Managing Construction Waste is an Essential Green Business Concern

The construction industry is undoubtedly one of the most important industries in any economy. It plays a crucial role in the economic development of almost every nation. Despite the importance of the construction industry towards development of the general economy, it is at the same time not an environmentally friendly activity, especially when construction projects are mismanaged and wastage is present. We previously mentioned that using green materials is important to reduce your carbon footprint, but there are other things that need to be a priority as well.

These arguments become more compelling when you understand the environmental footprint of this industry. The impact that the construction industry has on the environment is nothing short of massive. The IEA found that 39% of all global carbon emissions can be traced to the construction sector.

Addressing Construction Waste is a Huge Concern

Waste is an issue within the scope of the construction industry that not only causes construction projects to lose money and time, but it also causes unprecedented damage to the environment. This is why we previously said that reducing waste is a huge priority among eco-friendly construction companies.

Imagine a million homes being renovated and each renovation resulted in a minimal waste of just 100kgs. This would amount to a hundred million kilograms of waste being produced for every million homes that is renovated. The sheer destruction that is required for such copious amount of waste is immense and nature ends up paying the price.

The environmental impact does not just end at habitat destruction, but also excessive pollution which takes place when unnecessarily large equipment is used when the task could be handle by less polluting machines. The Department of Transportation has warned about these concerns. A good example of this scenario would be the rampant use of standard or large excavators for small projects when a mini excavator could have served just as well.

Larger excavators that deliver immense horsepower even when idle do not just cost more, but they also pollute more especially for small projects such as renovations, landscaping or small structure demolition jobs. It is not to say that larger excavators are not effective, but it goes with the territory as in most instances, small excavators or mini excavators are better suited for small jobs, whereas larger excavators are suited for larger projects.

Many companies can reduce their footprint and also benefit in a cost effective way by avoiding ownership of excavators, instead relying upon new model excavator hire on a project to project basis. Excavators for hire also come with an assortment of attachments that extend the capability of excavators as most of them have hydraulic couplers. This element (hydraulic couplers) makes mini excavators perfect for smaller ‘general construction’ projects.  Each year new excavators are designed to be less polluting as the market demands this, by avoiding ownership and instead renting the latest equipment, this is a fast way to ensure you are maximising your potential for reduced emissions damage.

The construction industry is generally divided into two categories the first being general construction and the second being special trade work. Whilst general construction involves of building construction including residential construction and as well as commercial construction and construction under civil engineering, special trade works mainly involves metal works, electrical works, painting, glass works, tiling, flooring, and others)

Note: civil engineering involves repairing or construction of sewers, roads, highways, bridges and tunnels.

There are various types of general construction projects, all of which require proper organization of teams who are able to design, plan and structure the entire project in a manner where wastage is greatly reduced. It would be wise for general contractors to look at the benefits of using less resources and accomplishing more through meticulous planning.

Green Building Projects Must Prioritize Waste Reduction

It is crucial to use the environment as a referring point to ensure lower wastage for every project. This will not only increase profit, but it will also effectively help reduce the impact of construction projects on the environment significantly.