Material Use

Specifying efficient use of materials and considering their impact from manufacture to disposal.

Minimising Waste

Waste minimisation might soon be legally required. It can also save the clients money and reduce resource use and reduce environmental harm.

Statutory requirements

The Building Act 2004 contains principles which the Department of Building and Housing, and building consent authorities, have to take account of in their duties under the Act. These principles include:

  • efficient and sustainable use of materials (including material conservation), and
  • reduction of waste during the construction process.

This means that waste minimisation and sustainable use of materials must be considered when compliance documents are drafted. It may mean that waste minimisation and sustainability become part of the Building Code.

The government has also set a (non-mandatory) national target for reduction of building-related material waste. The target is: “By December 2008, there will have been a reduction of construction and demolition waste to landfills of 50 percent of December 2005 levels measured by weight”.

Environmental costs

Around half of all the waste produced in New Zealand is from construction and demolition. Up to 1.7 million tonnes of building waste is sent to landfills every year. Similar amounts are sent to cleanfills, accounting for approximately 80 percent of cleanfill waste. In addition, between 20% and 40% of all waste going to landfill is from construction and demolition.

Other environmental effects from materials include:

  • energy and other resources used in making, transporting and installing materials
  • pollution to land, air and water from making and disposing of materials
  • greenhouse gas emissions
  • depletion of scarce or irreplaceable resources.

Financial costs

When materials are wasted, you or your client:

  • are paying more than necessary for purchase, transport and storage of those materials
  • are paying more than necessary for tipping/disposal
  • may be missing out on income from salvaged materials.

There is a mind set in the industry that it is easier to dump it than think about re-using it – dumping is becoming increasingly costly.

For your clients

To help your clients understand the benefits of reducing construction waste, refer them to www.smarterhomes.org.nz/construction.