by Eline, Nikolai and Emanuel.
Building of apartments and large constructions destroy a lot for the ecological life of nature, and for our drinking water. New buildings being produced comprise 40% of the world’s emissions. That is, it affects both our climate, our water and our animals. But how can we find a way to make this sustainable? Is there already a way? Where we live, in Nesodden, we have seen a great development of new apartments / large buildings in several places. This has been a discussion that has been going on for a long time, but it has now been established that several of these buildings will be built, and some are soon finished.
But it is not just buildings that are harmful to the environment. Large-scale industries that mass produce products in their factories usually do their work as cheap as possible to make the most money from it. And as we know, the cheapest solution is often the worst for the environment.
So, our question is, how does it affect us and the nature? We need to find out!
(This is how one of the new apartments on Nesodden will look like. It is 20 meters away from our school)
Gas stations are some of the most damaging buildings
As said, the picture you see above is one of the new building that have been built in Nesodden. Nineteen years ago, there was a gas station standing right there, and it has left marks. For nearly thirty years the gasstation had been there, and it was clear that when they startet building and digging there to create the apartment, they got shocked. The rocks and dirt under the ground had the highest degree of pollution. So what they did, they removed all dirt and rocks that had high pollution, and replaced it with new and fresh dirt and rocks. They digged out ten thousand tons, and out of those ten thousand tons, nine thousand tons was polluted. That’s just insane thinking about. How heavy marks a small gas station can do to the nature with just existing.
How does the building of new apartments and big structures effect the nature?
We have read up on nature conservation in Norway and it says; In our time, new houses and apartments do not need as much energy as before, because it`s built with renewable energy and has a comfortable indoor climate. It is also increasingly seen that new houses are using solar panels, which are also a good source of natural and renewable energy. The authorities are also putting strict rules when it comes to building houses and other buildings. Among other things, from 2020 it should not be allowed to heat your house with certain oils, that they have found out that are dangerous against climate. Another tip they gave was “Don’t build big“. A large house means a large area to heat and maintain. So here is one thing we can look for when we buy a house or apartment, DON’T GO TO BIG.
How is today’s construction sustainable?
In today’s society, in Norway, not all construction is sustainable, and if it is, it is often marked clearly and sold for a more expensive money. You can build sustainably when it comes to both materials used, interior and electricity. “Today’s society has started to place a great focus on Environment and Sustainable Construction, which puts pressure on the producers, and then there is no other way but the right way”, says Professor at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Tor Medalen.
Building near the sea – rules
Everyone in Norway who has some kind of passion for nature, has a small dream of a summer place by the water, but it’s not just easy to get one. Only places where a house has previously stood on its own plot, or houses that are already there are allowed to stay. The beach law states that you are not allowed to build within a range of 100m from the sea. This is to take care of the coast, and the life that lives there. We have already seen to a great extent how construction and pollution damage nature, and this rule is absolutely necessary to preserve marine life.
Sources:
https://www.amta.no/bolig/tangen/nesodden/rapporten-er-klar-massene-pa-esso-tomta-var-svart-forurensa/s/5-3-601788?access=granted&access=granted
https://naturvernforbundet.no/pusse-opp-bygge-nytt/bygge-bolig-article32661-3650.html
