Concrete buildings and mountain environment
Dr. Arshad A Shedayi
The impact of concrete buildings on the natural environment of a mountain region can be significant, and may include both short-term and long-term effects.The construction of multistory concrete hotel buildings can have both positive and negative impacts on the mountain environment and ecosystem.
Here are some potential impacts to consider:
Positive impacts:
- Increased tourism: Multistory concrete hotels can provide accommodation for tourists, which can stimulate local economies and create jobs. This can be particularly beneficial in areas where tourism is a major industry.
- Reduced land use: Multistory buildings can allow more tourists to be accommodated on a smaller footprint of land, which can help to preserve natural areas and limit development.
- Employment opportunities: Hotel industry provide a wide range of employment opportunities to many of the local skilled population and become the source for income generation
Negative impacts:
- Habitat destruction: The construction of concrete buildings can lead to the destruction of natural habitats for wildlife and plant species. This can have a significant impact on local biodiversity, as well as on the food chain and ecological balance of the region. Multi-storied concrte buildings reduce the natural beauty of the mountain ecosystem
- Soil erosion: The construction process can disturb the soil and cause erosion, leading to the loss of topsoil and nutrients necessary for plant growth. This can lead to degraded soil quality and reduced vegetation cover, which in turn can lead to increased risk of landslides and soil erosion.
- Solid waste pollution: The process of constructing a concrete building can generate a significant amount of waste. This waste can include excess concrete, wood, packaging materials, and other materials used during the construction process. When concrete buildings are demolished or renovated, they can produce a significant amount of waste. This waste can include concrete rubble, metals, and other materials that may be difficult to dispose of in mountain environments. A significant amount of solid waste materials such as plastic bags, bottles, glasses, and trash materials are generated on daily basis. The dumping of such wastes can create many environmental issues in the mountain ecosystem.
- Increased traffic and air pollution: Concrete buildings often require the construction of access roads and parking lots, which can increase traffic and air pollution in the region. This can have a negative impact on air quality.
- Alteration of local weather patterns: The construction of concrete buildings can alter local weather patterns, such as wind flow and temperature, which can have a ripple effect on the entire ecosystem.
- Disruption to local communities: The influx of tourists and development of hotels can lead to social and cultural changes in the local community, which can be positive or negative depending on the circumstances.
Based on the above mentioned facts, its important to carefully consider the impact of concrete buildings on the natural environment of mountain regions before embarking on construction projects. Strategies such as sustainable design, using locally-sourced materials, and minimizing disturbance to the surrounding environment can help to reduce the negative impact of construction on the natural environment.
