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Front-end construction waste minimization strategies
Journal article

Front-end construction waste minimization strategies

Ken Doust, Gianpiero Battista and Peter Rundle
Australian Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol.19(1), pp.1-11
02/01/2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14488353.2020.1786989
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Front-end construction waste minimization strategiesView
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24 Times Cited - Web of Science

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#6 Clean Water and Sanitation
#7 Affordable and Clean Energy
#9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
#11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
#12 Responsible Consumption & Production
#13 Climate Action
#14 Life Below Water
#15 Life on Land

Source: InCites

Abstract

Construction; Front End; Waste Minimisation Strategy
With construction waste accounting for 40% of all waste produced in Australia, this paper evaluates front-end strategies to minimize physical site waste on Australian projects. Front-end strategies are those practices at the initial phase of the material logistics chain that will reduce or totally remove site waste, rather than simply treat the residual waste product. Following a global literature review, a qualitative methods approach using a pragmatic research framework was developed. The respondent sample for this research was from across the spectrum of Australian building and construction industry, varying from industry company directors to general superintendents. The paper observes that the historically rapid increase in construction waste will be exacerbated by the very real increasing risk of waste due to recovery from disaster damage (bush fire, flood and storm surge coupled with climate change). Increasingly intelligent front-end strategies that minimize waste have therefore become a high priority for action. It is concluded that the most effective way to reduce construction waste in Australia is via regulatory change, requiring policies and procedures that focus on front-end strategies. This paper explores some opportunities for action in the areas of management, design and procurement in line with the themes identified in the surveys

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