Construction Waste Generation in the Iranian Building Industry

The construction sector is one of the main modifiers of the environment, since in its activities there is, essentially, the exploitation of natural resources, generating a large amount of waste. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of management parameters (term, contracting and costs) and constructive parameters (building standard, type of foundation and type of masonry) in the generation of construction waste. The methodology consisted of the following steps: definition of the parameters to be analyzed for the generation of waste in 15 works; data collection and processing and, finally, data dispersion analysis through the boxplot. The class was predominant A waste, 89.2% of the total generated; among class B waste, gypsum is more prominent, with 55% of the waste generated; in class C the mixed materials are predominant, with 64%. Regarding the analyzed parameters, the ones that contributed the most to the generation of civil construction waste (CCW) were: high work pattern (48%); incorporation hiring regime (58%); intermediate execution time between 36 and 45 months (49%); the foundation of the shoe type (36%); sealing masonry with ceramic blocks in the peripheries and gypsum blocks internally (58%).

Construction waste generation estimates of institutional building projects: Leveraging waste hauling tickets

Construction and demolition waste generated in the Republic of Korea accounts for about half of the annual waste. The generation of construction waste is expected to increase gradually due to obsolete structures and reconstructions that have reached the end of their service life. Considering the geographical characteristics of Korea, where the land area is small and about 70% of which is mountainous, landfilling of waste is absolutely limited. Therefore, resource circulation such as recycling of construction waste is an urgent and important task. This paper overviews the current status of construction waste generation, treatment, and the flow of government policies in Korea. Furthermore, the current status, limitations, and stakeholder efforts regarding recycling of recycled aggregate from construction waste were reviewed. Data used in this paper were mostly collected from government reports, construction waste regulations, and research papers. The results show that construction waste management systems have been enacted and revised in line with social needs, and each stakeholder is making an effort to use the construction waste practically. The findings can provide valuable examples for countries that lack construction waste management systems.Graphic abstract

Decoupling economic growth from construction waste generation: Comparative analysis between the EU and China

Estimation of construction waste generation based on an improved on-site measurement and SVM-based prediction model: A case of commercial buildings in China

Increasing construction waste has been a severe environmental problem globally. Adopting new construction methods such as modular construction is considered as an effective measure to reduce construction waste. However, few studies have examined the potential of modular construction in construction waste reduction. This study aims to measure the typical construction waste performance of modular buildings and identify the potential of construction waste reduction by adopting the modular construction method. The research was conducted through case study with seven modular building projects with the combination of literature review and empirical data. The construction waste from modular construction and other construction approaches was cross compared and analyzed. Results show that modular construction can effectively reduce construction waste generation, evidenced in the overall onsite construction waste generation index of modular buildings varying from 9 to 63.9 kg per m2 construction floor area with an average of 33.7 kg/m2, less than that of panelized and traditional in-situ construction. Compared to traditional in-situ construction, modular buildings can lead to around 80% reduction of onsite overall construction waste on average. From the studied modular building projects, a high reuse and recycling rate was found, in which timber waste and metal waste could reach up to 100%. This paper provides evidence that modular construction can effectively reduce construction waste generation compared with panelized and traditional in-situ construction. The findings should help encourage the uptake of modular construction in the building industry.KeywordsModular constructionConstruction wasteModular integrated constructionPrefabricated constructionHigh-rise building

Solid industrial waste can be widely used in construction to obtain such valuable materials: as a filler and binder for the production of concrete, dry building mixtures and other building materials, for the production of building materials with protective properties against electromagnetic radiation and static electricity, for the manufacture anode earthing switches, etc. Therefore, the determination of the regression dependence describing the dynamics of the generation of construction and demolition waste in Vinnytsia region to solve the problem of solid industrial waste management is an urgent scientific and technical problem. The aim of the study is to determine, using regression analysis, the dependence that describes the dynamics of construction and demolition waste generation in Vinnytsia region to solve the problem of solid industrial waste management. The study used the method of regression analysis of the results of one-factor experiments and other paired dependencies with the choice of the best type of function from the 16 most common options according to the criterion of the maximum correlation coefficient. The regression was carried out on the basis of linearizing transformations, allowing reducing the nonlinear dependence to linear. The determination of the coefficients of the regression equation was carried out by the least squares method using the developed computer program "RegAnaliz", protected by a certificate of registration of copyright for the work. Adequate regression dependence was obtained that describes the dynamics of construction and demolition waste generation in Vinnytsia region. A graphical relationship has been built that describes the dynamics of construction and demolition waste generation in Vinnytsia region and allows to visually illustrate this dynamics, to show sufficient convergence of theoretical and actual results. It was found that in Vinnytsia region during the period of 2014—2018 the formation of a mass of waste from construction and demolition decreased hyperbolically. Such a mass of construction and demolition waste generation in Vinnytsia region in 2025 is predicted — 331 tons, and in 2030 — 223 tons.

To address the challenges in scientifically estimating and predicting construction waste (C&W) generation trends, a novel forecasting method and an enhanced grey model are presented. By transforming the initial sequence and incorporating the three-parameter interval grey number, the model effectively resolves data volatility and incompleteness. For the first time, the combination of the three-parameter interval grey number with waste generation coefficients is introduced to determine the range of C&W generation, providing a novel and more accurate approach for prediction. The time lag coefficient is further optimized using the COOT algorithm to improve prediction accuracy. Taking Guangzhou as a case study, the model demonstrates superior performance compared to traditional grey prediction and exponential smoothing methods, providing crucial reference values for C&W disposal planning and policymaking. The empirical analysis conducted in this study validates the model's rationality, applicability, and effectiveness, while providing a scientific foundation for regional construction waste treatment, disposal, resource allocation, and comprehensive management.

The amount of construction waste (CW) at building sites is highly variable, for instance the CW generation index ranges between 50-300 dm3 per square meters of gross floor area. Today there is still a lack of knowledge about variables (building design, construction process, construction technologies, etc.) affecting the CW generation. The objective of this paper is to analyse the influence of multi-storey building design and some construction processes on the CW generation indexes. The CW generation was analysed for two groups of buildings with two different construction processes; one with plumbing and electric services installed inside the masonry element and the other with plumbing and electric services installed onto the masonry element and covered with water-resistant drywall system (reducing the construction waste generation). The gross floor area directly affects the amount of executed construction works in a building site. Since the most important works (concrete, masonry and cladding) for CW generation is related to gross floor area, gross floor of buildings is also directly related to CW generation. For buildings with gross area varying from 20,000 to 80,000 m2, there is a reduction of approximately 18% of construction waste only changing the plumbing and electric services installation system, from embedded in the masonry element to installed onto the masonry element and covered with water-resistant drywall system.

The construction industry is known as one of the biggest generators of solid waste. Considering this, attention needs to be paid to construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Lebanon has experienced many situations that have increased the generation of C&D waste. Therefore, it is essential to manage C&D waste. This research aims to assess and analyse the importance of waste management plans and their impact on the generation of construction and demolition waste in Lebanon. For this purpose, an extensive literature review has been carried out, and a questionnaire survey consisting of five sections has been developed. Factors were ranked by using 5-point Likert scales. Additionally, four optional open-ended questions were also included in the survey for qualitative data collection. A survey questionnaire was sent to 80 Lebanese experts, and 50 questionnaires were returned. Most of the responses (i.e., consultants and academics) were from the private sector; results showed that respondents to this survey were biased for their expertise. Reliability and ranking analysis were performed on the collected data. It was found that “site management and supervision-related factors” are the main sources of C&D waste. The main barrier to implement 3R was the “lack of awareness and knowledge”, and the most critical success factor was “waste management regulations”. There is lack of data on construction waste in Lebanon. Therefore, there is a need to conduct research on construction waste management in Lebanon, which is the subject of the current investigation. This research is expected to generate benefits for the construction industry in Lebanon and the surrounding region.

The occurrence of defects in building construction projects is a significant issue, leading to increased construction waste and negatively affecting sustainability and overall project performance. Despite its critical nature, the specific relationship between construction defects and waste generation has been underexplored in the literature. This study seeks to address this gap by conducting a systematic literature review of relevant publications. The research followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, conducting an extensive search across databases like Scopus and Web of Science, which resulted in the identification and content analysis of 59 pertinent articles. The findings reveal that poor workmanship, inadequate planning and scheduling, and frequent design changes are the primary causes of defect-related waste. Additionally, the study identified 12 themes, noting that the quantification of the cost of quality and the association between defect, rework and waste have not been thoroughly analyzed. The study's implications are twofold: Theoretically, it contributes to the academic understanding of the link between construction defects and waste generation, laying a foundation for future research in this area. Practically, it underscores the need for improved industry practices, such as enhanced training for construction workers, more rigorous project planning, and stricter adherence to design and specifications, to mitigate defect-related waste and promote sustainable construction practices.

Construction waste originates from various sources from the inception through completion of a building project. Previous research has shown that there is a link between the quantity of waste generated and the way labour is organized in the construction industry. However, these studies have failed to look into the sources of waste and how it affects the waste generation. To fill this gap in the literature, this study investigated the impact of labour arrangements on construction waste generation, particularly the sources of waste origin and the attitudes of workers. Using a combination of direct observations and source evaluations on the sites of six case studies, the construction waste in direct and subcontracted labour arrangements was quantified. A questionnaire survey was administered among the workers participating in the observation study to elicit their attitudes towards waste. The results show that the subcontracted labour arrangement produced higher waste than the direct labour in all three work processes considered. A lack of organizational commitment and strategy was found to be the main barrier to waste reduction.

Estimating construction waste generation in the Greater Bay Area, China using machine learning

Construction waste generation and handling issues have been in focus to achieve sustainable goals. Considering the growth of construction in India, it is appropriate to link generation of construction waste with the growth. It measures to minimize and handle the construction waste are not developed and efficiently adopted, then it may threat for environment. In this research study, Residential construction case studies have been referred to identify the quantum of waste and source of wastage on the projects. Based on the identification of major waste generation on site, how the mitigative steps has been taken that also included in the form of frame work for minimization of waste on the site.

Assessing the levels of material wastage affected by sub-contracting relationships and projects types with their correlations