Construction waste is not talked about much (or at all) in the general public. That dumpster on site gets filled and emptied on a regular basis. Some is sent to a landfill and some gets recycled for a future use.
Construction waste consists of those materials at a job site that cannot be easily used on that site. Small cuts of wood that are left over, tree stumps, rubble, drywall cuts, and damaged materials all go into the dumpster.
Construction waste can be diverted from the landfill through proper planning and waste can be reduced through design.
Our latest luxury living community has just opened their doors, Waverly Place is now open in Louisa County, VA. Construction is finished on several buildings and the entire project will be complete very soon. Check out these pictures from the ribbon cutting event.
If you read my blog, you know, I am fighting for change in our community and every community. I want homes to be built that are more energy-efficient, recycling to be thought of as the absolute minimum that can be done and everyone does it, and indoor air quality to be as important as granite counter tops in the kitchen. The ideas I write about are not really new, in fact, I have been talking about them for at least 15 years now myself. As William McDonough stated in a class I took at UVA in 1996 (and opened my eyes about design), we are focused on being less bad when we should really be focused on being good. So after 15 years of fighting for change, have I made a difference?
Can one person make positive change in our community? There are many with more power and influence that impact change quickly. Certainly when a politician wants something done there is immediate news coverage, hearings scheduled, and legislation is drafted. When a celebrity wants to make things happen, they lean on others with high-profile influence and benefits are organized and articles are written. So what am I to do, how can I move things along. I barely hold influence in my own home, much less in the larger community?
Well the answer is simple, I need you. Each of us has a circle of influence and each of us have power over our own decisions. If we all make small changes to set an example and share our knowledge and influence with one another we can build a better future. We can create a demand for high performance homes, reduce waste through recycling and composting, and support families in our community by shopping local. Simple actions like using social media to talk about how much you love a local company like Lucas Roasting or how much your energy audit from Building Knowledge helped you cut your monthly utility bills are huge for a small business. Calling your senators to encourage them to support a comprehensive Statewide energy plan that not only relies on fossil fuels but encourages alternative energy and conservation will change our future for many generations to come. Even doing something as simple as taking the cardboard out of your trash can and putting it into the recycling bin this week will prolong the life of our landfill and help support a growing industry that needs those materials to thrive.
One person can make a difference. I have seen it happen in our industry, community, and family. Please share your experiences in the comments section below so we can all know how you are making a difference.
There is a lot of potential in downtown Harrisonburg with a little renovation. This office building renovation that I posted here, here is getting new life and a new look. As the building starts to take shape, the systems are upgraded, and the efficiency is increased you can see what is possible with many of the out dated buildings in the area.
We work in an incredible industry where clients trust you with their hopes and dreams then you get the draw the path to get them there. Previous updates here, here and here.
Recycling is the universal sign of “going green.” It is a process that takes a waste material and converts it to a new product, thus reducing the consumption of raw materials, potentially reducing energy usage, and diverts materials from a landfill. Recycling is not only a great way to save our planet but a spectacular way to save money.
Recycled materials include wood, glass, metal, paper, plastic, electronics, and even fly ash. These materials used in a new product are counted as “Recycled Content.” There are two types of recycled content: “Pre-Consumer” and “Post-Consumer.”
Recycling should not be confused with composting, which is a great way to further reduce the amount of trash going to a landfill. To learn more about composting click HERE.
Pre-Consumer materials are generated by manufacturers and processors, and may consist of scrap, trimmings, and other by-products that were never used in the consumer market.
Post-Consumer material is an end product that has completed its life cycle as a consumer item and would otherwise have been disposed of as a solid waste. Post Consumer materials indicates the product was made with these materials that were recycled by residents and other businesses. Post consumer materials can introduce contaminants into the stream of products which makes recycled material harder to manufacture than pre-consumer or virgin raw materials. Additionally, items like paper and plastic have raw materials that degrade in quality each time it is recycled.
Recycling has become more of a challenge over the last few years with global supply chain changes. While the total amounts of products being recycled continue to grow, it is harder to find a place to send everything, for example, #3-#7 plastic, and manilla envelopes with interior plastic cushions cannot currently be recycled in Harrisonburg. On the other hand, more products are now readily available that are made from recycled content materials, such as plastic lumber for park benches, picnic tables, and lawn furniture. Newspapers are commonly recycled into building insulation, construction paper, and even countertops. So as you are thinking about whether to throw it away or recycle it, think about how that small decision, multiplied over a year’s worth of trash, can impact our future.
Construction waste is not talked about much (or at all) in the general public. That dumpster on site gets filled and emptied on a regular basis. Some is sent to a landfill and some gets recycled for a future use.
