Module B1 Study Book - the Graduate School of the Environment

The trend in the design construction industry however, is to use more
complex materials and components as a more diverse range of products
becomes available. The rate of component and material development is
clearly impressive in terms of choice and technology which results in the
situation that the building designer is faced with a multitude of choices at the
specification stage resulting in a vast array of components being built into
building systems. Whilst fitness-for-purpose and improved energy efficiency
are essential, the wide ranging materials often result in a specific-for-purpose
approach which contributes to bespoke design and less materials re-use on
site.
Time Restraints
Awareness
Untidiness
Material Storage
Package Organisation
Site Management
Designer
Time Restraints
Awareness
Communication
Complexity
Co-ordination
Buildability
Over specification
Resources
Brief
Manufacturer
Standard Sizes
Poor Quality
Acceptable Losses
Poor Product Information
Awareness
Product Knowledge
Fitness for Purpose
Awareness
‘Bulk’ Buying
Procurement
Contractor
Unskilled Labour
Building Technique
Laziness
Awareness
Time Restraints
Client
Communication
Design Change
Awareness
Time Restraints
Logistics
Packaging
Delivery Methods
Delivery Schedules
Storage
Supplier
Packaging
Handling
Product Incentives
Poor Advice
Contractor
Unskilled Labour
Building Technique
Laziness
Awareness
Time Restraints
Waste Waste Waste
Waste
Conversely, the increasing advances in materials
technology and processing technologies linked with an
increase in design efficiency has sometimes resulted
in less materials being specified. For example,
Deaner8 suggests an office building that can be built
with 35,000 tonnes of steel today required 100,000
tonnes 30 years ago.
Building Complexity
In parallel with component and material complexity,
increasing building complexity has caused the
structure of the design profession to change; large
numbers of designers per project, each with narrower
specialties and responsibilities are now the norm on
modern day design projects9. Although there is little
doubt that this has improved building environments, it
is also likely that waste has increased through greater
building complexity. For example, the increasing
integration of components and therefore building
complexity, has the effect of increasing the likelihood
of change in one part of the design having a knock-on
effect on other parts of the design. Design changes
are identified by CIRIA as one of the key causes of
wastes in design.10 For example, if we consider a
relocation of an air handling unit from one position
on a rooftop to another, the contractor will need to
consider loads, rebuilding a plinth and waterproofing
the area, all of which add up to a significant cost and
waste which could have been avoided.
Left FIGURE 2
Co-ordination
To address the issue of building complexity and multidisciplinary
teams the design manager attempts
to co-ordinate the design so elements are installed
correctly, cost effectively and quickly. Each of these
Paper: Waste Minimisation 135