Construction challenges about waste generation during buildings lifetime

Reuse of construction materials. Source: Published by Alfonso Aranda Usón, Sabina Scarpellini, Ignacio Zabalza Bribían and Sergio Días de Garayo. EcoHabitar 2014.

According to RETEMA, only a 20% of the construction and demolition (RCD) waste is recovered in Spain. The rest ends abandoned without management (30%) or it’s sold illegally (50%). This ends in the creation of contamination sources and the accumulation of wasted materials. Including the RCD in a circular economy environment is necessary in order to achieve a sustainable development in the construction field. But to do this, it’s necessary the identification of high value materials and a separate collection of the elements, allowing a proper management of the waste to facilitate a proper valorization.

Obviously, the most effective strategy front reducing residues is not to generate them.

To achieve this, a proper planification and management of the project and the construction is necessary. Including a calculation of the materials and products needed having into account both amount necessary and composition. Selected materials should be the less possible impactful during its lifetime, including the extraction of raw material and its renovation as well as the percentage of recycled material.

The implementation of waste minimization steps during the project design can be crucial in residues prevention during constructions and demolitions. These measures include use of prefabricated materials and/or standardized, reuse of construction materials coming for other constructions, etc.
 
 

Once the building is completed, the residues generation doesn’t stop. For this reason, several factors must be kept in mind during the design. One of them is the durability, including both material lifetime and preventative measures in addition to other materials needed for its maintenance. 

Finally, we can’t forget the waste generation coming from the activity that takes place in the building. To solve that, a strategic study is needed showing where every kind of residue must be disposed of. Containers should be accessible to all the staff and must be correctly indicated. It’s also important to stablish routines aiming to reduce waste generation and resource consumption.

The TRUE Zero Waste certification evaluates the performance of the facilities to minimize its non-dangerous solid waste generation and to maximize the efficiency on resource use. It’s also concerned about prevention politics and improve of material flow achieving the “Zero Waste” objective available for any organization.    

A consideration about which materials could be reused or recycled is necessary at the end of the building lifetime. Depending on the building typology and its situation (offices, commercial) the design should be intended to its reutilization. This way, future activities can be placed in the same building with a minimum waste generation thanks to be planned thinking in increasing its life cycle.  

If a demolition is needed, residues originate must be treated effectively, classifying them correctly under previously established guidelines.

 

In conclusion, project design must focus on minimize integrated energy and other impacts associated with extraction, process, transport, management and material disposition of the construction as well as residues generated during the operation.