Factory Based Construction Reduces Landfill Waste

The US generated 143.5 million tons of construction waste in 2008 but only 28% was reused, recycled, or sent to waste-to-energy facilities[1]. Construction and demolition debris is estimated to be up to 30% of total U.S. landfill waste.[2] As developers and contractors recognize the value environmentally sound construction practices can add to their business, a growing number are making efforts to reduce construction waste sent to landfills. In fact, a new study published by McGraw Hill Construction found that 61% of contractors consider sustainable waste management the second most important aspect of green building, behind energy efficiency. The biggest drivers of this trend are client demand, government regulations, and competitive advantage.[3]

At Eggrock, we have been able to reduce waste by 90% using factory based construction methods. Eggrock bathrooms are built in a factory where the design and assembly processes are tightly controlled. For example, designing bathrooms using CAD tools allows us to optimize placement and usage of materials prior to production and has reduced the amount of gypsum we use by 30% and ceramic tile by 10%. I recall one Marriott hotel project where 3,000 cut tiles were saved by changing the bathroom dimension by just 1”.

In addition to designing out waste from the start, factory production optimizes the management of the entire waste stream. Virtually all of our construction waste is recycled including gypsum, cardboard, and plastic. We established a single-stream recycling program eliminating the need to sort waste materials in our plant, making it easier for factory personnel to recycle. We also use an innovative gypsum recycling company that converts our gypsum waste into a powder, which is then re-used to make new gypsum board.

Bathroom construction generates heavy waste that is expensive to recycle and can harm the environment. Gypsum, tile, mortar, glass and metal are common components of the bathroom construction waste stream. From our experience building thousands of bathrooms, we have found that site-building a typical bathroom can generate over 700 pounds of waste. For a 150 bathroom project, the site waste is 87,500 pounds or 700 cubic yards of landfill waste.[4] A developer who purchases pre-built bathroom pods can eliminate the cost of waste removal, improve their competitive advantage, and have a positive impact on the future of our environment.

Take a look at our recycling video on YouTube.

---

[1] Waste Market Overview & Outlook 2009, Waste Business Journal, San Diego, CA, www.wastebusinessjournal.com.

[2] Green Development and Construction: A sustainable building program, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center,www.istc.illinois.edu/tech/green_development.cfm

[3] Sustainable Construction Waste Management: Creating Value in the Built Environment, Smart Market Report, McGraw Hill Construction, Nov 10, 2009, http://construction.ecnext.com/coms2/analytics.

[4] Waste Management at the Construction Site, Laquatra and Pierce, Cornell University, 2004