Construction Environmental Management

Dr. Xiangping XIAN

Assistant Professor
Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering
City University of Hong Kong

Contact information:
E-mail address: xiangping.xian@cityu.edu.hk
 Green Construction

Construction: Necessary to build our modern life.

The philosophy and processes: As friendly to the environment as

possible

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 How to achieve green construction?

Construction

Pollution Practical
Problems Solutions

Air Noise Waste Water

We will try to identify the pollution problems and provide

practical solutions. 3
 Construction Work
General
Building
Construction
Haul
Civil Road

Wastewater
Management Piling

Construction

Waste Site
Manage Boundary
ment

Use of
Powered Site
Mechanical Office
Equipment
(PME)
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 Civil Work

Dusty
Stockpile

Marine
Earthwork Dredging
and Filling

Demolition

Utility
Rock
Trench
Breaking
Excavation
Slope
Stabilization
Work
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 Civil-Demolition
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R
✓ Enclose the building with impervious dust screens
✓ Wet the working area prior to, during and after demolition

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 Civil-Demolition
Noise
Noise Control Ordinance, Cap. 400, not allowed from 7pm to 7am
✓ Restrict noisy works and use of noisy equipment, e.g.
concrete breaking by excavator-mounted breaker, to less
sensitive hours of the day
✓ Use Quality Powered Mechanical Equipment (QPME) type
equipment
✓ Use non-percussive equipment for demolition and concrete
breaking works
✓ Fit muffler and silencer to noisy machines

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 Civil-Demolition
Waste
Waste Disposal Ordinance, Cap. 354, prohibited to dump waste
casually.

✓ Implement selective demolition and on site sorting

✓ Implement trip ticket system to keep track of waste disposal

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 Civil-Dusty Stockpile
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R

✓ Spray water on the surface of dusty stockpile

✓ Cover up dusty stockpile entirely by impervious sheeting
✓ Compact or hydroseed large stockpile for prolonged storage

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 Civil-Earthwork
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R
✓ Spray water on the surface of dusty material before, during and after
excavation
✓ Minimize the dropping height of soil and dusty material during loading
and unloading
✓ Use dump truck equipped with mechanical cover for transportation of
dusty material
✓ Wash vehicle to remove any dusty materials before leaving a site
✓ Keep the haul road wet by water sprinkler or water bowser

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 Civil-Earthwork
Noise
Noise Control Ordinance, Cap. 400, not allowed from 7pm to 7am
✓ Use Quality Powered Mechanical Equipment (QPME) type
equipment excavator
✓ Use noise barrier to screen noisy works from noise
sensitive receivers

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 Civil-Earthwork
Waste
Waste Disposal Ordinance, Cap. 354

✓ Reuse excavated material for on site backfilling

✓ Reuse surplus excavated material for backfilling in other
construction sites
✓ Dispose of surplus excavated material to government
approved public filling reception facilities
✓ Implement Trip Ticket System to track dump truck
delivering excavated material

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 Civil-Marine Dredging and Filling
Water-Dispersion of sediment
Dumping at Sea Ordinance, Cap. 466,
✓ Apply dumping permit from the EPD before marine dumping and related loading
operations;
✓ Equip all dumping vessels with an automatic self-monitoring system which records their
position and loading and dumping operations;
✓ Use tightly closed grabs during dredging to restrict the loss of fine sediment to
suspension;
✓ Handle the dredged material with care to avoid splashing into surrounding waters during
loading;
✓ Use silt curtain to screen the marine works to control sediment suspension. The silt
curtain should be fabricated from permeable, durable, abrasion resistant membrane like
geotextiles and be mounted on a floating boom structure surrounding the grab and should
extend to the sea bottom;
✓ Use tug boat and winch for positioning of work barge to avoid stirring up of sediment by
thrusters at shallow area

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 Civil-Rock Breaking
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R
✓ Spray water on the surface continuously during rock
breaking work

Water spraying funnel mounted on breaker tip 14

 Civil-Rock Breaking
Noise
Noise Control Ordinance, Cap. 400,
✓ Affix Noise Emission Label on handheld breaker and air compressor;
✓ Restrict the noisy breaking works to less sensitive hours of the day;
✓ Use Quality Powered Mechanical Equipment (QPME) type excavator-
mounted breaker;
✓ Use noise barrier to screen the breaking work from noise sensitive
receivers;
✓ Equip excavator-mounted breaker with noise muffler

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 Civil-Slope Stabilization Work
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R
✓ Continuously wet the surface of soil nail/rock dowel operation with
water or cover with tarpaulin during drilling;
✓ Erect dust screen around the drilling area;
✓ Enclose cement batching process for shotcreting;
✓ Shelter cement bags for shotcreting;

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 Civil-Utility Trench Excavation
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R
✓ Spray water on road surface before and during concrete
breaking and excavation;
✓ Erect dust screen to shield dusty work;
✓ Cover up dusty stockpile entirely by impervious sheeting;

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 Civil-Utility Trench Excavation
Air (Smoke)
Air Pollution Control (Smoke) Regulation
✓ Divert plant exhaust away from pedestrian road;

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 Civil-Utility Trench Excavation
Noise
Noise Control Ordinance, Cap. 400,
✓ Use noise barrier to screen noisy works from noise sensitive receivers;
✓ Enclose stationary plant with noise enclosure
Water-Effluent discharged to stormwater drain
Water Pollution Control Ordinance, Cap. 358
✓ Deploy wastewater treatment facilities on site treating wastewater to
meet the conditions of effluent discharge license prior to discharging

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 General Building Construction
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R

✓ Provide dust screens to enclose the scaffolding of the building

✓ Enclose material hoist by impervious sheeting;
✓ Enclose debris chute and collection chamber by impervious
sheeting；
✓ Spray water on debris before it is dumped into a debris chute；
✓ Spray water on the surface of facade before and during grinding
work；
✓ Equip vacuum cleaner on grinder for facade grinding work；
✓ Provide hard paving on open area；

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General Building Construction
Dust

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 General Building Construction
Noise
Noise Control Ordinance, Cap. 400
Practical Solutions:
✓ Apply Construction Noise Permit for use of Powered Mechanical
Equipment (PME) and carrying out of Prescribed Construction Work
(PCW) in restricted hours. Restricted hours means the time between
1900 and 0700 hours on normal weekdays and any time on a general
holiday, including Sunday. PCW include: 1) Erection or dismantling
of formwork or scaffolding; 2) Loading, unloading or handling of
rubble, wooden boards, steel bars, wood or scaffolding material; 3)
Hammering

✓ Use noise barrier or enclosure for noisy plants

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 General Building Construction
Water Pollution
Water Pollution Control Ordinance, Cap. 358
Practical Solutions:
✓ Apply license from the EPD before discharging effluent from
construction site;
✓ Treat wastewater to meet the conditions of effluent discharge license
prior to discharging;
✓ Conduct regular self-monitoring checks to ensure the quality of the
effluent discharged meet the prescribed standard

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 Haul Road
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R
✓ Pave haul road with concrete or hardcores to reduce generation of
fugitive dust during vehicle travelling;
✓ Spray haul road with water to reduce generation of fugitive dust
during vehicle travelling.

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 Piling
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R
✓ Shield the piling rig to avoid spreading of slurry during boring;
✓ Enclose cement batching process for grouting;
✓ Shelter cement bags for grouting.

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 Piling
Noise Pollution
Noise Control Ordinance, Cap. 400
✓ Prohibit the use of noisy diesel, pneumatic and steam hammers for
percussive piling
✓ Apply for a Construction Noise Permit for carrying out of percussive
piling;
✓ Notify the neighborhood on the schedule of noisy piling works;
✓ Erect noise barrier to screen noisy piling works from noise sensitive
receivers.

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 Piling
Effluent discharged to stormwater drain
Water Pollution Control Ordinance, Cap. 358
✓ Apply license from the EPD before discharging effluent from construction
site;
✓ Provide channels, earth bunds or sandbags barriers around the piling area to
prevent the wastewater from direct discharging;
✓ Recirculate the wastewater used in boring as far as possible after
sedimentation;
✓ Treat wastewater to meet the conditions of effluent discharge license prior to
discharging;
✓ Conduct regular self-monitoring checks to ensure the quality of the effluent
discharged meet the prescribed standard

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 Site Boundary
Dust
Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, Cap. 311R
✓ Display emergency contact telephone list along site boundary to
facilitate public enquiry and/or complaint
✓ Erect hoarding along the site boundary to avoid dispersion of
construction dust out of working areas.

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 Site Boundary
Effluent discharged to stormwater drain
Water Pollution Control Ordinance, Cap. 358

✓ Seal the footing of hoarding to avoid seepage of surface run-off out

of construction site;
✓ Install wheel washing facilities including a high pressure water jet at
each site exit to avoid carrying of dust and soil to public road by site
vehicles;
✓ Construct perimeter temporary drainage channel and catchpits along
the site boundary to intercept surface run-off from flowing out of
construction site. The temporary drainage system should be suitably
maintained with the deposited silt and grit being removed regularly to
ensure the system could direct the surface run-off to wastewater
treatment facilities at all times.
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 Site Boundary
Effluent discharged to stormwater drain
Water Pollution Control Ordinance, Cap. 358

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 Site Office

Resource consumption
Practical Solutions:
✓ Use compact fluorescent lamp or LED lighting instead of traditional
tungsten lighting;
✓ Use electrical appliance such as air conditioner and refrigerator with Grade 1
Energy Efficiency Labels;
✓ Switch off idling lighting and air conditioning. Use switch timer to manage
the operation time of photocopier, heater, air conditioning and etc.;
✓ Keep windows and doors shut when the air-conditioner is running, and draw
curtains or blinds to keep direct sunlight out;
✓ Consider the use of natural lighting and ventilation in site office design;
✓ Consider the installation of photovoltaic panel on roof of site office to
capture solar energy;
✓ Encourage electronic communication and document management to reduce
paper consumption;
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Site Office

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Use of Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME)
Air Pollution-Smoke
Air Pollution Control (Smoke) Regulation
Practical Solutions:
✓ Carry out routine maintenance of plant and equipment;
✓ Retrofit construction plant with particulate reduction device to reduce
dark smoke emission;
✓ Divert plant exhaust to away from public area

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Use of Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME)
Fuel

Air Pollution Control (Fuel Restriction) Regulation prohibits the

use of high sulphur content solid and liquid fuel for commercial
and industrial appliances

Practical Solutions:

✓ Use ultra low sulphur diesel for all diesel-powered plants and
equipment

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Use of Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME)
Noise Pollution
Noise Control Ordinance, Cap. 400
Practical Solutions:
✓ Apply Construction Noise Permit for use of Powered Mechanical Equipment
(PME) and carrying out of Prescribed Construction Work (PCW) in
restricted hours. estricted hours means the time between 1900 and 0700
hours on normal weekdays and any time on a general holiday, including
Sunday. PCW include: 1) Erection or dismantling of formwork or
scaffolding; 2) Loading, unloading or handling of rubble, wooden boards,
steel bars, wood or scaffolding material; 3) Hammering;
✓ Use Quality Powered Mechanical Equipment (QPME) type equipment;
✓ Use noise barrier or enclosure for noisy plants;
✓ Switch off idling equipment;
✓ Close all engine doors of equipment;
✓ Fit muffler or silencer for noisy machines;
✓ Carry out routine maintenance of plant and equipment
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Use of Powered Mechanical Equipment (PME)
Noise Pollution
Noise Control Ordinance, Cap. 400
Practical Solutions:

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 Waste Management
Construction Waste
Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste)
Regulation requires construction contractor to open a billing
account for disposal of construction waste.
Practical Solutions:
✓ Open a billing account under the Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of
Construction Waste) Regulation;
✓ Designate on site waste sorting area to facilitate waste segregation;
✓ Allocate different containers for temporary storage of segregated waste
materials to facilitate reuse, recycle and disposal;
✓ Reuse and/or dispose of segregated waste materials timely to avoid
overstock which may contribute other nuisance;
✓ Implement trip ticket system to track the offsite transportation of segregated
waste materials.

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 Waste Management
Construction Waste
Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste)
Regulation requires construction contractor to open a billing
account for disposal of construction waste.
Practical Solutions:

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 Waste Management
Chemical Waste
Waste Disposal (Chemical Waste) (General) Regulation requires the
chemical waste producer to register with the EPD and properly package,
label and store the chemical wastes.
Practical Solutions:
✓ Register as a chemical waste producer under the Waste Disposal (Chemical
Waste) (General) RegulationDesignate on site waste sorting area to facilitate
waste segregation;
✓ Designate chemical waste store for temporary storage of chemical wastes for
further collection by licensed waste collector. The design of the chemical
waste store shall make reference to the Code of Practice on the Packaging,
Labeling and Storage of Chemical Wastes.

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 Wastewater Management
Effluent discharged to stormwater drain
Under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance, Cap. 358, discharge of
polluted waters into stormwater drains is not permitted, discharging
wastewater from construction activities into sewers or elsewhere should
comply with the terms and conditions of a licence issued by the EPD
Practical Solutions:
✓ Apply Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO) license from the EPD
before discharging effluent from construction site;
✓ Deploy wastewater treatment facilities on site treating wastewater to meet
the conditions of WPCO license prior to discharging;
✓ Segregate domestic sewerage from construction wastewater and surface
runoff. Deploy toilet facilities on site;
✓ Protect drainage system and discharge point to avoid blockage;
✓ Conduct regular self-monitoring checks to ensure the quality of the effluent
discharged meet the prescribed standard. 40
 Wastewater Management
Effluent discharged to stormwater drain
Practical Solutions:

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 Wishes-Environment

• Greater Bay Area includes nine mega cities of Guangdong

province: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan,
Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Huizhou, and Zhaoqing as
well as two special administrative regions, Hong Kong, and
Macao (Macau);
• Hong Kong is the core city of the Greater BayArea；
• Everyone has opportunities and challenges;
Opportunities: Jobs; promotions; High income;
Challenges: Introduction of Admission Schemes for Talent, Professionals
and Entrepreneurs; Competitions;

Do you think the Greater BayArea

will integrate together?
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 Wishes-Environment
• A pleasant working/learning environment;
• A happy home environment can contribute to a child’s
success.
• Improve yourself:
1) Improve your interpersonal skill;
When you work, you will know it is very important
2) Improve your professional skill;
The more experience you have, the more you get paid (Generally)
3) Study hard, Work hard, play hard;
Enjoy yourself and find something that can make yourself feel happy
4) Improve your communication skill;
A good communication can solve most problems
5) Be humble;
We are still learning
6) Be compassionate;
Offer help to those people needed while you can

Wish you all the best! 43

 References

1, Pollution Problems & Practical Solutions | Environmental Protection Department (epd.gov.hk)

2, Green Construction - The Future of the Industry - eSUB Construction Software;
3, What is Green Construction? - Build Your Future (byf.org)

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 Acknowledgement
Great thank-you to Prof. Thomas,
Prof. Eric, and Prof. Mei Yung!
Really appreciate Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) of
Hong Kong!

Thank you all for listening!

Questions?
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