Z-squared: Construction Systems from Waste, Part 2

About the report

This is the second volume of a study report describing the practical potential for increased recycled material content in housebuilding projects, reducing environmental impacts of development while helping to stimulate the reclaimed and recycled product market.

This volume aims to provide practical information to support construction managers in their efforts to procure materials with a higher recycled content than standard.

The report is one of ten in our Z-squared research report series.

Published March 2006
Pages 104
Download the report

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BioRegional is a registered charity – if you would like to make a donation for this report please visit www.justgiving.com to do so securely on-line – suggested donation £4.00.  

Your support will help us to continue developing vital solutions for sustainable living.

Summary

This is the second volume of a study report describing the practical potential for increased recycled material content in housebuilding projects, reducing environmental impacts of development while helping to stimulate the reclaimed and recycled product market.

This volume aims to provide practical information to support construction managers in their efforts to procure materials with a higher recycled content than standard.

Background
Each year in the UK some 420 million tonnes of material resources are used for construction, but about 16% goes directly to landfill and is not actually used in the construction. Of this 420 million tonnes, 10% are recycled materials, approximately 5% are from secondary sources (e.g. industrial by-products) and less than 1% are reclaimed materials1. Another study has shown that about 17% of the environmental impact of the average UK resident is due to construction and construction materials2. It is clear that we need to reduce this impact if we are to live sustainably.

Approximately 70% of the carbon emissions of the materials used in construction are due to their extraction and production, and it is clear that the use of recycled and reclaimed materials would greatly reduce the environmental impact of construction.

This Study
This study attempts to build on the BioRegional approach of mainstreaming and making it easy for house builders to choose sustainable development options. The BioRegional team identified recycled and reclaimed material
options for many ‘standard’ products and materials. The focus of the team was to identify ‘quick wins’, where:
- No change in the basic construction system design (concrete frame system in this case) would be required.
- Like for like material and product alternatives were identified, where all alternatives would fit easily into existing standard designs and construction processes. For example, instead of ordering ‘standard’ plasterboard from one supplier, a construction manager could simply arrange with another supplier to deliver plasterboard with similar properties but with significantly higher recycled material content
- Easily available reclaimed alternatives were identified and suggested, with a realistic assessment of the quantities of such materials that could be procured for a large scale development
- None of the alternatives suggested would be significantly costlier or more difficult to procure than ‘standard’ materials.

Data for this study was gathered using an anonymous case study of a real life development, one that can be viewed as a typical, middle range development of the type expected in majority of the Thames Gateway growth areas. Construction of this 35,000 m2 development on a brownfield site in central London was completed in 2004.
Further details of the sample development are available in Volume 1.

What you will find in this volume

• A full item list, with quantities and costs, for the sample development, including details of:

- ‘Typical’ materials and products specified as standard within the construction industry in major housebuilding projects. These are the materials that are likely to be used if no specification is given about the recycled contents of the materials to be used in the development. These materials may contain some recycled content but it may not be as high as market conditions and technology allow. The recycled contents of these typical materials and products have been included where data was available. The material supply costs of the ‘typical’ materials and products have also been provided, to make it easy for procurement managers to compare supply costs of alternative materials. These costs were analysed by Cyril Sweett Cost Consultants in August 2005, and are necessarily subject to change over time.

- Alternative materials and products with higher recycled content: suggestions for these are also provided in the item list. These are mainstream, readily available, materials and products with a higher recycled content, which are competitive in terms of both cost and life cycle performance.

- Reclaimed alternatives: alongside the options above, a suggestion is given about whether there is likely to be a reclaimed alternative for this material. No cost estimate is given for the reclaimed material as the cost of reclaimed materials is often not directly related to the materials itself, but can be inversely proportional to the lead time given and will also be dependent on whether storage space is available on-site. In general, reclaimed materials can be sourced at the same cost as virgin materials if sufficient lead time is given.

• A set of data sheets for some of the recommended alternative materials, which include information relating
to general company data and manufacturing location, the type of materials used, delivery timescales and examples of case studies where applicable. Links are provided in the item list to the product data sheets.

Download the report

........................................................................................................
BioRegional is a registered charity – if you would like to make a donation for this report please visit www.justgiving.com to do so securely on-line – suggested donation £4.00.  

Your support will help us to continue developing vital solutions for sustainable living.