vibration|dust|etc.)<\/td>\n
Recreation of habitats|as nearby as possible\u00a0<\/td>\n
Moving affected species to a new site|where possible<\/td>\n
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Restoration and enhancement of surrounding features unaffected by the development or creation of new or additional buffer areas to reduce impact<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Opportunities on the site to extend|improve or create new habitats for existing wildlife and plants (in the infrastructure development or disposal phases)<\/td>\n
Destroying existing habitats and affecting the species that live there<\/td>\n
Hindering the movement of animals through habitat destruction or fragmentation<\/td>\n
Introducing new predators|pests or other invasive species from other areas<\/td>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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3. <\/span><\/p>\n

Impact on water may be related to water resources or the water environment.<\/p>\n

Water resources and the environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Installation of water-efficient equipment<\/td>\n
Increased demand for water and too much pressure on water supplies in the local area<\/td>\n
Contamination\/pollution of on-site groundwater and surface water (leaks and spills|leaching|accidents during transport or storage|etc.)<\/td>\n
Reuse of grey water on site\u00a0<\/td>\n
Minimising the consumption of water through the collection and utilisation of rainwater during construction and operation<\/td>\n
Pressure on water treatment facilities<\/td>\n
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<\/td>\n
(Acid) mine drainage<\/td>\n
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<\/td>\n
Water level changes (opportunity to take more land into use)<\/td>\n
Spillage of untreated wastewater caused by leaking discharge pipes<\/td>\n
Water level changes (e.g. harm to the ecosystem)<\/td>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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4. <\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Materials<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Using embedded materials and extending the life of existing assets<\/td>\n
Vast amounts of materials and energy used (in the construction and operational stage)<\/td>\n
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<\/td>\n
Sourcing materials that are reused or recycled|therefore reducing waste from other sites that would otherwise need disposal<\/td>\n
Materials can originate from unsustainable sources or damage the environment and create pollution during their extraction<\/td>\n
Refurbishment and\/or rebuilding by removing potentially harmful materials (e.g. asbestos) and replacing them with safer|better-performing materials<\/td>\n
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The production of many materials is an energy-intensive process (e.g. cement production)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Toxic emissions (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) due to the chemical treatment of some materials\u00a0<\/td>\n
Large and complex waste stream created in the construction and disposal of infrastructure<\/td>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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5. <\/span><\/p>\n

Energy is consumed and greenhouse gases are emitted during infrastructure development and disposal.<\/p>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n

Human environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Tax revenue for the local government or other support provided to the local community by the developer of the project<\/span><\/td>\n
Displacement of local populations|thus threatening the sustainability of community structures and cultures<\/td>\n
Using local companies and local employees during all stages of the infrastructure lifecycle<\/td>\n
Bringing additional people|employment and tourism into the economy and the opportunity to invest in local services (education|healthcare facilities and housing)<\/td>\n
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Impact on archaeological and other heritage sites of architectural or historical importance<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Increase in the value of properties in the area\u00a0<\/td>\n
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Impact on the local community (e.g. increased transport load by trucks moving to and from the construction site)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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<\/td>\n
Decommissioning and disposal of infrastructure can be a burden on the economy<\/td>\n
Decrease in travel times<\/td>\n
Decrease in traffic accidents due to the construction of a new road<\/td>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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