Construction Waste

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) construction and demolition (C & D) waste accounts for more than twice the waste generated by municipalities. In 2018, it was more than 600 million tons, with 90% of the C & D waste from the demolition of buildings and infrastructure.

Considering that 90% of waste is from demolition, it is imperative that we renovate and reuse buildings as opposed to tearing them down and starting from scratch. If a building must be taken down it should be deconstructed—meaning carefully dismantled to salvage materials for reuse and recycling.

The EPA also reports that an average sized home (2,400 sf) generates 8,000 pounds of construction waste with 40 to 50% of it being wood. Designing with material sizes in mind can reduce that waste; overall dimensions on a two-foot module is the most efficient for stud spacing, drywall, and sheet materials.

Advanced framing techniques reduce the amount of lumber and waste. It saves money both in construction costs and in operations because with less lumber there is more space for insulation. The EPA reports that using advanced framing can save up to 5% on annual heating and cooling costs, and between 3% to 5% in labor cost. When considering advanced framing, first check with your structural engineer to ensure that the design meets all of the wind, seismic and other design loads for your location.

Sorting construction debris for recycling is considered a best practice. This entails detail planning for separate containers for each recyclable material such as cardboard and metals. Concrete can by recycled as aggregate in new concrete. Wood scraps and plywood can be collected to be used as blocking in the project.