Construction and demolition produces about 44% of Australia’s total waste, that’s a whopping 27 million tonnes each year! But guess what? Much of that waste can be recycled.
Minimising construction waste is not only good for the environment, it will also save you money by cutting down on material costs and landfill fees. You will also assist in the promotion of recycling, so it's a win-win-win for your budget and the planet!
Here are some tips to help you reduce waste in your renovation project:
Reduce:
Consider your requirements closely, what do you really need? When you do this however, consider the function of the spaces rather than the ‘rooms’ you require. For example, ‘a quiet space to work 3 days per week’, or ‘somewhere to store bulk dry goods’. Economy of overall floor area is the single largest win for reducing your footprint and it has the potential added benefit of reducing your build cost also.
Engage like-minded professionals for your project (for example, designer, engineer, builder). When everyone is engaged and committed to the same project goals, the journey is much more enjoyable!
When working with your design team, ensure your spaces are planed thoroughly to avoid unnecessary changes during construction.
If you are searching for a site, consider the building siting and topography to reduce earthworks.
Be strategic about measurements and proportions in the design stage. For example, if a material is supplied in certain widths, try and work this width into the length of the wall, to reduce off-cuts and therefore waste.
Consider using prefabricated construction as these approaches have economical manufacturing processes designed to reduce waste.
Reuse:
Assess the options to renovate rather than demolish and rebuild. We’ve encountered many situations where ‘its just easier to demolish it and start again’ has been the advice provided by contractors. It may not save money to retain the existing building, however careful design and planning can result in massive waste minimisation and material recovery.
Before discarding materials, assess if they can be reused or repurposed in other parts of the project. If you’re not sure how or where to use them, secure them on site during the build and empower your team to think laterally about how these materials could be reused.
It may be that your materials can be used on another project of your contractors, but that’s a lot better than sending them to landfill.
List the materials in online classifieds, or good karma social networks for others to collect and use.
Recycle:
Use materials with high recycled content to help promote the growing market for recycled resources.
Communicate with your design and construction team about the importance of waste reduction and set up a ‘waste management plan’. Separation of waste streams on site can be beneficial for auditing of your workplace/design approaches and allow for ongoing improvement.
One of the greatest recycling challenges in construction is the use of adhesives. These limit the recycle-ability of materials, particularly in relation to timber floorboards and even plasterboard. Building without adhesives will allow for greater usage at end of life.
Material recycling/recovery depots are becoming more common, they will take bins of mixed construction materials and separate them for on selling or repurposing.
By implementing these tips, you can contribute to a more sustainable and efficient project whilst minimising waste and its environmental impact. Good news for Mother Earth!
Here are some further resources:
Your Home, Australia’s Guide to Environmentally Sustainable Homes