The Ugly Duckling of Green Building: Construction Waste Diversion

Often times the most highlighted features of a “green” home are those visible in the design, such as the eye catching photovoltaic panels, shiny energy efficient appliances, and aesthetic xeriscaping. A less discussed but equally important aspect of sustainable design lies within the materials used to build the project. Every year, almost nine million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) debris are dumped into the landfill, which constitutes a substantial 22% of the statewide waste stream. New building codes and many green building rating systems such as GreenPoint Rated or LEED require over 65% of C&D debris to be recycled – if every construction project complied, that would eliminate almost 8% of the total annual waste stream! However, when the economic and environmental consequences aren’t felt firsthand by the accountable party, the question becomes: how can we motivate staff to dispose of materials responsibly?

At a new single-family GreenPoint Rated project in Carlsbad dubbed The Greisman Residence, custom-home builder Alliance Green Builders works to convert most construction waste from the landfill. Instead of placing a 30 yard dumpster on site as conventional construction sites do, they created color-coded plywood boxes designated for the most commonly used recyclable materials. This way, the choice to recycle comes subconsciously to those working onsite. “We have pre-construction meetings with subcontractors in an effort to get everyone thinking on the same eco-minded page,” site supervisor Chad Stewart explained. “But even still, while in the middle of working it’s an extra effort to think about what’s recyclable and what’s not, so people sometimes throw recyclable material in for the dump. That’s why we color-coded the designated boxes, so source-separating recyclable items would come naturally.” The large plywood boxes for wood, cardboard, plastic, as well as the trashbin for metal are already being used by workers without instruction. Once they are filled, the materials will be taken to a recycling facility in North San Diego County. With the average new residential building project generating 4.38 pounds of waste per square foot of home (ex: a 3,000 square foot home would generate 13,140 pounds of waste!), The Greisman Residence hopes to set a precedent for diverting construction waste to much below the norm.

Recycling construction debris not only benefits the environment by diverting waste from the landfill and conserving resources, it also benefits the homeowner and builder economically through lower project expenses through avoided purchase costs. Not to mention, it encourages a cleaner, safer workspace and a higher quality of workmanship.