People usually assume that most pollutants within a city as the result of emissions from cars, power generation and industry. The impact for London has been estimated as 4,300 premature deaths a year due to poor air quality, but often overlooked is the impact of emissions from construction sites on the pollution levels. In his foreword of The Control of Dust and Emissions during Construction and Demolition (Draft), Boris Johnson highlights that, “construction and demolition activity, and the machinery used for this purpose, may be responsible for up to 15 per cent of air pollutant emissions in the Capital.”
As such, London is increasingly imposing strict guidelines regarding noise and dust emissions from construction works. Contractors therefore need reliable, effective and fast monitoring systems to alert them to any breaches of local noise and dust regulations. Indeed, on-site noise and dust monitoring should be a vital part of site planning as well as an ongoing process throughout the construction project. Noise and dust monitoring maximises the effectiveness of site management when it comes to compliance and quickly provides the contractor with data to prove it wasn’t at fault in the event of an unfounded complaint.
Fortunately, businesses can now take advantage of modern instrumentation to monitor conditions and protect the local environment. With a series of major construction, demolition and rejuvenation projects set to take place across London this summer, major construction companies are set to do just that by using Casella’s pioneering BOUNDARY Guardian. This innovative, web-based, remote system offers a powerful tool to aid the UK construction industry by ensuring compliance with regulatory limits, including Section 61 restrictions and PPG24.
For an example of best practice, businesses can refer to Qatar, where a number of these systems have been provided for the construction of a new underground metro system in the capital city of Doha. Here, they have proved vital in helping contractors meet mandatory limits for noise and dust emissions from construction works. The Doha Green Line Underground construction is part of Qatar’s national Integrated Rail Project, which comprises the construction of a rail line from the main station at Msheireb to the centre of Doha, Education City and the Al Rayyan Stadium, which is being built in preparation for a major international football tournament in 2022.
The BOUNDARY Guardian was selected as the ideal, system-engineered solution to monitor and alert site managers to excessive noise and dust levels. The BOUNDARY Guardian can be specified to include not only the measurement of noise and dust but also wind speed and direction or any combination of these parameters. The system is simple to install and easy to move around the site, requiring only a power source to plug into, after which users simply login online to monitor site conditions. The system can be used to provide all necessary reports showing compliance with local guidelines and will send email and text alerts should dust and/or noise levels be breached so that immediate action can be taken.
The BOUNDARY Guardian utilises proven measurement with accuracy and sensitivity. It can report on noise parameters LAeq, LAmx, LA10 and LA90, particulate levels PM10, PM2.5 or TSP to a sensitivity of 1ug/m3 and wind speed and direction accuracy of +/-2%. It requires minimum maintenance and features a unique filter that allows for on-site calibration of dust.
Learn more about the BOUNDARY Guardian and Casella’s full range of innovative dust and noise monitors at www.casellasolutions.com