Health Implications of Building Materials: A Critical Examination

 

An interview with Mr. Adu.  Credit: Erasmus Oppong Tetteh

Author: Erasmus Oppong Tetteh.

Most builders and contractors are carried away by their passion and profit they are likely to make in the building and construction industry forgetting the implications some building and construction materials have on their health. The flex of owning luxurious homes also takes our minds off the implications that comes with living in homes which have been built with materials that can cause problems for our health. 

Studies from Altuma, I. M. & Ghasemlounia, R. (2021), suggests that, 64% of global carbon pollution is attributed to energy or activity (remaining is from forestry, agriculture, or destruction); 35% is from manufacturing, 31% from buildings, and 27% from transportation. Manufacturing of construction materials consumes energy, and the building process also consumes heating, lighting, control and ventilation energy through the operation of buildings completed. In addition to energy use, the construction industry is seen as a significant contributor to environmental emissions and the largest use of raw materials, consuming 40% of global demand every year and producing an immense amount of waste.

A visit to a real estate building site in Oyarifa, Accra saw the effects of some building materials on the builders.

An interview conducted with Mr. Anim explained his encounter with these building materials over his past years of building. He explained that he had suffered several skin irritations and respiratory ailments due to his exposure to building materials such as cement.

He further suggested that we employ more sustainable ways of building. Instead of engaging cement blocks which contain alkaline compounds such as lime (calcium oxide) that are corrosive to human tissues, we could do more of clay bricks which are relatively safer to consume. Trace amounts of crystalline silica which is abrasive to the skin and can damage lungs and trace amounts of chromium that can cause allergic reactions are all present in cement blocks.

With continuous education and advocacies for sustainable building and construction practices, the environment will have a greener view and life on earth will be more sustained.