Sustainable Building Technical Manual - Etn-presco.net

suffer, resulting in increased cost to the contractor and to the local government fromextended leases on existing facilities or lost revenue from proposed occupants. The localgovernment can take steps to assist the contractor in locating distributors and manufacturersof recycled-content materials and other green products so that purchase and deliveryschedules can be met.Finally, the jurisdiction should ensure that the infrastructure for the recycling of constructionand demolition debris is in place from the beginning of construction. If recyclingstrategies are implemented after construction has begun, recycling rates are likely tobe far from optimal, and landfill costs are likely to go up. On-site recycling depends onthe ability to collect and sort construction waste and a system to either reuse materials atthe site or recycle them within the community.Other issues local government construction managers should consider are the efficientuse of energy and water resources on construction sites and the application of practicesand products that promote good indoor air quality during construction. These practicescan both save money and provide a safer workplace for construction workers.L O CAL A C T I O N S.➤The city of Austin, Texas, has conducted over 10 years of education and outreach relatedto the adoption of green building practices. Beginning with the Green BuilderProgram, Austin sought to provide homeowners and builders with the tools to evaluatethe benefits of green practices and products. Since the program’s implementation, a cityhome rating system has provided a market advantage to green builders; local citizenshave organized an advocacy group interested in green buildings, and City Council hasembraced green building policies for municipal facilities. A commercial Green BuilderProgram, introduced in December 1995, now targets the private business sector andincludes waste reduction and demolition recycling in its checklist of suggested practices.➤In a related sustainable building initiative, Austin’s construction team for its new airportincludes an individual responsible for finding recycling opportunities during thedemolition phases of the project, which is taking place at the former Bergstrom AirForce Base. Early phases of the project were implemented without recycling guidelinesin place, resulting in lost opportunities; however, later phases have been more successful.So far, demolition recycling and the relocation of homes have yielded positive economicconsequences.➤The city of Portland, Oregon, enacted a city policy in 1995 that requires municipalbureaus, contractors, and subcontractors working on city-sponsored construction anddemolition projects to aggressively recycle and salvage building materials. The city goalis to recycle or reuse 100 percent of building materials such as wood, corrugated cardboard,metal, drywall, rubble, excavated earth, and land-clearing debris from constructionsites. For roadways, underground utilities, and similar projects, the city has set a90 percent goal for the recycling of asphalt, concrete, crushed rock, and dirt; in demolition,it encourages the salvage of all possible materials, and 90 percent recycling ofother materials. Recycling is not required where the practice is not profitable and practical.An important aspect of Portland’s policy is the “Bidders Recycling EconomicsWorksheet,” which all bidding contractors must use to evaluate the cost differencebetween on-site recycling and landfill disposal.Effective January 1996, Portland enacted Ordinance #169103, requiring all companiesthat request a construction or demolition permit with a value greater than $25,000 tocomply with a requirement to recycle waste on the job site. To help companies comply,Metro, the regional government in the Portland area, has developed ConstructionSite Recycling: A Guide for Architects, Builders and Developers, which provides specific projectexamples and a listing of recycling facilities and the materials they accept. Wastehaulers are also adapting to the policy change, facilitating compliance by giving con-