According to Wrap, the construction industry is the UK’s largest consumer of natural materials. The sector currently uses as much as 400 million tonnes of material annually which results in as much as 100 million tonnes of waste. This astronomical figure accounts for a third of the UK’s total annual waste. The figures are staggering and incomprehensible, so it’s never been more critical for the construction industry to practice responsible waste disposal strategies. Doing so can help to slow the tide of climate change as well as preserve the earth through reduced landfill dumping. By all working together to ensure that the construction industry is more eco-friendly, we can make the change that is needed for the environment. From being more responsible with waste disposal to using recycled materials, we’ve created a guide to making your construction site more eco-friendly.
Professional and Responsible Waste Disposal
One of the very best ways to ensure that your construction site is more eco-friendly is to engage with responsible waste disposal practices. By working with an organisation like P.R. Weldhen, which provides responsible waste disposal services, you can ensure that as much of the waste created on-site is recycled and disposed of properly.
Waste on a construction site is inevitable. With that in mind, extra effort must be put in place to ensure that the waste that is created is managed effectively and as much of it is recycled as possible. Rubble, timber and aggregates can be recycled and resold, so this material mustn’t be simply sent to landfill sites. Sending all of this material to waste away in a landfill will only increase our waste problem and can release harmful greenhouse gases into the environment as well as contaminate soil and groundwater.
Using Recycled Aggregates and Other Sustainable Materials
As well as committing to best practices when it comes to waste disposal, you can improve the eco-credentials of your construction site from the outset by using recycled materials. Rather than purchasing all of the materials you require new, consider searching for suppliers of recycled aggregates, timber and steel. Finding high-quality recycled aggregates will save you money, protect the environment, reduce waste and still result in a high-quality build.
As well as recycled materials, a growing range of sustainable materials is now also available. For example, eco-friendly concrete - made from materials like ash and blast furnace slag - is becoming more popular, as is bamboo and recycled plastic.
Focusing on sustainability from the very beginning of a project will greatly reduce the waste produced on a construction site. When the construction sector creates so much waste, the industry must aim to reduce the materials produced from the very beginning of every project.
Prefabrication
Prefabrication is the process of producing construction elements in a controlled environment and transporting them to the site where they can be assembled. For example, prefabricating doors, wall panels, stairs, windows and then transporting them to the site will save time and money as well as being more sustainable.
When producing construction elements like doors or windows on-site, additional materials are often required and this always increases the amount of waste. Using prefabricated parts will cut pollution and reduce waste.
Digital Specs and Blueprints
When out shopping, we often get asked whether we would like a paper or email receipt for whatever it is we have bought. The thinking behind this is to reduce paper waste by going digital. On a construction site, the same can be practised through digital specs and blueprints.
By discouraging the use of paper blueprints and specs, your site can help to reduce its impact on the environment and deforestation. As well as being more environmentally friendly, digital specs and blueprints are often much less hassle. With digital specs, paper documents cannot be lost, all the relevant information can be easily shared among the relevant people and plans can be revised, amended and changed with ease. Using intuitive software, cost management and plan management can be analysed with far greater flexibility and fluidity that would be possible with paper plans.
Using Energy-Efficient Equipment
No construction site can operate properly without a wide range of tools, equipment and vehicles. It is simply a reality of operations on a site that energy is used. However, ensuring that that energy is used efficiently can be monitored and controlled. Investing in energy-efficient tools and equipment will help to reduce emissions and your construction site’s impact on the environment.
A good way to ensure you are maximising your energy efficiency is by monitoring and analysing the amount of energy you are consuming and where the majority of your energy is being consumed. By performing this analysis, you can ensure that you make savings where possible to streamline your energy usage and protect the environment.
Biofuel For Transportation Vehicles
Aside from the construction process, much of the energy used through construction projects is consumed during the transportation phase. Simply transporting materials from one place to another can use a huge amount of energy. To combat this and ensure that your construction site is as energy-efficient as possible, you can invest in biofuel for your vehicles.
Biofuel is a clean alternative to diesel which can be used in existing engines without the need for any modification. Biodiesel is manufactured using vegetable oil and fats. This means that the fuel is completely sustainable and can greatly reduce the impact of your transportation on the environment.
Smart Tech To Monitor Energy Use For Analysis and Improvement
As mentioned briefly already, monitoring and energy analysis can help to make your construction site more sustainable, energy-efficient and eco-friendly. As well as this, it can save you money! In this day and age of big tech solutions, you can streamline the entire construction project process through smart technology and monitoring.
This tech can analyse every facet of your operation, suggest ways that you can save money and energy as well as record what materials you have brought in and the waste it has created. With complete oversight on the entirety of your project, you can ensure that you are saving energy wherever it is possible to do so. As well as helping you to manage responsible waste disposal and energy consumption, utilising smart tech will bring your construction site into the 21st century by improving efficiency across the length and breadth of the project.
Are You Looking For Waste Disposal Services For Your Construction Site in Cornwall? Look No Further Than P.R. Weldhen Plant
Here at P.R. Weldhen, we provide expert waste disposal services for our clients across Cornwall and beyond. If you require waste disposal for your commercial construction site, look no further. We dispose of waste responsibly, always ensuring that we recycle as much waste as we possibly can. We always provide fast, efficient and cost-effective waste disposal services for all of our clients. From subsoil and topsoil to rubble and concrete, we manage a wide variety of types of waste for all of our clients.
As well as providing waste disposal services for our clients, we also sell aggregates and provide plat hire services. We’re Newquay’s leading plant hire company and have been operating in the area for many years, fostering great relationships with countless clients.
To find out more, please feel free to contact us today. You can find us at P.R Weldhen Plant Ltd, Trekenning Farm, Trekenning, Newquay, Cornwall, TR8 4JA. Alternatively, call us on 01637 880 087 or email us at office@prweldhen.co.uk.
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