The Benefits of Reusing Construction and Demolition Waste Material

Construction and demolition (C&D) projects often generate a large amount of waste. This waste can include everything from leftover building materials to scraps of wood and metal. If not properly disposed of, this waste can end up in landfills, where it takes up valuable space and can release harmful toxins into the environment. 

Construction and demolition waste can also be recycled or reused. However, this requires extra effort and investment on the part of construction companies and project developers. As a result, C&D waste often ends up being dumped in lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water, polluting them and harming plant and animal life. 

In addition, this waste can attract rodents and other pests, which can spread diseases to humans. Construction and demolition waste is, therefore, a serious problem that needs to be addressed. We explain the benefits of reuse building waste in construction in this blog.

Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling

The reuse of construction and demolition waste is a common practice in many parts of the world. It is an environmentally sustainable way to provide raw materials for new construction projects. In addition, it helps to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfill sites.

There are many ways in which C&D waste can be recycled. For example, bricks and concrete can be crushed and used as aggregates in new concrete mixes. Wood can be reused as timber or turned into wood chips for landscaping.

Glass and metals can be recycled back into their raw materials. By recycling construction and demolition waste, we can help to reduce our reliance on virgin raw materials and protect the environment.

Benefits of Reuse Building Waste: What Are Sustainable Materials?

Sustainable materials are materials that can be produced on a large scale without consuming non-renewable resources and harming the environment. You can get started with one of the ten most sustainable raw materials:

• Hempcrete
  It is fully compatible with non-toxic natural plant-based oil paints, lime plasters and plasters. Hempcrete is a true form of green building, from the manufacture of raw materials to the entire life cycle of the building.
• Bamboo
  Bamboo is an incredibly renewable and versatile plant. Although hard as wood, it is grass, and some varieties can grow more than a meter in a day.
• Ferrock
  Ferrock is an environmentally friendly building material used as a cement substitute. It is mainly made of recycled materials such as silica from scrap steel and cullet.
• Recycled steel
  The recyclability of steel significantly reduces the environmental impact of raw material manufacturing. For example, manufacturing a steel tank from recycled steel consumes 75% less energy than manufacturing a steel tank from raw material.
• Reclaimed wood
  Recycled wood has already gone through the manufacturing process when it is sawn, so there are fewer manufacturing processes for reuse. Recycled wood has a lower environmental impact than new wood sourced from freshly felled trees.
• Cross-laminated timber
  CLT is an engineered wood product consisting of layers of wood glued together with grains running at opposite 90° angles. It is highly valued in the construction industry for its sustainability, efficiency, strength and durability.
• PDLCs, electrochromic, and SPDs windows
  Smart Windows takes this engineering a step further with innovative technology similar to that found in Adaptive Lenses. They adjust their shades according to the outside temperature, getting darker on warm and sunny days and becoming clear in the winter when exposed to the sun.
• Plant-based polyurethane
  Vegetable polyurethane rigid foam protects against mould and pests. thus longer life. Foam has a high R-value, which means it is a high-quality insulation material.
• Sheep’s wool
  Wool cut from sheep is called fleece. The amount of wool a sheep produces depends on its breed, genetics, diet and shearing interval.
• Recycled rubber
  Recycled rubber is rubber reclaimed from waste such as used tires.

Benefits of Reuse of Building Waste in Ecological and Environmental

With the importance of protecting our environment growing by the day, as evidenced by news cycles and social media discussions, the time to implement change is now. For well over a decade, we have been active proponents of environmental sustainability, holding ISO 14001 accreditation during that time. We actively strive to reduce waste in as many ways as possible, from reducing what goes to landfill to reducing product waste.

Recycling and reducing product waste both have financial benefits for our bottom line. A few things to consider when it comes to recycling. However, there are other ways in which benefits of reuse building waste the community.

Reduces Waste in Landfills

We need solutions because landfill is rapidly filling up. Australia produced 67 million tonnes of waste per year five years ago (2016-17)! We need to think about proactive landfill management and alternative methods of dealing with construction waste.

Recycling this waste repurposes it for future use, and these materials can then be reused or transformed into something new. While considering the structural integrity, aesthetics, and overall costs of what we (and others in the industry) do, we must also consider the waste we generate. We encourage clients to choose contractors and suppliers who are environmentally conscious.

Energy Savings

Recycling construction materials reduces the use of natural resources as well as massive amounts of energy. For example, the extraction and processing of raw materials to produce plastic consume a significant amount of energy; CO2 emissions are also produced as a result of the process, and there is also the transportation impact. Recycling, on the other hand, can help to reduce this because fewer intensive processes are required to convert them into usable materials.

Similarly, studies have shown that reusing construction and demolition waste can save eight times as much energy and reduce carbon emissions tenfold. If we reduce the need for energy consumption, the production of materials will decrease, which means production costs will decrease, which is a win-win situation for everyone.

Benefits of Reuse of Building Waste in Economic

Potential for Saving Money

Choosing to recycle construction waste saves money on disposal and landfill fees, as well as the purchase of new materials in some cases. In fact, in some cases, using recycled materials or repurposed building elements (for example, old wooden beams from a previously on-site building) can not only reduce construction costs by purchasing new materials, but also reduce transportation costs and, thus, transportation pollution. As building rectification specialists, we have discovered time and again that reconditioning and repurposing elements on a building (for example, treating corroded steel rather than replacing it) is more cost-effective than installing new ones.

Material Recovery for New Products

Many economically significant materials from construction and demolition waste can be sold directly or used in new product construction or energy production, such as reusable aggregates, bitumen, brick, cardboard, concrete, metals, mineral wool, and wood. In an ideal world, multiple recycling stations would exist, reducing the need to transport materials over long distances (which sort of undoes the good of recycling). These stations would convert waste into a steady stream of raw materials for the construction of new roads, buildings, bridges, and urban landscapes.

Environmental Certifications

Despite the increasing importance placed on green construction, many businesses are still failing to capitalise on the opportunity. This means that green buildings can still provide a competitive and public perception advantage, giving a competitive advantage over other non-compliant construction companies.

While this is not our standard operating procedure, we have seen the benefits of our green approach when working with several companies in recent years. However, being a responsible recycler is about more than just company image and client satisfaction; it also has the potential to save your company money.

Dream Lucky for C&D Waste Removal and Recycling

At Dream Lucky, we’re committed to providing construction and demolition waste removal services that are reliable and environmentally responsible. We understand that construction sites can generate a large amount of waste, and we’re dedicated to disposing of it in a way that minimises the impact on the environment. To that end, we recycle as much C&D waste as possible.

We also work closely with local authorities to ensure that we’re compliant with all relevant environmental regulations. When you choose Dream Lucky for construction rubbish removal, you can be confident that you’re making a responsible choice for the environment.