In recent days, the climate impact is a very heated debate among experts. We are seeing that climate change is impacting almost every industry and so does the construction industry. It is not common for the construction company to plan schedules according to climatic variations. People are doing it for so long but now the climatic pattern has changed a lot and it requires more modified strategies. The old-school methods will not work for a sustainable solution in the construction industry.
We know that seasonal changes have entirely fluctuated temperature changes and different conditions like humidity, rain, snow, heat, etc. In this instance, the construction job is highly affected by these climatic changes. We need to focus on the right strategies to mitigate the problems arising from it. Furthermore, the temperature variation is entirely different in different regions of the world, so one successful strategy may not work for another region. If one material has worked well in one region then it may not work in other regions. Similarly, if you have successfully used industrial equipment for construction, then it might be difficult to use the same for other regions. Every regional expert has to work and research to find the best approaches for their region.
In this article, we are giving you a detailed elucidation of the impact of seasonal changes on the construction industry. We have carried it out after a delve research on the topic, so that you may get benefit from it and plan your construction job accordingly.
-
Autumn to the winter season
The autumn to winter season is very challenging in terms of heavy-duty construction jobs. The winter season is comparatively very unpredictable in different regions. Some areas are very humid that making the surface slippery and wet due to heavy rain and snowfall. On the other hand, some regions are dry and cold. In both cases, the temperature goes lower, insists the workers wear extra padded clothes to keep them warm. Wearing the extra clothes, the moveability becomes restricted and the slippery surfaces increase the chance of falling and accidents. All the heavy-duty jobs, like working on the height, scaffolding, and shattering on the topmost floors of the building might be a death trap for the workers.
The humidity in this season makes the metal tools and equipment more prone to catching rust. This humidity and moisture content in the air makes the thing more vulnerable for the people as they could get asthma and other lungs related diseases. Another big challenge of this season is that the brick gets moisture and becomes numb which is very hard to place in the construction process. The wet and moist brick may also cause damage to the building and it will not be sustained for a longer time.
The construction contractors and experts need to plan the job accordingly. Do not put the worker’s life in danger. If construction is mandatory to be completed during these times, make sure to make the site highly secure. You can follow all the OSHA guidelines by hook and crook.
Thunderstorm and snowfall
Some regions get heavy thunderstorms and snowfall during winter. During the thunderstorm, haling may affect the materials of the building like glass and workers. Whereas, the snowfall caused the production of crystals in the concrete and sand. You can now imagine how difficult it would be doing construction this season.
-
Spring to the summer season
Similar to the winter season, summer is also an extremely variable season in different parts of the world. The temperature normally rises to a certain extreme level. In some regions, the temperature during summer hit the scale up to 50°C on average. However, summer is the biggest time of celebration in some regions where the temperature keeps normal and pleasant. In these auspicious areas, the construction industry is quite usual and very productive. You can fearlessly carry out all types of construction jobs be it heavy-duty or moderate level.
Comparatively, the hottest regions are again very tough to work in. The workers are direct exposure to sunlight and can get several health-related issues. The scorching heat can burn the skin of the workers whereas the heat can make it difficult to work outdoors.
We see that the passing days of winter bring spring season that is even more difficult in terms of humidity and sometimes rains as well. However, construction is not as difficult as in the winter season.
Extreme heat in the summer season also affects the materials as some building material expands on heat like iron and concrete. The construction in the hottest regions needs extra attention. The construction methodologies should be applied that can bear the extreme heat in the summer season. Sometimes the heat causes the expansion in the concrete and the walls of the buildings start cracking. The cracks in the walls of the building make it weak and could not stand against high winds, earthquakes, and floods types of disasters. Likewise, the bricks and paints also get adverse effects due to the heat. The paint can easily fade its color and could not hold the layer for a long time.
How to plan construction considering the temperature change
Experts suggest that before planning the construction job, make sure to have thorough research on the regional climatic situation. You may ask the weather forecast team and the locals as well. They better know how the temperature fluctuates in these areas. It will help you to design and plan the project and choose the material and used industrial equipment. The night in the summer days is quite less hot so you can plan the outdoor activities at night time, especially in the extremely hot regions. Whereas the cold areas must be treated accordingly. You can carry out the indoor job during the extreme situation. If it is not possible then it is better to wait for the temperature to come to moderate.
Conclusion
Seasonal changes affect the construction industry in different ways. Summer, winter, autumn, and spring have variable effects in different regions. We cannot implement one successful method in the other region. In this article, we have discussed in detail the impact of seasonal changes on the construction industry.
