The concept of eco-friendly roads was rolled out during the start of the 21st century. Initially, plastic was preferred for the construction of sustainable roads. However, with the technological advancements in constructional techniques, plastic was replaced by rubber and asphalt. A number of countries are working on this concept to reduce their carbon footprint.
Let’s find out about the eco-friendly roads in more detail.
What are Eco-friendly Roads
The green roads refer to the paved streets constructed from eco-friendly or recycled materials. The purpose of building such roads is to reduce the negative impact of road construction on the environment. Along with this, it also supports in reducing and recycling waste generated from other processes such as tyre and plastic.
Here are the construction processes and materials used in construction of eco-friendly roads.
Construction Material
There are different elements that can be used in the construction of sustainable roads. Generally, locally available raw material and machineries are proffered for the construction.
Specifically speaking about the eco-friendly roads to be built in the UAE, recycled tyres and asphalt have been used. A tyre recycling plant has already been established in Abu Dhabi. This recycling plant is one of its kind and recycles waste tyres that use it for other purposes.
Procedure
The procedure of building sustainable roads is similar to that of a traditional road. However, few variations are included to reduce the environmental impact. The process of road construction involves following processes:
- Environmental survey of the area
- Excavation and clearing of land
- Bulldozing mount and dirt
- Leveling surface
- Laying aggregate base
- Paving with the asphalt or any recycled material
For further eco-friendly construction, smart techniques are used such as using warm pavement mixture in place of traditional one. Other than that, using alternative construction materials are also used to eliminate hazardous gas emissions from road construction sites.
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Roads
Other than the obvious, here are some of the benefits of constructing sustainable roads.
- Energy Conservation: The usage of recycled materials reduced the energy consumption by 20%.
- Durability: The usage of recycled material in the road construction increases its life span up to 15 years.
- Traffic Congestion: Recycled Material such as asphalt rapidly dries and reduces the processing time. Thereofere, disturbance and traffic congestion created due to the closed construction site can be avoided within the Emirate.
- Recycling of Recycled Material: The recycled materials used in the construction can be recycled repeatedly. This reduces the cost and energy consumption of maintaining the roads.
- Safe for Drivers: The sustainable roads provide a smooth riding experience even in the extreme weather conditions. Also, it creates a lesser negative impact on the car’s suspension system.
Eco-Friendly Roads in the UAE
Different projects of eco-friendly roads across the UAE are initiated by the government. The completion of these projects will be a step forward towards the UAE’s sustainable policy.
The first eco-friendly road project was initiated by the Abu Dhabi government in 2013. A 5 km linking road was constructed between E11 and E31 to connect Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The government has worked on a number of initiatives after the success of this green road. In fact, many green roads are currently under construction in different Emirates.
Moreover, following the introduction of eco-friendly roads, Dubai is now fully prepared for eco-friendly bus depots.
This was all about the eco-friendly roads and its construction process. Many countries including the UAE are rapidly moving towards eco-friendly options to reduce negative impact on the environment. Similarly, to back eco-friendly initiatives, the UAE government has strict laws and hefty fines on driving vehicles that increase carbon footprint. For instance: if you are driving a vehicle in Abu Dhabi that is emitting too much smoke from the exhaust, you can be fined up to AED 1000.
Therefore, to save yourself from penalties, it’s better to replace your vehicle. Browse through these used cars for sale in the UAE to get a better option. Make sure you perform a thorough check to ensure that the carbon footprint of the second-hand car does not exceed the permissible exhaust emission limit.
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more information on eco-friendly initiatives in the UAE.
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