Ukwakha isiteshi esincane ngendlela yemvelo
Ngesidingo esikhulayo sokwanda izinto eziphilayo kuzo zonke izindawo ze ukwakhiwa, kulesi sihloko esifike ngesikhathi, uBrian Palmer, uMklami Omkhulu Womphakathi ku UBurns noMcDonnell, ibheka ukuthi iziteshi ezincane zingakhiwa kanjani ngendlela engokwemvelo.
Environmental deterioration has captured the world’s attention, there’s a growing focus on the impact of construction projects on their natural environment. The Environment Bill, expected to be enacted this Autumn, will mandate a 10% biodiversity net gain requirement for housing and development projects. Accordingly, National Grid has set a 10% net gain in environmental value target on all construction projects. This is a positive milestone on the road to Net Zero, but to be achieved effectively, it will demand modernisation, innovation, and creative thinking on the part of energy network developers and engineers.
A strategic area where such innovations can help achieve environmental net gain is substations. A substation is just a load of brick, concrete and steel, right? Industrial, ugly, unnatural. However, by prioritising natural capital, biodiversity and architecture sympathetic to the local surroundings, substations can be built ‘the natural way’ to bolster sustainability and societal benefit.
Izakhiwo ezinozwela
Ukuthuthukisa izakhiwo ezizwelayo kusho okungaphezu nje kokugxila ebuhleni besakhiwo esiklanywayo nesakhiwayo. Kusho ukuthuthukisa izakhiwo ezinomqondo ocacile wendawo, kucatshangelwa indawo ezungezile yesiteshi esincane kanye nezakhiwo eziseduze. Uma isiteshi esincane sisendaweni yasemaphandleni, isibonelo, singenziwa yini ukuthi sibukeke ngendlela efanayo nezakhiwo zasepulazini? Uma kuyindawo engaphansi kwedolobha, isitini singase sifaneleke kakhulu ukuxutshwa endaweni yaso.
Izakhiwo ezizwelayo zicabangela kakhulu imiphakathi yendawo futhi zingaba usizo enhlalakahleni yendawo yonke. Ucwaningo lwesayensi lubonise ubudlelwano phakathi ukwakhiwa kwezakhiwo kanye nokusebenza kwengqondo yomuntu kubaluleke kakhulu. Lapha ukusimama kungaphezu nje komthelela ku-CO2 amazinga, ukudala izinzuzo ezibanzi zemiphakathi eseduze nezindawo zesiteshi esincane.
Ukweseka umphakathi
Being present on site for an extended period provides the opportunity to share benefits with the local community and make a positive contribution to society. This can include participation in education programmes, helping teach communities about their area and the ways in which they can care for their environment. It is also important to involve the community in key decisions, provide support in the form of jobs, new facilities, and the improved use of the substation area. Progress Power, to take an example, is taking an area of arable land and planting trees and a meadow, making the area generally more attractive to walkers.
Izinto eziphilayo
Ukusebenzisa yonke indawo yesiteshi esincane ngendlela ebucayi nelungiselelwe kudala imiphumela emihle ezilwaneni zasendle zendawo.. Since the climate crisis is clearly linked to biodiversity depletion, fostering biodiverse landscapes during construction creates benefits beyond the immediate surroundings of the substation itself.
Izinhlelo ezisebenzayo zingabandakanya ukudala izindawo zokuhlala zezilwane endaweni ngokulungiswa kwezwe okufanele. Kukhona nezinye izindlela ezenziwe umuntu zokwenza izindawo ezilungele impilo yezilwane nezitshalo ezichumayo. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukwakha i-hibernaculum - amagumbi angaphansi komhlaba izilwane ezingawasebenzisa ubusika bonke ukuze zizivikele emakhazeni. Amabhokisi amalulwane nezinyosi nazo ziyizindlela ezilula zokudala izindawo zokuhlala ezilungele izilwane zasendle.
Planting wildflower meadows in unused areas outside the main substation can create lively feeding and nesting grounds for insects, birds, and small animals. Choosing flora which is consistent with the local area helps support a healthy wildlife population. Consultation with local conservation groups is essential for understanding and implementing appropriate interventions.
Natural capital and ecosystem services
Building a substation the natural way means considering the full potential of the surrounding environment and its natural resources. Natural capital often provides ecosystem services that generate environmental benefits organically, and this potential should be incorporated into design and construction processes wherever possible. For example, as well as providing habitats for certain wildlife, peat bogs naturally capture carbon, when building roads through peat areas consider constructing floating roads which have lower environmental impact.
Ama-Earthworks asusiwe njenge ingxenye yokwakhiwa inqubo ingase futhi isetshenziselwe ukwakheka kwezwe okulungele izilwane zasendle esizeni sesiteshi esincane, kuyilapho idala nokuhlolwa okubonakalayo. Ngokungangenisi noma ukuthekelisa impahla evela endaweni umthelela wekhabhoni ungancishiswa, kuyilapho kongiwa ezindlekweni zokuthutha kanye nokuphazamiseka okuya emphakathini wendawo.
Futhi, kunezinzuzo ezingaba khona zezenhlalo nezomnotho zokusebenzisa imali yemvelo, futhi lokhu kucatshangelwa kufanele kudlale indima ebalulekile ekuthuthukisweni kwesiteshi esincane. Izibonelo zokusebenzisa imali yemvelo ngale ndlela zifaka phakathi ukwakha imizila yezinyawo endaweni ezungezile, noma ukuhlinzeka ngendawo yamapaki omphakathi, amasimu ezithelo, noma ihlathi.
Ukucabanga ngaphandle kwebhokisi kuveza izinzuzo ezisabalele
Okucatshangelwayo okungenhla kufanele kufakwe ohlelweni lokuklama kusukela ngosuku lokuqala. Ukwakha indlela yemvelo kufanele kuthathwe njengenqubo ephelele, inani layo okufanele libalwe futhi lidluliselwe ngempumelelo kumakhasimende kusukela ekuqaleni. Okunye kwalokhu okuqanjwa kabusha kuyingozi ekwandiseni izindleko nezidingo zokunakekelwa kwesakhiwo sesiteshi esincane. Kodwa nalokhu kungancishiswa ngokwakha izinqubo ngokuphumelelayo kuwo wonke umjikelezo wokuphila wephrojekthi.
Izinzuzo zokuthuthukiswa kwesiteshi esingaphansi kwemvelo zidlulela ngalé kokusekela nje I-Net Zero i-ajenda. Yiqiniso, iziteshi ezincane ziyingqalasizinda ebalulekile sonke esithembele kuyo. Kodwa akumele siwehlise amandla okuba nomthelela omuhle emiphakathini, ezilwaneni zasendle, nasezindaweni ezizungezile. Njengoba amaklayenti akhiqiza athuthukisiwe amasu okusimama, ukuhlanganisa ukusimama ekwakhiweni nasekwakheni inqubo izohambisana nalokhu futhi iqinise ubudlelwano bamakhasimende kule nqubo.
Ukuthuthukisa amathuluzi okulinganisa kanye namaqhinga acabangela umphakathi obanzi kanye nokuhle kwemvelo kubalulekile. Nakuba amamethrikhi ebaluleke kakhulu, kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi akuzona zonke izinzuzo ezingakalwa kusipredishithi. Lokhu, ngemva kwakho konke, yilokho ngempela ukusimama okumayelana.
UBrian Palmer ungumklami Omkhulu Womphakathi eBurns & McDonnell, kanye Okukhethekile Ekwakhiweni Ukuphathwa kwe-Information Modelling (BIM) kanye ne-Generative Design.
Okuthunyelwe Ukwakha isiteshi esincane ngendlela yemvelo ivele kuqala Izindaba Zomkhakha Wezokwakha.
