Measuring and benchmarking construction, refurbishment and demolition waste
BRE are carrying out a project funded by DEFRA to establish minimum reporting requirements for construction, refurbishment and demolition waste and to generate self-updating performance indicators and benchmark figures.
Currently, many contractors collect waste data - either through systems such as SMARTWaste, their own systems or from waste contractors. There is no consistent approach to collecting waste data at a site level which makes any aggregation and comparison of data virtually impossible.
With the forthcoming legislation for Site Waste Management Plans (for projects over a certain value), rising landfill costs and an increased interest from clients in sustainability there has never been a better time to start measuring and monitoring waste generated.
The project will aim to bring data together to form self-updating performance indicators. We are looking for companies to supply waste data from their sites for the following:
- Type of waste produced
- Amount of waste (tonnage and or/volume)
- Cost of waste
- Percentage segregated on-site, recycled on-site, recycled off-site, diverted from landfill
Mandatory data is required for:
- Cost of project
- Floor area of project
- Project address and location
- Type of project e.g. residential, commercial etc
- Length of project (start and anticipated end date)
- Number of employees
- If the project is construction; refurbishment and/or demolition
- Type of construction ( not currently mandatory).
Performance Indicators
By using this data we will be able to develop self generating performance indicators and benchmarks for waste which you will be able to have free access to (via this website). The performance indicators we will report on include:
- Overall tonnage by EWC codes / Unit size / 100 m2 / project value
- Actual material and bulk breakdown in m3 / Monthly / Cumulative / Total
- Actual material and bulk breakdown in m3 / Unit size / 100 m2 / Value
- % Rate segregated v. send to landfill
- Waste cost as % of project costs
- Waste cost as % of company turnover
- Waste cost / 100 m2 floor area
- Waste cost / Unit
- Waste cost / £100,000
- Cost of segregation v. non segregation
- Waste produced by an employee
- Waste produced by man hours worked
- Hazardous waste removal cost as a % of total waste removal cost
- C02 emitted during transportation (to be developed)
- Recycled % of materials use - by value / by mass (provided by WRAP)
- % of material reused
These performance indicators will be broken down into project type, construction type, regions and also by % completion of the project. This is why it is important to obtain the mandatory data as shown above. Once we have enough data for these benchmarks we will able to set benchmarks for standard, good and best practice.
These performance indicators and benchmarks can then be used for:
- Setting of waste targets
- Comparison of performance at a site, company, regional and national level
- Estimation of waste throughout a project
- Set as contractual clauses/conditions for a project
- Used in Site Waste Management Plans
- Used for planning applications
- Provide data for the need for local and regional facilities
The following performance indicators have been produced for various project types:
| Project Type | m3 waste/100 m2 floor area | m3 waste/£100K project value |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | 22.2 | 17.0 |
| Commercial Offices | 19.6 | 11.4 |
| Commercial Retail | 13.0 | 8.7 |
| Education | 13.4 | 8.4 |
| Healthcare | 16.5 | 7.5 |
| Industrial Buildings | 23.8 | 16.5 |
| Leisure | 10.6 | 15.4 |
| Public Buildings | 18.0 | 19.1 |
| Residential | 17.7 | 13.4 |
| Total | 16.9 | 12.5 |
More detailed performance indicators for individual products by project type are also available. Please email us at smartwaste@bre.co.uk for more details.