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Living Home Construction Waste Research Plan |
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Wednesday, 25 June 2008 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Living Home Construction Waste Research Plan
Objective:
Using two residential construction projects a study of the efficiency and effectiveness of using a system to reduce, reuse, recycle, recover and divert waste will be conducted. The “Control Home” will use current waste management approaches, and the “Living Home” will use a plan focused on reducing and diverting waste.
Waste will be analyzed by material categories throughout the chronology of the construction process and the collected data for both projects will be compared.
It is intended that the data will lead to the development of economically responsible and energy efficient strategies and processes that will divert as much waste from landfills as possible, and promote techniques to reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover materials within the industry.
Methodology:
The tracking and recording of the weight / volume of construction materials coming into and waste materials produced by a residential building project will use the following categories:
- Wood (soft wood, plywood and other composites)
- Plastics, cardboards and other packaging materials
- Cement and concrete products
- Drywall and drywall compounds
- Roofing materials (asphalt shingles, etc)
- Insulation
- Other
- Paper
- Metals
- Insulation and glass
- Toxics (sealing agents, adhesives, caulking, paints, etc.)
A staging area for the collection of segregated waste for the “Living Home” will be located where the garage is on the plan. (See “Main and Upper Floor Plans”, “Plot Plan” and “Living Home Waste Plan” drawings). Once framing and building envelope work is complete storage in the garage area will keep waste out of the weather and avoid scavenging.
The proposed procedure for waste collection is as follows:
- Contractors and trades will be instructed to place categorized waste in designated collection areas; (partitioned spaces and plastic recycling bins; see “Living Home Waste Plan” drawing).
- The material will be sorted, weighed, and data documented at regular intervals during all stages of the construction process (see “Documentation Tool” below).
- Once documented the material will then be deposited into one or more industrial waste bins depending on whether the waste management / disposal service requires that materials be separated or shipped in bulk.
Equipment:
The following equipment will be (developed) used:
(Any indicated dimensions are: length x height, or length x width x height)
- 2 “Adam Equipment CPW Plus 200” sample series digital scale rated to 200 kilograms.
- Readability: 0.05 kilograms (50 grams) (lowest unit display limit).
- Linearity: +/- 0.1 kilograms (100 grams) through weight range 0 to 200 kg.
- Error: approximately +/- 0.5%.
- Scale pan protective cover (13 ½” square). Constructed from ¾” plywood.
- See enclosed “Scale Pan Cover” drawing.
- Scale sample box (33 ½ x 31 ½” x 26 ½). Constructed from ¾” plywood. Can be disassembled for transport.
- See enclosed “Scale Sample Box” drawing.
- Free standing dividers (partitions) 6’ x 4‘
- See enclosed:
- “Free standing divider stands” drawing.
- “Free standing divider” drawing.
- 9W27-06 Plastic Recycling Bins (or comparable bins).
- See enclosed “9W27-06 Plastic Recycling Bin” image.
- Material Input and Waste Output Data Sheet (see below)
Data Collection and Tools:
Data will be collected manually at regular intervals tied to the construction schedule (time-line). In addition to waste measurements photographic documentation will be conducted to illustrate the chronology of the process. To record measurements hard copy of a spreadsheet template has been developed (see enclosed) that will be kept in a binder on site (lock box or other secure location) and the following information documented:
- Description of Item / Material
- Material In:
- Date
- Weight
- Recorder: (person collecting data)
- Waybill: (confirmation of a cross check to delivery information)
- Waste Out:
- Date
- Weight
- Recorder: (person collecting data)
- Notes
The Developer and/or Contractor should assist tracking material input by weight through access to waybills and other documentation. Suppliers and trades should also assist by documenting or reporting sundry or small item materials they have brought in. The collection process and methodology should remain consistent. Any variations or changes should be noted.
Project Outcomes:
Collected data, photo documentation, information and research conclusions will be compiled into a report or presentation that will available on line (web site, internet).
The study should present the collected categorized waste data as a % of overall waste (ratios).
Embodied energy and pollution factors relating to input materials and waste output (cost / value of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, or diversion) should be determined and be a consideration in the research conclusions (see the enclosed document: “Waste: Reduction, Diversion and Disposal”, Braum Barber).
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Living Home Material Input and
Waste Output Data Sheet
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Waste: Reduction, Diversion, and Disposal:
(Braum Barber)
In residential construction, the selection of materials will have a useful life before being disposed of through renovation or demolition of the building. The choice of materials will ultimately have an effect on what can be done at the end of the life-cycle. Materials take a considerable amount of energy to produce from virgin sources (embodied energy) and produce pollution in the process of extraction and manufacturing (embodied pollution). Recycling or reusing building materials will take additional energy, but generally less than that required to produce them from raw resources.
In the selection of materials, those that come from renewable sources, those that have low embodied energy and pollution, and those that can be readily be recycled or reused represent the most environmentally responsible choices.
There are five methods to reduce the impact of waste on the environment. These include Reduction, Recycling, Recovering, and collecting methane from decomposition in the landfill after Disposal. These are in order of effectiveness.
Reduction:
The most effective way to reduce the impact of a residential building on the environment is not to use the materials in the first place. Smaller homes have less embodied energy and pollution than larger ones, and given the same quality of construction require less energy for heating and cooling. Designing rooms to standard sizes for drywall and lumber reduces construction waste. Organizing construction processes to be able to access waste materials for use in the building can also help reduce the total amount of materials.
The Living Home will monitor materials entering the site, and the amount of materials leaving the site as waste. Compared to the control home, The Living Home will have a waste management system during the construction process.
Diversion – Recycling & Recovery:
Many materials found in construction waste can be readily reused and recycled. Steel, aluminum, and copper metals are easily recycled and considerably reduce the environmental impact compared to virgin raw resources.
Construction lumber can be mulched for compost or processed into other wood products. Longer pieces can be reused.
Concrete that has not set can be washed and the aggregates reused. Hardened concrete can be crushed and used as aggregate in the concrete making process. Bricks and tile may also be reused or crushed for aggregate or fill.
Plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrenes may be readily recycled, and most regions have active recycling programs for these materials. Carpets are often made of plastics, and many manufacturers are beginning to recycle their products in the manufacturing process. Unfortunately, diverting and shipping used carpets may be prohibitively energy and time intensive.
Gypsum-based drywall and plasterboard may be ground up and used as a soil amendment in agriculture. It is not often recycled due to the low cost of raw gypsum. In the landfill, these materials produce a harmful hydrogen sulphide gas and foul, rotten-egg odours. Recycling programs are beginning to emerge, but presently the best method of lowering the environmental impact is reduction in the construction process.
Similarly, there is a growing interest in diverting asphalt shingles for road construction. Asphalt shingles are composed of asphalt, mineral filler, and organic or fiberglass backing. Shingles removed during renovation or demolition could also be contaminated with nails and wood, which complicates the recycling process.
Disposal:
The least attractive choice for construction waste is disposal. In principle, throwing away materials is throwing away embodied energy, and ultimately money. With effective diversion programs, there is no reason that 75 to 80% of construction materials presently being disposed of in landfills couldn’t be recycled and reused.
Statistics on construction wastes going to the landfill are telling. The solid waste stream in Alberta is comprised of Industrial, Commercial & Institutional waste (40%) Residential (33%), and Construction, Renovation & Demolition waste (27%) [Alberta Environment, 1997] for a total of over two million tonnes per year. That is approximately 800 kg per person per year, or over 2 kg per person each day.
Source: Alberta Environment
The distribution of waste in the Construction, Renovation & Landfill is as follows:
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The Residential Stream:
The diversion of the waste stream for occupied homes should also be part of the overall house plan. The following chart shows the distribution of waste diverted by Alberta homes.
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It is clear that the diversion of food and yard waste through composting, and paper through recycling would have a profound impact on reducing the waste stream to the landfill. The Other category includes meat waste, diapers, and toxic waste that is difficult to recycle.
A residential home should be designed to accommodate the collection, storage, and recycling of these materials.
Chronological stages in a residential construction process and potential related waste:
Forward
The ideal approach would be control the design to construction process as closely as possible in order to maximize the use of materials. An example would be to calculate the areas of the wall surfaces to be covered by drywall, order the equivalent amount of drywall (in appropriate dimensioned panels), and implement an installation pattern (strategy) that will maximize the use of the material. This approach, regardless of its efficiency, is not practical because of the degree of control it imposes on the construction process (amount of time to follow installation instructions, stress on contractors, trades or suppliers, and ultimately cost).
An agreeable approach might be to seek out a method (for each stage of the process) that will reduce waste and promote re-use or recycling and, at the same time, allow the industries to work at same level of efficiency and effectiveness currently available and familiar with.
Material types:
- Wood, clean soft-wood and wood based composites (plywoods, OSB)
- Concrete, cements, gravels, sands, ceramics, non-organic soils
- Drywall and gypsum based products, compounds, etc
- Asphalt shingles, tar papers, water proofing materials (roofing)
- Metals, fasteners, piping, aluminum, galvanized metals (duct)
- Cardboard, non-toxic paper products
- Other (toxics?: plastics, glass, adhesives, paints, sealing, stains, caulking)
Material handling:
- Waste Management Plan (WMP)
- On-site separation
- Storage locations, (bins, bags (tote): sizes, available locally?)
- Avoid cross contamination
- Proper hazardous or toxic material handling
- Measurement
- Weighing methodology
- Documentation and calculations
- Material pick-up / transportation from site to recycling
- Based on a schedule or on-call
- Self transported (contractor, trades or crew)?
Material - primary collection categories:
- Wood
- Drywall
- Cardboard or clean Paper packaging
- Metals
- Others (including toxics)
Note: Packaging materials such as Cardboard, Paper and Plastics will be produced at every stage of the construction process. Waste generated by small items, such as fasteners (nails, screws or staples), will be minimal per unit but greater in volume when building on a large scale (such as subdivisions).
Process and generated waste
- Basement / Foundation:
Waste: Concrete / Cement, Insulation material (Styrene, Ethylene), some Metal.
- Framing:
Waste: Softwood, Wood-based composites (Plywood, OSB), (moisture barriers) Tar Paper, Blue Skin, Vapour Barrier Plastics (polymers), some metal in the form of nails, staples and other fasteners.
- Roofing:
Waste: (Moisture Barrier) Tar Paper, Tar (asphaltum), Shingles (asphalt), Vapour barrier materials (depends on roofing treatment), Plastic, Aluminum or Sheet Metal Flashing (overhang ventilation) and/or gutters, downspouts.
- Insulation:
Waste: Glass (Fiberglass), Plastics: Polymers (Vapour Barriers), Styrenes, Ethylenes.
- Window and Door Details:
Waste: Packaging materials, some mixed Wood and Metal materials. (Waste should be minimal, unused or incorrect materials = contractor / trades / supplier “take back”?).
- Exterior Siding:
Waste: Dependant on treatment used. Vinyl siding, Aluminum siding, Wood and composites, Stucco.
- Utilities (Interior Supply):
Waste: Minimal. Maybe some metals (gas line, water, electric)
- Electrical System:
Waste: Metal Wiring, Conduit. Other items such as Junction Boxes, Light Switch Boxes, etc. should not be wasted (again, contractor / trades / supplier “take back”?)
- Plumbing System:
Waste: Plastics (PVC, PVA, and other polymers), some Metals (copper). Minimal waste. Again “take back” if broken or not specified.
- HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning):
Waste: Sheet Metal (duct work), some Wood and/or composites
- Drywalling:
Waste: Gypsum drywall, Drywall compound, Plastics (Vapour Barrier), Papers, Corner Bead (metal / plastic), maybe some Wood and composites.
- Painting:
Waste: Paint (perhaps a “take back” agreement with the supplier or a materials recycling organization to re-use as “seconds” for a reduced price, or as a donation to non-profit organizations? Design considerations may allow paint colors to be re-tinted to other popular colors for resale).
- Flooring:
Waste: Depends on treatment. Possible materials: Ceramic tiles, Linoleums or similar products, Hard-wood flooring, Carpeting. Some other wood or composite products in the form of base boards or trim, and sub-flooring. Fasteners.
- Finishing Details:
Waste: Should be minimal waste. Mostly packaging. Some wood or wood composite products. Some metal (fasteners). Again, contractor, trade, supplier “tack back” incorrect or unused materials.
“Adam Equipment CPW Plus 2000 sample series digital scale”
“Scale Pan Cover” (AutoCAD drawing)
“Sample Scale Box” (AutoCAD drawing)
“Free standing divider stands” (AutoCAD drawing)
“Free standing divider” (AutoCAD drawing)
“Living Home Waste Plan” (AutoCAD drawing)
“9W27-06 Plastic Recycling Bin” (Image courtesy of: http://www.trashcansandmore.com)
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