Air pollution control at construction sites
Initiative description: Minimising the level of dust and fine particulate matter produced by construction activities through best practice strategies in line with sustainable building certification requirements including pre-watering, isolating dust-producing activities and reducing the movement of heavy construction equipment.
During the construction of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums, construction dust and particulate matter from the exhaust of construction vehicles and equipment as well as other construction activities, were closely monitored and controlled. By minimising air pollution levels, the health and safety of site workers and the local population was appropriately managed. Dust control was also a requirement of the GSAS-Construction Management certification, which all FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums were awarded. In addition, a best practice guide was developed as a result of the measures implemented and experience gained during stadium construction.
Assessment of dust monitoring and mitigation during construction
To not only meet but exceed FIFA’s green building certification requirements for all new buildings, GSAS Construction Management (CM) certification with a minimum rating of Class A, was specified for the construction of all FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums.
As part of the GSAS-CM certification process, dust generated by construction activities needed to be monitored and assessed, and measures implemented to minimise the generation of dust. The degree of implementation of these measures and their effectiveness was determined based on a prescriptive (i.e., qualitative) and performance-based (i.e., quantitative) assessment conducted by GSAS. This assessment determined whether the construction site met the required compliance levels for certification.
Particulate Matter (PM) is a common proxy indicator for air pollution. The key (performance-based) parameters assessed were PM2.5 and PM10 both upwind and downwind of each construction site. For the prescriptive-based assessment, indicators associated with the implementation of sustainable methods and measures for dust management were evaluated. Based on these assessments, each stadium was then awarded a ‘level’ at each stage of construction as follows.
Level 0 represented a degree of implementation (of dust control measures) that was less than 80% (non-compliance with dust control requirements).
Level 1 (minimum level for compliance with dust control requirements) represented a degree of implementation (of dust control measures) equal to or greater than 80%.
Level 2 represented a PM10 concentration below 150 µg/m3.
Level 3 (the highest level possible) represented a PM10 concentration below 150 µg/m3 AND a PM2.5 concentration below 35 µg/m3.
The table below shows the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadium construction projects and the corresponding levels awarded for GSAS-CM Dust Control criterion.
| Stadium | Stage 1 Enabling/Foundation | Stage 2 Substructure & Superstructure | Stage 3 Finishing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Bayt Stadium | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Al Janoub Stadium | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Ahmad bin Ali Stadium | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Al Thumama Stadium | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Education City Stadium | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Khalifa International Stadium | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Lusail Stadium | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Stadium 974 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Five out of eight stadiums achieved a level 1 during the first stage of construction where higher dust concentrations are expected due to intense earthwork activities during this stage. Almost all stadiums achieved a level 3 rating during the second and final stages of construction.
It should be noted that during all stages of construction, health and safety measures were implemented to safeguard the health of workers and visitors. This was not only part of the regulatory requirements in Qatar, but also part of the GSAS-CM certification process which stipulates specific construction health and safety requirements. In addition, the dust control plan that was developed for all construction sites was done so in consultation with Health & Safety teams.
Best practices for dust minimisation at stadium construction sites
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), in collaboration with the Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD), published a best practice guide for dust management at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadium construction sites. Drawing on the extensive experience gained from stadium construction, the report sets out best practices for dust management, which reflect the methods and measures implemented during these construction projects. These include:
Dust monitoring during all stages of construction using at least two devices simultaneously, one upwind and one downwind of construction activities.
Water spraying to suppress dust on site.
Using tarpaulin to cover stockpiles.
Locating sensitive receptor areas (such as temporary offices, residential areas, workers’ accommodation, etc.) away from the plant and equipment.
Site audits for continuous supervision of mitigation measures.
Creating a programme of continuous development to raise awareness and share best practice.
The measurable impacts of these practices were evident during the construction of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums, which were monitored and verified by third-party auditors. In addition, the knowledge gained during stadium construction continues to benefit wider audiences in the construction sector, enabling improved construction practices with respect to air quality management.