Reducing Construction and Demolition Materials

One of the important components of a successful green construction project is the reduction of construction and demolition (C&D) materials. The EPA would like to promote construction companies to; reduce, reuse, recycle and rebuy C&D materials to help promote green building initiatives.

Reduce Construction and Demolition Materials
Reducing C&D materials has many environmental and financial benefits. By reducing the amount of waste we create during construction we are reducing the amount of natural resources that must be extracted from the earth. Reducing the amount of C&D materials helps reduce the size of future land fills and the amount of methane gas being emitted from them. Reducing waste means lower construction material costs for the owner which could be used to compensate for more expensive green technologies.

One of the most effective ways to reduce C&D materials is using advanced framing methods. Some of the more popular advanced framing methods include increasing the spacing of wall and floor framing members from 16 inches on center to 24 inches on center. Buying studs that are pre-cut to standard framing dimensions is another way to reduce waste by eliminating cut offs. Designing floor systems that use standard joist lengths of 12 ft, 14 ft and 16 ft instead of odd dimensions is another effective way to reduce construction waste. Another popular method being utilized today is the use of 2×4 wall studs instead of 2×6 studs with the addition of more effective insulation materials to achieve the same insulation values.

Reuse of Construction and Demolition Materials
Deconstruction for the reuse of construction and demolition materials is a growing practice. Deconstruction is the selective dismantling or removal of materials from buildings before or instead of some elements of demolition. Deconstruction benefits the environment by diverting valuable resources from crowded landfills into profitable uses.

Deconstruction is also being used more often by home owners during remodeling projects. Home owners often times will donate used windows, doors and cabinets to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or a local charity.

Recycle Construction and Demolition Materials
Today there are many different building components that can be recycled. There are thousands of asphalt and concrete recycling facilities, wood waste recycling facilities, and “mixed-waste” facilities that recycle demolition rubble in the United States. Asphalt, concrete, and rubble are often recycled into aggregate or new asphalt and concrete products. Wood can be recycled into engineered-wood products like furniture and plastic-composite decks, as well as mulch, compost, and other products. Metals—including steel, copper, and brass—are also valuable commodities to recycle. Cardboard packaging from home-building sites is not classified as a C&D material. However, the amount that is produced and put into landfills each year is staggering and it’s easily recycled to help reduce impacts on landfills.

Rebuy Construction and Demolition Materials
A recycling program is really only successful if we purchase construction materials that are manufactured using those recycled materials. There are numerous construction materials on the market today that use recycled materials. Cellulose insulation, drywall, composite decking, engineered wood products, carpet and carpet padding, siding, light gauge steel framing members, pavements, concrete, the list goes on. By using construction materials that have recycled content we are helping make recycling more cost effective and we close the loop in the conservation effort.