Assessing the accumulation of construction waste generation during residential building construction works

• Published in: Resources, conservation and recycling conservation and recycling, 2014-12, Vol.93, p.67-74
• Main Authors: SAEZ, Paola Villoria, DEL RIO MERINO, Mercedes, PORRAS-AMORES, César, GONZALEZ, Alicia San-Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Buildings; Construction; Construction activity; Construction and demolition waste; Construction materials; Estimation; Evolution; Exact sciences and technology; Global environmental pollution; Management; Mathematical models; Pollution; Prevention; Residential buildings; Waste disposal; Wastes
• ISSN: 0921-3449; 1879-0658
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2014.10.004

•Building with plasterboard reduces around 16% the CDW/m2 built surface.•About 5% of the total CDW generated is produced in the last moments of the project (>75% of the project duration).•Thirty percent of the total CDW is generated during masonry and finishings works.•A model estimating the accumulation of the CDW ratio throughout the construction process has been obtained. The difficulty of dealing with construction and demolition waste (CDW) on construction sites is not new and continues to be an environmental problem. Understanding the waste generated in a construction work is essential to optimize CDW management. Therefore, any tool used for establishing an estimation of the CDW that will be generated should be considered as an alternative to achieve real solutions pursuing sustainability. This paper presents the evolution of CDW flow generation in the construction of new residential buildings, and has identified that the construction activity is increasing the waste generation. In an attempt to find some solutions and provide improved alternatives, several building sites have been analysed in order to quantify the estimation of CDW generated. Results show that when using plasterboard walls the CDW generation, per m2 of built surface can be reduced up to 15.94% compared to the use of traditional brick partitions. In addition, a model describing the accumulation of CDW throughout the project duration is proposed. This model states that CDW mainly accumulates in the middle stages of the project. This study allows an estimation of the amount of CDW to be generated in a building construction site, helping to plan the number and size of containers required at any moment of the construction process, as well as the space required for a proper CDW management.