Construction Waste Management
Waste management on a jobsite is a vital part of sustainable building practice. The goal of a construction waste management program is to reduce waste going to the landfill.
How is Greenbury controlling construction waste?
Builder Waste Bins
In Greenbury, during construction, all builders are required to participate in a construction waste management program where materials are diverted from the landfill and sent for recycling. All builders will have waste bins on their construction site and participate in a program that collects their waste on a weekly or as needed basis for sorting and recycling.
Builder Clean Fill Area
Once a foundation is poured on a property it’s very difficult for the developer to know precisely how much dirt they’ll need in order to reach the exact grade of the home. Sometimes builders will need extra dirt, while other times they’ll find themselves with extra. Because the grade of every house varies in a development it’s almost impossible for a developer to know precisely how much they’ll need.
In Greenbury, builders have access to a clean fill area right in the neighbourhood. At the clean fill area they can pour their excess dirt or borrow a little extra to top off their grade. The clean fill area reduces costs for builders and reduces the carbon footprint associated with transporting excess material to and from the site.
Builder Concrete Wash-out Area
In many developments, when concrete is poured for basements and driveways, the leftover concrete is washed out onto the property, leaving small patches of concrete on empty lots and the adjacent areas. This practice leads to multiple sites with excess concrete waste, not to mention the unsightlyness of multiple concrete piles/
In Greenbury, the implementation of a designated concrete wash-out area has been thoughtfully designed to allow for the concrete to be washed out of the hoses in a specific location, and will be carted away, as opposed to left in empty spaces.
Top Soil Retention
In many developements, when basements are dug, the topsoil, clay, and other ground levels are re-spread onto the property once they are finished with pouring concrete for the basement.
During the construction of Greenbury, the topsoil was be removed and stockpiled for use in landscaping public parks, ponds and roadways. This means that the local top-soil can be re-used within the neighbourhood, as opposed to transporting it away, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transportation.
How is this Green?
- Less Waste: This promotes the re-use of construction materials, and reduces the amount of waste going to landfill.
- Education: By following this protocol, it can educate both builders and the general public as to what waste is recyclable on a construction site.
- Less Transportation of Materials: This helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting excess material around the site.
