Construction materials
More circularity in buildings sector can cut GHG emissions
The EEA briefing, ‘Cutting greenhouse gas emissions through circular economy actions in the buildings sector’, says actions like reducing the use of concrete, cement and steel in the building sector can cut materials-related greenhouse gas emissions by 61% over a building’s life cycle stages until 2050.
The briefing is based on a study commissioned by the EEA, which looks at the role that specific actions towards a more circular economy can play in reducing emissions. The EEA assessment presents a new methodological approach which can help identify and prioritise circular efforts that can contribute to reducing emissions in any sector. It was developed by the EEA together with a consortium of European experts.
The study found that each of a building’s life cycle stages — from design, production and use to demolition and waste management — offers rich opportunity for greater circularity and emission reductions.
The background study prepared for the EEA cites that up to two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions are related to flows of materials, and how we source, consume and dispose of them. This makes it an important area for further reductions. Circular economy actions can substantially contribute to reduce these emissions. Making buildings more circular over their life cycle means designing and using them more efficiently, making them last longer, as well as reusing and recycling building materials instead of sourcing new ones.
Steel, cement and concrete are some of the most emission-intensive materials used in constructing buildings. These can be cut down if the demand for such materials is reduced through smarter design and production as well as reusing and recycling these materials at the end of building’s life cycle. Other actions ranging from increasing occupancy rate to improved maintenance that extends a building’s lifetime also offer good potential to reduce emissions.
Making the building sector more ‘circular’ by reducing demand for such materials can help the European Union meet its climate neutrality and circular economy goals under the European Green Deal. This makes such actions ideal for inclusion in EU, national and local climate change plans and roadmaps, the briefing says.
The background study was carried out by a consortium of Ramboll consulting, Fraunhofer ISI and Ecologic Institute.
More circularity in buildings sector can cut GHG emissions
The EEA briefing, ‘Cutting greenhouse gas emissions through circular economy actions in the buildings sector’, says actions like reducing the use of concrete, cement and steel in the building sector can cut materials-related greenhouse gas emissions by 61% over a building’s life cycle stages until 2050.
The briefing is based on a study commissioned by the EEA, which looks at the role that specific actions towards a more circular economy can play in reducing emissions. The EEA assessment presents a new methodological approach which can help identify and prioritise circular efforts that can contribute to reducing emissions in any sector. It was developed by the EEA together with a consortium of European experts.
The study found that each of a building’s life cycle stages — from design, production and use to demolition and waste management — offers rich opportunity for greater circularity and emission reductions.
The background study prepared for the EEA cites that up to two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions are related to flows of materials, and how we source, consume and dispose of them. This makes it an important area for further reductions. Circular economy actions can substantially contribute to reduce these emissions. Making buildings more circular over their life cycle means designing and using them more efficiently, making them last longer, as well as reusing and recycling building materials instead of sourcing new ones.
Steel, cement and concrete are some of the most emission-intensive materials used in constructing buildings. These can be cut down if the demand for such materials is reduced through smarter design and production as well as reusing and recycling these materials at the end of building’s life cycle. Other actions ranging from increasing occupancy rate to improved maintenance that extends a building’s lifetime also offer good potential to reduce emissions.
Making the building sector more ‘circular’ by reducing demand for such materials can help the European Union meet its climate neutrality and circular economy goals under the European Green Deal. This makes such actions ideal for inclusion in EU, national and local climate change plans and roadmaps, the briefing says.
The background study was carried out by a consortium of Ramboll consulting, Fraunhofer ISI and Ecologic Institute.
More circularity in buildings sector can cut GHG emissions
The EEA briefing, ‘Cutting greenhouse gas emissions through circular economy actions in the buildings sector’, says actions like reducing the use of concrete, cement and steel in the building sector can cut materials-related greenhouse gas emissions by 61% over a building’s life cycle stages until 2050.
The briefing is based on a study commissioned by the EEA, which looks at the role that specific actions towards a more circular economy can play in reducing emissions. The EEA assessment presents a new methodological approach which can help identify and prioritise circular efforts that can contribute to reducing emissions in any sector. It was developed by the EEA together with a consortium of European experts.
The study found that each of a building’s life cycle stages — from design, production and use to demolition and waste management — offers rich opportunity for greater circularity and emission reductions.
The background study prepared for the EEA cites that up to two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions are related to flows of materials, and how we source, consume and dispose of them. This makes it an important area for further reductions. Circular economy actions can substantially contribute to reduce these emissions. Making buildings more circular over their life cycle means designing and using them more efficiently, making them last longer, as well as reusing and recycling building materials instead of sourcing new ones.
Steel, cement and concrete are some of the most emission-intensive materials used in constructing buildings. These can be cut down if the demand for such materials is reduced through smarter design and production as well as reusing and recycling these materials at the end of building’s life cycle. Other actions ranging from increasing occupancy rate to improved maintenance that extends a building’s lifetime also offer good potential to reduce emissions.
Making the building sector more ‘circular’ by reducing demand for such materials can help the European Union meet its climate neutrality and circular economy goals under the European Green Deal. This makes such actions ideal for inclusion in EU, national and local climate change plans and roadmaps, the briefing says.
The background study was carried out by a consortium of Ramboll consulting, Fraunhofer ISI and Ecologic Institute.
More than 50% of the European demolition projects rescheduled
This report was made with the participation of companies from 18 European countries through an online survey, made from 6 to 15 May 2020.
The report includes graphics with the information at European level and country by country, as the situation differs substantially in each part of Europe, and even week by week.
Given the social and economic impact that the lockdown has had on the European demolition industry, the EDA Board has been meeting regularly to monitor the situation and support the industry, exchanging best practices and valuable information for the members.
The impact of the COVID-19 on demolition makes 63% of projects have had to be rescheduled in Europe, leaving only 9% of planned activity intact.
Although between 5 and 20% of the projects have been canceled, this percentage represents only 28% of the total number of current projects of the companies.
Particularly noteworthy are Denmark (where 56% of the projects have not been affected at all) and Finland (where 100% of the projects have been rescheduled but remain in force).
In general the demolition industry has temporarily stopped its activity for some weeks (53%), although there are several countries where activity has not stopped, such as Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands.
A significant percentage of companies from France and Russia, have been forced to close between 1 and more than 2 weeks.
For the first half of May, nearly half of the European demolition sites are currently open, suggesting that the industry is continuing or has returned to a kind of normality.
The only case where the proportion of open and closed sites currently is similar is in Greece.
After getting through March and April, when several European countries had problems with the supply of personal protective equipment (PPEs), nearly two-thirds of survey respondents now said they have sufficient material.
Countries such as Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands or Serbia showed hardly any incidence regarding PPEs.
Asked about the reduction of staff, the numbers show how COVID has impacted in Europe in a social and economic way.
A total of 64% of European demolition companies have been forced to reduce their staff, although 27% have been temporarily reduced.
The economic incentives that National Authorities have implemented to mitigate the consequences of the crisis are particularly remarkable in Ireland, France and Finland where a significant percentage have reduced their staff only temporarily.
The Netherlands, Denmark and Italy are the countries least hit by the layoff.
The full report is available here
Construction industry progress towards sustainability with renewable materials
With an increasing number of government regulations encouraging net-zero carbon future to limit global temperature rise, the construction industry is on a way to design, construct and operate buildings that improve their environmental sustainability along with the internal environment for users. The construction sector is known to possess the huge untapped potential for improving sustainability in every component of its value chain with digitalization, innovative technologies and new techniques of construction. Construction companies are leveraging advanced technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), smart building technologies and new building materials to attain a greater maturity towards sustainability.
Government regulations encourage adoption of renewable materials
In the mission to transform the construction industry into a sustainable sector, various renewable materials in the construction market have been identified, which hold the potential to replace the existing construction materials. The major objective here is to save energy, water, and various non-renewable resources to reap long term benefits. Construction companies are particular about introducing renewable materials in construction activities to avoid the imposition of any regulations in the future. To propel such initiatives towards sustainability, recognized organizations such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) are encouraging the construction companies by awarding green building certification. The growing trend of such recognitions has been increasing the supply of renewable material in construction.
Use of sustainable materials impart brand recognition to companies
Along with growing awareness and restrictions, consumer awareness holds a major significance in promoting renewable materials in construction. Growing consumer awareness regarding the environment is adversely affecting the demand for conventional construction materials. In a way, consumer inclination towards renewable materials is a major factor fueling their use in the construction sector. The fact that sustainable buildings tap into this growing trend of eco-friendliness, is making them a marker for brand recognition for companies striving to make a difference in the correlation between construction and environment.
Wood creates profitable avenues in the market
Wood is one of the most sought after renewable resources that can contribute to sustainability in the construction industry. Though deforestation makes it difficult to think of wood as a sustainable material, it gets upper hand over man-made construction materials like concrete and steel that leave a high carbon footprint. Market players in the construction industry are using wood instead of steel or concrete to substantially reduce the environmental impact of construction, as well as its operating costs. Moreover, the manufactures in the construction sector are embracing advances in building technology to extend the use of wood in a wide range of non-residential, multi-story and long-span buildings. The construction industry has been introducing construction accordingly, to accommodate wood construction methods.
Manufacturers embrace technological advancements to create new materials
With the help of Green concrete technology, construction companies are utilizing waste materials with recycled commodities such as mining wastes, glass wastes, and burnt clay to develop renewable materials for construction. The output is a low-maintenance and long-lasting renewable material for construction called green concrete. Manufacturers are designing these concretes while keeping in mind the entire construction life cycle, composed of structural design, parameters, production techniques, and maintenance methodologies. This concrete is highly demanded in the market as there are they release no harmful emissions. Also, it ensures a reduction in the emission of CO2 into the environment.
Plastic bricks are the other product of technology that are used as renewable materials in construction activities. This product is unique in its way of spreading eco-friendliness as it gives a viable solution to the ever-increasing challenge in the disposal of plastic. It is an innovative concept where plastic is reused and mixed with cement aggregates to crate shapes of bricks. This has proven to be a spectacular solution for overcoming the long-standing issue of plastic waste. A high ratio of tensile strength and weight of plastic material works in favor of these bricks. Manufacturers are adopting increasingly adopting these bricks as a construction material as they are lighter than conventional bricks. Moreover, they have superb insulation properties for noise and heat, which is way more than normal bricks.
Regenerative plants highly demanded as raw materials
Bamboo has been used as a renewable building material for decades in the construction of buildings. However, its preference has increased recently owing to the scarcity of the wood. Rapid regenerative properties along with low cost make it a favorite for manufacturers in the market. Bamboo roofing sheets exhibit a high tolerance to extreme weathering conditions, making them an apt construction material for the geographical region with extreme climates. Sugar cane is another naturally grown regenerative raw material used to create Bagasse, renewable materials used in construction. Besides, being composted in a short period without causing environmental harm, Bagasse is used as a biofuel for producing energy and heat along with electricity. These multifaceted benefits pile up its demand in the market.
Light-weight materials preferred for construction
A mixture of clay with other naturally occurring products such as rice ash husk and sawdust gives Porotherm bricks, a highly durable renewable material that can be used in construction. Construction companies are seeking these bricks as construction materials for their light-weight. Other attributes such as low water absorption, fire-proof and thermal insulation also enhance their applicability in the construction industry. Fly Ash bricks, made of waste products that refrain from releasing harmful toxins into the environment are giving new life to renewable construction materials. Manufactures prefer theses bricks over clay ones as this green building material is known to absorb less heat and water, which increases the profitability aspect for the investors. Besides being light-weight, the energy-efficient manufacturing of these bricks is garnering huge popularity for them in the market.
Besides technical developments that are encouraging the sustainability and use of renewable materials in the construction segment, the millennial population is emerging as a major driver for sustainable buildings. The growing population of individuals taking a tough stance to battle climate change, by protesting on the streets and demanding systemic changes are the ones building paths of sustainable future for upcoming generations.
Construction industry progress towards sustainability with renewable materials
With an increasing number of government regulations encouraging net-zero carbon future to limit global temperature rise, the construction industry is on a way to design, construct and operate buildings that improve their environmental sustainability along with the internal environment for users. The construction sector is known to possess the huge untapped potential for improving sustainability in every component of its value chain with digitalization, innovative technologies and new techniques of construction. Construction companies are leveraging advanced technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), smart building technologies and new building materials to attain a greater maturity towards sustainability.
Government regulations encourage adoption of renewable materials
In the mission to transform the construction industry into a sustainable sector, various renewable materials in the construction market have been identified, which hold the potential to replace the existing construction materials. The major objective here is to save energy, water, and various non-renewable resources to reap long term benefits. Construction companies are particular about introducing renewable materials in construction activities to avoid the imposition of any regulations in the future. To propel such initiatives towards sustainability, recognized organizations such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) are encouraging the construction companies by awarding green building certification. The growing trend of such recognitions has been increasing the supply of renewable material in construction.
Use of sustainable materials impart brand recognition to companies
Along with growing awareness and restrictions, consumer awareness holds a major significance in promoting renewable materials in construction. Growing consumer awareness regarding the environment is adversely affecting the demand for conventional construction materials. In a way, consumer inclination towards renewable materials is a major factor fueling their use in the construction sector. The fact that sustainable buildings tap into this growing trend of eco-friendliness, is making them a marker for brand recognition for companies striving to make a difference in the correlation between construction and environment.
Wood creates profitable avenues in the market
Wood is one of the most sought after renewable resources that can contribute to sustainability in the construction industry. Though deforestation makes it difficult to think of wood as a sustainable material, it gets upper hand over man-made construction materials like concrete and steel that leave a high carbon footprint. Market players in the construction industry are using wood instead of steel or concrete to substantially reduce the environmental impact of construction, as well as its operating costs. Moreover, the manufactures in the construction sector are embracing advances in building technology to extend the use of wood in a wide range of non-residential, multi-story and long-span buildings. The construction industry has been introducing construction accordingly, to accommodate wood construction methods.
Manufacturers embrace technological advancements to create new materials
With the help of Green concrete technology, construction companies are utilizing waste materials with recycled commodities such as mining wastes, glass wastes, and burnt clay to develop renewable materials for construction. The output is a low-maintenance and long-lasting renewable material for construction called green concrete. Manufacturers are designing these concretes while keeping in mind the entire construction life cycle, composed of structural design, parameters, production techniques, and maintenance methodologies. This concrete is highly demanded in the market as there are they release no harmful emissions. Also, it ensures a reduction in the emission of CO2 into the environment.
Plastic bricks are the other product of technology that are used as renewable materials in construction activities. This product is unique in its way of spreading eco-friendliness as it gives a viable solution to the ever-increasing challenge in the disposal of plastic. It is an innovative concept where plastic is reused and mixed with cement aggregates to crate shapes of bricks. This has proven to be a spectacular solution for overcoming the long-standing issue of plastic waste. A high ratio of tensile strength and weight of plastic material works in favor of these bricks. Manufacturers are adopting increasingly adopting these bricks as a construction material as they are lighter than conventional bricks. Moreover, they have superb insulation properties for noise and heat, which is way more than normal bricks.
Regenerative plants highly demanded as raw materials
Bamboo has been used as a renewable building material for decades in the construction of buildings. However, its preference has increased recently owing to the scarcity of the wood. Rapid regenerative properties along with low cost make it a favorite for manufacturers in the market. Bamboo roofing sheets exhibit a high tolerance to extreme weathering conditions, making them an apt construction material for the geographical region with extreme climates. Sugar cane is another naturally grown regenerative raw material used to create Bagasse, renewable materials used in construction. Besides, being composted in a short period without causing environmental harm, Bagasse is used as a biofuel for producing energy and heat along with electricity. These multifaceted benefits pile up its demand in the market.
Light-weight materials preferred for construction
A mixture of clay with other naturally occurring products such as rice ash husk and sawdust gives Porotherm bricks, a highly durable renewable material that can be used in construction. Construction companies are seeking these bricks as construction materials for their light-weight. Other attributes such as low water absorption, fire-proof and thermal insulation also enhance their applicability in the construction industry. Fly Ash bricks, made of waste products that refrain from releasing harmful toxins into the environment are giving new life to renewable construction materials. Manufactures prefer theses bricks over clay ones as this green building material is known to absorb less heat and water, which increases the profitability aspect for the investors. Besides being light-weight, the energy-efficient manufacturing of these bricks is garnering huge popularity for them in the market.
Besides technical developments that are encouraging the sustainability and use of renewable materials in the construction segment, the millennial population is emerging as a major driver for sustainable buildings. The growing population of individuals taking a tough stance to battle climate change, by protesting on the streets and demanding systemic changes are the ones building paths of sustainable future for upcoming generations.
Construction industry progress towards sustainability with renewable materials
With an increasing number of government regulations encouraging net-zero carbon future to limit global temperature rise, the construction industry is on a way to design, construct and operate buildings that improve their environmental sustainability along with the internal environment for users. The construction sector is known to possess the huge untapped potential for improving sustainability in every component of its value chain with digitalization, innovative technologies and new techniques of construction. Construction companies are leveraging advanced technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), smart building technologies and new building materials to attain a greater maturity towards sustainability.
Government regulations encourage adoption of renewable materials
In the mission to transform the construction industry into a sustainable sector, various renewable materials in the construction market have been identified, which hold the potential to replace the existing construction materials. The major objective here is to save energy, water, and various non-renewable resources to reap long term benefits. Construction companies are particular about introducing renewable materials in construction activities to avoid the imposition of any regulations in the future. To propel such initiatives towards sustainability, recognized organizations such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) are encouraging the construction companies by awarding green building certification. The growing trend of such recognitions has been increasing the supply of renewable material in construction.
Use of sustainable materials impart brand recognition to companies
Along with growing awareness and restrictions, consumer awareness holds a major significance in promoting renewable materials in construction. Growing consumer awareness regarding the environment is adversely affecting the demand for conventional construction materials. In a way, consumer inclination towards renewable materials is a major factor fueling their use in the construction sector. The fact that sustainable buildings tap into this growing trend of eco-friendliness, is making them a marker for brand recognition for companies striving to make a difference in the correlation between construction and environment.
Wood creates profitable avenues in the market
Wood is one of the most sought after renewable resources that can contribute to sustainability in the construction industry. Though deforestation makes it difficult to think of wood as a sustainable material, it gets upper hand over man-made construction materials like concrete and steel that leave a high carbon footprint. Market players in the construction industry are using wood instead of steel or concrete to substantially reduce the environmental impact of construction, as well as its operating costs. Moreover, the manufactures in the construction sector are embracing advances in building technology to extend the use of wood in a wide range of non-residential, multi-story and long-span buildings. The construction industry has been introducing construction accordingly, to accommodate wood construction methods.
Manufacturers embrace technological advancements to create new materials
With the help of Green concrete technology, construction companies are utilizing waste materials with recycled commodities such as mining wastes, glass wastes, and burnt clay to develop renewable materials for construction. The output is a low-maintenance and long-lasting renewable material for construction called green concrete. Manufacturers are designing these concretes while keeping in mind the entire construction life cycle, composed of structural design, parameters, production techniques, and maintenance methodologies. This concrete is highly demanded in the market as there are they release no harmful emissions. Also, it ensures a reduction in the emission of CO2 into the environment.
Plastic bricks are the other product of technology that are used as renewable materials in construction activities. This product is unique in its way of spreading eco-friendliness as it gives a viable solution to the ever-increasing challenge in the disposal of plastic. It is an innovative concept where plastic is reused and mixed with cement aggregates to crate shapes of bricks. This has proven to be a spectacular solution for overcoming the long-standing issue of plastic waste. A high ratio of tensile strength and weight of plastic material works in favor of these bricks. Manufacturers are adopting increasingly adopting these bricks as a construction material as they are lighter than conventional bricks. Moreover, they have superb insulation properties for noise and heat, which is way more than normal bricks.
Regenerative plants highly demanded as raw materials
Bamboo has been used as a renewable building material for decades in the construction of buildings. However, its preference has increased recently owing to the scarcity of the wood. Rapid regenerative properties along with low cost make it a favorite for manufacturers in the market. Bamboo roofing sheets exhibit a high tolerance to extreme weathering conditions, making them an apt construction material for the geographical region with extreme climates. Sugar cane is another naturally grown regenerative raw material used to create Bagasse, renewable materials used in construction. Besides, being composted in a short period without causing environmental harm, Bagasse is used as a biofuel for producing energy and heat along with electricity. These multifaceted benefits pile up its demand in the market.
Light-weight materials preferred for construction
A mixture of clay with other naturally occurring products such as rice ash husk and sawdust gives Porotherm bricks, a highly durable renewable material that can be used in construction. Construction companies are seeking these bricks as construction materials for their light-weight. Other attributes such as low water absorption, fire-proof and thermal insulation also enhance their applicability in the construction industry. Fly Ash bricks, made of waste products that refrain from releasing harmful toxins into the environment are giving new life to renewable construction materials. Manufactures prefer theses bricks over clay ones as this green building material is known to absorb less heat and water, which increases the profitability aspect for the investors. Besides being light-weight, the energy-efficient manufacturing of these bricks is garnering huge popularity for them in the market.
Besides technical developments that are encouraging the sustainability and use of renewable materials in the construction segment, the millennial population is emerging as a major driver for sustainable buildings. The growing population of individuals taking a tough stance to battle climate change, by protesting on the streets and demanding systemic changes are the ones building paths of sustainable future for upcoming generations.
Construction industry progress towards sustainability with renewable materials
With an increasing number of government regulations encouraging net-zero carbon future to limit global temperature rise, the construction industry is on a way to design, construct and operate buildings that improve their environmental sustainability along with the internal environment for users. The construction sector is known to possess the huge untapped potential for improving sustainability in every component of its value chain with digitalization, innovative technologies and new techniques of construction. Construction companies are leveraging advanced technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), smart building technologies and new building materials to attain a greater maturity towards sustainability.
Government regulations encourage adoption of renewable materials
In the mission to transform the construction industry into a sustainable sector, various renewable materials in the construction market have been identified, which hold the potential to replace the existing construction materials. The major objective here is to save energy, water, and various non-renewable resources to reap long term benefits. Construction companies are particular about introducing renewable materials in construction activities to avoid the imposition of any regulations in the future. To propel such initiatives towards sustainability, recognized organizations such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) are encouraging the construction companies by awarding green building certification. The growing trend of such recognitions has been increasing the supply of renewable material in construction.
Use of sustainable materials impart brand recognition to companies
Along with growing awareness and restrictions, consumer awareness holds a major significance in promoting renewable materials in construction. Growing consumer awareness regarding the environment is adversely affecting the demand for conventional construction materials. In a way, consumer inclination towards renewable materials is a major factor fueling their use in the construction sector. The fact that sustainable buildings tap into this growing trend of eco-friendliness, is making them a marker for brand recognition for companies striving to make a difference in the correlation between construction and environment.
Wood creates profitable avenues in the market
Wood is one of the most sought after renewable resources that can contribute to sustainability in the construction industry. Though deforestation makes it difficult to think of wood as a sustainable material, it gets upper hand over man-made construction materials like concrete and steel that leave a high carbon footprint. Market players in the construction industry are using wood instead of steel or concrete to substantially reduce the environmental impact of construction, as well as its operating costs. Moreover, the manufactures in the construction sector are embracing advances in building technology to extend the use of wood in a wide range of non-residential, multi-story and long-span buildings. The construction industry has been introducing construction accordingly, to accommodate wood construction methods.
Manufacturers embrace technological advancements to create new materials
With the help of Green concrete technology, construction companies are utilizing waste materials with recycled commodities such as mining wastes, glass wastes, and burnt clay to develop renewable materials for construction. The output is a low-maintenance and long-lasting renewable material for construction called green concrete. Manufacturers are designing these concretes while keeping in mind the entire construction life cycle, composed of structural design, parameters, production techniques, and maintenance methodologies. This concrete is highly demanded in the market as there are they release no harmful emissions. Also, it ensures a reduction in the emission of CO2 into the environment.
Plastic bricks are the other product of technology that are used as renewable materials in construction activities. This product is unique in its way of spreading eco-friendliness as it gives a viable solution to the ever-increasing challenge in the disposal of plastic. It is an innovative concept where plastic is reused and mixed with cement aggregates to crate shapes of bricks. This has proven to be a spectacular solution for overcoming the long-standing issue of plastic waste. A high ratio of tensile strength and weight of plastic material works in favor of these bricks. Manufacturers are adopting increasingly adopting these bricks as a construction material as they are lighter than conventional bricks. Moreover, they have superb insulation properties for noise and heat, which is way more than normal bricks.
Regenerative plants highly demanded as raw materials
Bamboo has been used as a renewable building material for decades in the construction of buildings. However, its preference has increased recently owing to the scarcity of the wood. Rapid regenerative properties along with low cost make it a favorite for manufacturers in the market. Bamboo roofing sheets exhibit a high tolerance to extreme weathering conditions, making them an apt construction material for the geographical region with extreme climates. Sugar cane is another naturally grown regenerative raw material used to create Bagasse, renewable materials used in construction. Besides, being composted in a short period without causing environmental harm, Bagasse is used as a biofuel for producing energy and heat along with electricity. These multifaceted benefits pile up its demand in the market.
Light-weight materials preferred for construction
A mixture of clay with other naturally occurring products such as rice ash husk and sawdust gives Porotherm bricks, a highly durable renewable material that can be used in construction. Construction companies are seeking these bricks as construction materials for their light-weight. Other attributes such as low water absorption, fire-proof and thermal insulation also enhance their applicability in the construction industry. Fly Ash bricks, made of waste products that refrain from releasing harmful toxins into the environment are giving new life to renewable construction materials. Manufactures prefer theses bricks over clay ones as this green building material is known to absorb less heat and water, which increases the profitability aspect for the investors. Besides being light-weight, the energy-efficient manufacturing of these bricks is garnering huge popularity for them in the market.
Besides technical developments that are encouraging the sustainability and use of renewable materials in the construction segment, the millennial population is emerging as a major driver for sustainable buildings. The growing population of individuals taking a tough stance to battle climate change, by protesting on the streets and demanding systemic changes are the ones building paths of sustainable future for upcoming generations.
Best Practices for Construction Waste Management
Construction waste poses a great danger to the environment. For this reason, construction industries need to find suitable methods to manage construction and demolition materials that generate waste during construction activities. Using trash chutes to get waste out of the site is one good way of safe waste disposal.
Construction and demolition materials consist of debris that is generated during construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads, and bridges. Heavy and bulky materials like the following are some examples of construction and demolition materials:
- Concrete
- Wood
- Asphalt
- Metals
- Bricks
- Glass
- Rocks
Benefits of reducing disposal of C&D materials
- Employment creation and an increase in economic activities in recycling industries. This will also increase the business opportunities within the local community, in areas where deconstruction and selective demolition are used.
- Reduction in overall building project expenses through avoided purchase costs and donation of recovered materials to qualified charities, which offers a tax benefit. Transportation costs also come down with onsite material reuse.
- Fewer disposal facilities which reduce associated environmental issues.
- Conserve landfill space.
- The environmental impact associated with the extraction and consumption of virgin resources and the production of new materials is offset.
Reduce, Divert and reuse and Recycle C&D Materials
You can help divert construction and demolition materials from disposal by practicing source reduction, salvaging, recycling, and reusing existing materials. You can also buy used and recycled products and materials.
1. Reduce
With source reduction, you can reduce the life-cycle of material use, energy use, and waste generation. The highest priority should be given to address solid waste issues. Source reduction prevents waste from being generated in the first place. Some examples of this include – preserving existing buildings rather than constructing new ones, optimizing the size of new buildings, designing new buildings for adaptability to prolong their life, use of construction methods that allow disassembly and facilitate reuse of materials, and employing alternative framing techniques. Reducing construction and demolition debris also conserves landfill space, reduces the environmental impact of producing new materials, and can cut down the overall building project expenses through avoided purchase.
2. Divert and Reuse
Raw construction and demolition debris can be diverted and used as a resource. Some materials that can be diverted include:
- Landscape and land clearing debris
- Asphalt pavements
- Gravel and aggregate products
- Concrete
- Masonry scrap and rubble
- Clean wood
- Plastics
- Insulation materials
Recovering used but valuable construction and demolition materials for further use is an effective use to save money and conserve natural resources. Deconstruction can be used at a number of levels to salvage usable materials and significantly cut waste. It has the following benefits:
- Maximizes the recovery of materials
- Conserves finite forest resources
- Provides employment opportunities
- Allows communities to create local economic activities around manufacturing or reprocessing salvaged materials
- Diverts demolition debris bound for disposal
3. Recycle
Many building components and construction debris can be recycled. Concrete and rubble are often recycled into aggregate and concrete products. Wood can be recycled into engineered wood products like furniture. Metals like steel, copper, and brass are also valuable resources to recycle.
There are three methods for waste recycling:
- Site-separated: This uses multiple boxes for each type of waste. Separating construction waste on the job site gives immediate feedback to everyone on the job and can help to ensure that the project’s recycling goals are met. Site separation also promotes a responsible atmosphere on the job site and is the best method for diversion goals. It does, however, take up more space and requires a high level of supervision.
- Commingled recycling : This type of recycling uses one container. The hauler sorts everything off-site. This makes it easier for the field staff to manage waste on-site. Commingled recycling requires little storage space and is the best option for sites that are tight on space.
- Hybrid recycling : This type of recycling combines site-separation and commingled recycling. For instance, one box for wood, one box for concrete, and one box for non-recyclable waste. Hybrid recycling represents the best of both worlds. It optimizes the weight vs. sorting effort. The total number of boxes can be reduced by working in phases. It reduces work for sorting haulers, which reduces hauling fees.
For each project, the construction manager needs to assess the project requirements and site location to determine the best waste recycling method to use. Some questions to help with this are as follows:
- How many waste containers do you have room for?
- What will be their location on-site?
- Will you use a trash chute?
- Is it a high-rise site?
- Is it a high construction and demolition diversion project?
- Will there be enough staff onsite for required supervision
- Will there be changes in the waste generated during the project?
Engineers and construction companies should promote sustainable and eco friendly construction. They should carry out regular site inspections to verify that all construction waste management measures are in place and working properly. Haulers should create monthly construction reports on time. Waste recycling and hauling should be monitored on a weekly basis. Most importantly, the actual performance should meet or exceed the project goals on a frequent basis.
Best Practices for Construction Waste Management
Construction waste poses a great danger to the environment. For this reason, construction industries need to find suitable methods to manage construction and demolition materials that generate waste during construction activities. Using trash chutes to get waste out of the site is one good way of safe waste disposal.
Construction and demolition materials consist of debris that is generated during construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads, and bridges. Heavy and bulky materials like the following are some examples of construction and demolition materials:
- Concrete
- Wood
- Asphalt
- Metals
- Bricks
- Glass
- Rocks
Benefits of reducing disposal of C&D materials
- Employment creation and an increase in economic activities in recycling industries. This will also increase the business opportunities within the local community, in areas where deconstruction and selective demolition are used.
- Reduction in overall building project expenses through avoided purchase costs and donation of recovered materials to qualified charities, which offers a tax benefit. Transportation costs also come down with onsite material reuse.
- Fewer disposal facilities which reduce associated environmental issues.
- Conserve landfill space.
- The environmental impact associated with the extraction and consumption of virgin resources and the production of new materials is offset.
Reduce, Divert and reuse and Recycle C&D Materials
You can help divert construction and demolition materials from disposal by practicing source reduction, salvaging, recycling, and reusing existing materials. You can also buy used and recycled products and materials.
1. Reduce
With source reduction, you can reduce the life-cycle of material use, energy use, and waste generation. The highest priority should be given to address solid waste issues. Source reduction prevents waste from being generated in the first place. Some examples of this include – preserving existing buildings rather than constructing new ones, optimizing the size of new buildings, designing new buildings for adaptability to prolong their life, use of construction methods that allow disassembly and facilitate reuse of materials, and employing alternative framing techniques. Reducing construction and demolition debris also conserves landfill space, reduces the environmental impact of producing new materials, and can cut down the overall building project expenses through avoided purchase.
2. Divert and Reuse
Raw construction and demolition debris can be diverted and used as a resource. Some materials that can be diverted include:
- Landscape and land clearing debris
- Asphalt pavements
- Gravel and aggregate products
- Concrete
- Masonry scrap and rubble
- Clean wood
- Plastics
- Insulation materials
Recovering used but valuable construction and demolition materials for further use is an effective use to save money and conserve natural resources. Deconstruction can be used at a number of levels to salvage usable materials and significantly cut waste. It has the following benefits:
- Maximizes the recovery of materials
- Conserves finite forest resources
- Provides employment opportunities
- Allows communities to create local economic activities around manufacturing or reprocessing salvaged materials
- Diverts demolition debris bound for disposal
3. Recycle
Many building components and construction debris can be recycled. Concrete and rubble are often recycled into aggregate and concrete products. Wood can be recycled into engineered wood products like furniture. Metals like steel, copper, and brass are also valuable resources to recycle.
There are three methods for waste recycling:
- Site-separated: This uses multiple boxes for each type of waste. Separating construction waste on the job site gives immediate feedback to everyone on the job and can help to ensure that the project’s recycling goals are met. Site separation also promotes a responsible atmosphere on the job site and is the best method for diversion goals. It does, however, take up more space and requires a high level of supervision.
- Commingled recycling : This type of recycling uses one container. The hauler sorts everything off-site. This makes it easier for the field staff to manage waste on-site. Commingled recycling requires little storage space and is the best option for sites that are tight on space.
- Hybrid recycling : This type of recycling combines site-separation and commingled recycling. For instance, one box for wood, one box for concrete, and one box for non-recyclable waste. Hybrid recycling represents the best of both worlds. It optimizes the weight vs. sorting effort. The total number of boxes can be reduced by working in phases. It reduces work for sorting haulers, which reduces hauling fees.
For each project, the construction manager needs to assess the project requirements and site location to determine the best waste recycling method to use. Some questions to help with this are as follows:
- How many waste containers do you have room for?
- What will be their location on-site?
- Will you use a trash chute?
- Is it a high-rise site?
- Is it a high construction and demolition diversion project?
- Will there be enough staff onsite for required supervision
- Will there be changes in the waste generated during the project?
Engineers and construction companies should promote sustainable and eco friendly construction. They should carry out regular site inspections to verify that all construction waste management measures are in place and working properly. Haulers should create monthly construction reports on time. Waste recycling and hauling should be monitored on a weekly basis. Most importantly, the actual performance should meet or exceed the project goals on a frequent basis.