The many layers of a building have different life-spans. Waste minimization is now a concern for businesses, and thousands of manufacturers are creating waste reduction policies and strategies. Pro Tip: Deconstruction can save you money. When developing strategies and actions to reduce materials, our decisions are guided by the Waste Reduction Hierarchy. A “soft” tear down opposed to a full demolition will give you and your team the opportunity to salvage materials for reuse, thereby reducing waste in construction. The bottom line – the less you have to throw away, the less money you have to spend getting rid of your construction waste. ©2021 Dumpsters.com All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy, “Common Types of Construction Waste and How to Get Rid of Them”, How to Fix Today’s Construction Labor Shortage. ←  US Green Building Council, “Greenbuilding 101: What is an Integrated Process?” 5/7/2014, link. Compost . Methods: Can design be BIM to include material information, with life-cycle analysis embedded? Programming: Can space be made smaller through a more efficient use of assets? Reuse excavation material and balance cut and fill on-site. Providing flexible spaces that can perform multiple functions, as in NYC’s School Construction Authority’s gymatoriums which maximize a space’s use by serving as both gym and auditorium. Specify on-site practices to separate easily damaged streams such as GWB, ceiling tile and carpet. 1. For all the things you can’t reuse, donate or recycle, a roll off dumpster is the most efficient disposal option, saving you from wasting valuable time and labor. Shearing Layers, a concept coined by British architect Frank Duffy, lists them in order of decreasing life-span: Site, Structure, Skin, Services, Space Plan (interior partitions, finishes) and Stuff (furniture). Consider how work sequences affect the generation of construction waste. Design for replacement ease at the smallest level. Whenever possible, engage the contractor early to discuss measures to reduce waste generation. For example, the most desirable outcome would be … Polished concrete floor and exposed ceiling reduces finish materials. • Support and alignment with State and Federal Government waste management strategies. When these waste products are created, they are dealt with by exporting to a landfill, recycling materials for new use, waste incineration, or direct reuse on site, through integration into construction or as fill dirt. As a major procurer of construction works, the University is committed to play its part in reducing this significant waste to landfill. Want to work in the construction industry? Consider constructing building components and modules off-site. The step of the best practices identification was based on the literature review of both waste reduction recommendations and the tools of LC system, diagnosis of the projects regarding waste generation studied in step 2; as well as experts’ opinions, collected in step 3. ←  US Green Building Council, “Greenbuilding 101: What is an Integrated Process?” 5/7/2014. When buildings and civil-engineered structures are built, renovated or torn down, the result is a lot of construction and demolition (C&D) debris – 548 million tons to be exact. Smart planning can reduce built area, furniture and equipment to optimize the use of every space and piece of equipment. Get the right-size materials for the job. Construction Waste Reduction Through BIM-Based Site Management Approach. A waste assessment or audit is a systematic review of your building and its operations to identify the quantity and composition of materials in your waste stream. Ensure that procedures on the construction site facilitate waste segregation and recycling. Make sure all workers know how to sort the waste as it is created. If you donate items, you can use it as a tax write-off. August 2017 ; International Journal of Engineering Technologies IJET 3(3):135-142; DOI: 10.19072/ijet.315180. Standardize similar elements of the building for repeatability. Consider Cradle to Cradle–certified products. Rationalize MEP layouts to reduce material and energy usage from friction within ducts and pipes. Strategies include: Considering the construction process ahead of time aids in determining where waste is created; engage the contractor early. NWT Agriculture Strategy– Promotion of locally produced foods, composting of organic waste and the production of waste-based products, such as fish fertilizer or compost, align with waste management goals. When possible, buy a service as opposed to a product. Consider mechanical fixings; avoid gluing and composite materials. Considerations per phase include: Look to see if there are any charity projects where your extra materials can be donated. Don’t buy extra. Waste reduction begins by understanding what is being purchased, how goods are used, and then is put to use by finding ways to eliminate, reduce, reuse, and recycle materials. Whenever possible, engage the contractor early to discuss measures to reduce waste generation. So, how can we reduce construction waste? Promote a circular economy by reusing materials and components and specifying materials with recycled content. Research has suggested the importance of reusing construction and demolition waste such as aggregate for use in recycled concrete. A “soft” tear down opposed to a full demolition will give … When you create a plan to reduce waste on your construction site, the environment, your community and you win. Waste Reduction and Diversion Strategy, since the successes of this project will then be applied and expanded campus-wide. ←  See also WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) Davis Langdon LLP, “Designing Out Waste: A Design Team Guide for Buildings” (site: Press, yr), 24. • A more accurate calculation of materials needed and, therefore, a … If you take the time to deconstruct, you’ll have salvaged materials that can be sold for reuse. Prepare Construction Site. Use BIM for three–dimensional coordination and material information. Write specifications that detail C&D waste diversion requirements and on-site separation and minimum requirements for recycled content; also, allow for the use of offcuts and reclaimed products and materials. The Strategy also aims to ensure waste from growing commercial farms is properly managed. Consider materials with high recycled content that can themselves be recycled at the end of life, preferably in a continuous circular loop without downcycling. Consider providing information about building materials that will allow for easier reuse later. Materials like windows, plumbing fixtures, ceiling and floor tiles and large pieces of lumber can be sold to salvage organizations. Specify waste reduction goals, targets, and documentation procedures within contracting documents. ←  David Giles et al., “Re-Envisioning New York’s Branch Libraries,” Center for an Urban Future, 9/2014. Reclaimed finish materials that offer good performance and aesthetics, such as old-growth lumber salvaged from barns, have substantially entered the market. Policy, Research & Implementation Recommendations. Ready to learn a trade skill? In this context, managing waste means eliminating waste where possible; minimizing waste where feasible; and reusing materials which might otherwise become waste. Studies show that the average office is used 35%–40% of working hours. Doors, hardware, appliances and fixtures can be donated to places like. Consider locally sourcing recycled materials, such as glass pozzolan, which can replace cement in concrete. Demolition and deconstruction. Reduce number of different types of finish materials, such as GWB and tile. Learn about future trends in the construction industry to find the right trade for you. Construction and Demolition Waste Reduction Advisory Board Steering Committee members Ken Gibson (Alberta Construction Association) and Dan Zembal (All Waste Systems), as well as Patrick Kane, Judy Morris and David Whitfield of Alberta Environment. Waste reduction is a tool that can be used to create a better business environment in industries. Building demolition results in heavy pollution and waste generation, … Setting the stage: why C&D waste and materials matter Whether global, … Hot-desking, in which each employee is not assigned a desk, allows for a smaller space; it also provides a variety of workspaces and benefits employees who work remotely. Implement a strategy to recycle construction waste. BIM and/or three-dimensional modeling of all building systems allow for virtual coordination, thereby minimizing on-site construction errors. This Waste Reduction Strategy and the proposed Waste Reduction Act sets out the province’s road map for overcoming these challenges, and harnessing the environmental and economic value of waste. ←  Ellen Galinsky and Eve Tahmincioglu, “Why Citi Got Rid of Assigned Desks,” in Harvard Business Review, 11/12/2014. We can not eliminate waste from our personal and professional life and achieving 100% efficiency is almost impossible, but we can reduce the production of waste or utilize the waste produced. Solid waste management practices have identified the reduction, recycling, and reuse of wastes as essential for sustainable management of resources.Most construction and demolition … ←  David Giles et al., “Re-Envisioning New York’s Branch Libraries,” Center for an Urban Future, 9/2014, link.