Practical steps that every Builder can do to significantly reduce construction waste.
Did you know?
According to the ABS Data, the Australian Construction Industry generates 12.7 million tonnes of construction waste each year. That is a staggering 16.8% of our country’s annual total.
So when we discuss building sustainably, it needs to involve all aspects of construction, including the use and wastage of materials and resources. So what are the practical steps that every Builder can do to significantly reduce site waste?
1. The Design Phase
Initially, reducing construction waste begins in the design phase by designing room dimensions with standard lengths in mind to prevent unnecessary cutting and material wastage.
1. Room Wall Lengths for plaster sheets come in multiples of 600mm from 2400mm or if vertical sheets are used multiples of 1200mm.
2. Wall Heights- Plater sheet heights are either 1200mm or 1350mm, therefore ceiling heights of 2400mm, 2550mm and 2700mm are most economical.
3. Breaks in Cladding and Window Locations- locations and widths of windows within cladding can reduce the amount of offcuts if set out correctly to ensure full widths between.
4. External Structures-Aim to work to standard material lengths, timber generally comes in lengths of 600mm from 2400mm.
So the next time you’re designing anything, even a deck. Consider your standard lengths and remove the need for unneccesary material wastage.
2. Demolition/Deconstruction
The next stage to consider when looking to reduce construction waste is how you go about necessary demolition.
We see it all the time on those American Renovation shows…. the demo team strides on site, sledgehammer in hand ready to smash everything in reach.
But how much perfectly fine material gets splintered apart (and thrown from the second storey window) into a site bin that could have been reused or repurposed?
Deconstruction rather than Demolition is ultimately dismantling a building with the end goal of maximising the reuse potential of its components. Yes it may take a little longer leading to more expensive Labor, however when other economical factors are considered such as salvaged material resale, less transport and waste removal costs along with the life cycle costing if landfill sites the end value is often quite comparable.
Selective Deconstruction is a ‘soft strip’ where easy to see and remove items such as doors, lighting fixtures, appliances, hardwood flooring, cabinets, windows and bench tops are targeted. The next stage focuses on material such as wall studs, concrete, joists, wiring, piping and plumbing fixtures ( dependant on condition)
When considering up to 90% of a building has the potential to be reclaimed for future use this is a cracking example of how to reduce Construction Waste on renovation projects.
Now we are at the fun stage….Construction
3. Recycling Metal
Recycling metal con have a significant impact on the reduction of construction waste.
We all know how many random nails and screws can become scattered around a site, not to mention roof sheet and bracing offcuts. One of the easiest ways to tackle this is to carry a small bucket around to collect smaller items whilst working and unload them into a larger “metal only” bin throughout the day. Then schedule a scrap metal pick up service or explore the metal drop off point at your local refuse station. Some scrap metal buyers will request ferrous (wrought iron, stainless steel and cast iron) and non-ferrous (copper, aluminium, brass) to be seggregated as they are worth differing amounts, so make sure to check first.
Making new products from recycled metal can save up to 75% of the energy and 40% of the water needed when working from raw materials, not to mention reducing the air pollution during manufacture by up to 90%.
Impressive fact #2….Every tonne of steel recycled saves 1131kg of iron ore, 633kg of coal and 54kg of limestone.
4. Recycling and Managing Plasterboard on site?
Did you know that the paper liner board used for @csrgyprock Plasterboard and cornice is made from 100% recycled newspapers and cartons and the energy consumption during manufacturing is actually amongst the lowest of any building product.
Gyprock recycles more than 95% of its production waste by either reusing materials or converting then to by-products such as soil conditioners for the agricultural industry.
Recycling your Plasterboard reduces unnecessary landfill, tip fees and site clean up costs and is so easy to do. Regyp and @ecogypsum have locations that provide recycling solutions for plasterboard with the added benefit of a site bin collection, as does @jumbocorp who offer single stream bags just for plaster as part of their waste pickup program.
5. Recycling Paint
Recycling paint the right way and diverting it from landfill helps reduce the risk to the environment and human health by assisting to keep our waterways clean. Low/no VOC paint is also the best option… but that’s a topic for another day!
There are 30 permanent drop off sites for HOUSEHOLD paint in Victoria alone, predominantly located at council depots and transfer stations.
However trade painters are encouraged to utilise the @paintback_au service which will accept a maximum of 100 litres per visit in secured containers no larger than 20litres. Paintback, an industry led initiative was founded to responsibly manage the disposal of Australia’s paint and packaging and operates as an independent not-for-profit organisation that accepts deck coatings, floor paints, interior and architectural paints, primers, sealants, stains, shellacs, undercoats, varnishes and wood coatings.
Paintback is able to recycle the containers subject to contamination. The solvent paint is used as an alternative energy source whilst water is separated from the acrylic paint with the by-product used in a range of industrial applications.
Their research and development program have aims towards a 100% diversion from landfill.
6. Recycling and Lifecycle of Carpet and Flooring?
Polished concrete and timber floorboards have long been the go to choice for sustainable flooring options due to their passive thermal benefit and long life cycle. Each year thousands of tonnes of carpet is buried in Australian landfills. However carpet can offer many benefits with regards to warmth, comfort and noise reduction IF selected thoughtfully.
When selecting carpet, consider natural fibres like wool, organic cotton or silk and explore the agricultural methods of its production. Alternatively, look at sisal, jute and Seagrass which can be grown without the impact of chemicals and are generally naturally anti microbial.
Certain components of carpets do have the ability to be recycled, however the current rates of doing so in Australia are very low with the majority being sent to landfill.
Consider reusing rugs that are in good condition, wool carpet with natural backing is a great soil cover for landscaping and is 100% biodegradable.
Some companies like @cavalierbremworth have ‘take back schemes’ for their carpet tiles and will recycle them into new carpets or products like weed matting. Dunlop have also developed a 100% recyclable underlay ‘EnviroTred’.
Unfortunately, carpet or rugs made of synthetic fibres from petrochemical sources may never break down and wool carpet kept in anaerobic conditions will produce methane whilst decomposing.
Therefore when planning your next project, try thinking beyond simply colour and pattern selection and consider life-cycle and longevity, manufacturing procedures and fibre sources before selecting your carpet or rug.
But I don’t have time to sort it all out..
Companies like @jumbocorp who are one of the pioneers in evolutionary thinking in material handling within the construction industry, offer a sorting and recycling service ensuring that unnecessary waste doesn’t find itself heading into landfill. By using different bags for different streams of waste they are able to assist in recycling the highest % of Builders waste possible. Putting it simply, you orde a bag to be delivered to site, it’s cotained within a cage. Once it is full you schedule a pick up (and replacement service), the bag is collected, sorted and recycled for you. Super easy and convenient!
There are so many easy ways to reduce waste heading from our construction sites to landfill, all it takes is a little planning and forethought and we can have an incredible impact in this department.