Exploring material circularity opportunities for a construction-SME on small-scale projects in Ireland

SBE19 Brussels - BAMB-CIRCPATH "Buildings as Material Banks - A Pathway For A Circular Future"

Kelly, M.^1 ; Burke, K.^2 ; Gottsche, J.^1

Department of Building and Civil Engineering, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Dublin Road, Galway, Ireland^1

Carey Building Contractors, 6B Liosban Business Park, Tuam Rd, Galway, Ireland^2

关键词: Business modeling;    Construction and demolition waste;    Construction outputs;    Construction phasis;    Construction projects;    Resource efficiencies;    Supply chain process;    Traditional constructions;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/225/1/012066/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1755-1315/225/1/012066

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

In Ireland, there has been a clear connection between construction output and construction and demolition waste production, with estimates of 17.8 million tonnes (Mt) in 2007 dropping to just over 3 Mt in 2014, which has mirrored the dramatic economic growth and subsequent sharp decline over that period. During this time of economy recovery and improving construction output, there is a unique opportunity to decouple this connection and rethink the traditional linear supply chain model to transition the sector towards nurturing resource efficiency and material circularity. This study explored opportunities to embed these principles within a construction-SME business model using an applied action research framework on selected case studies. A series of interventions (procurement protocols, sub-contractor engagement, auditing and benchmarking, source segregation and waste tracking) were piloted on two new-build construction projects ranging in a value from 1.5 to 2.8 million over a two-year period (2016-2018). The research is ongoing but initial results indicate that opportunities do exist in procurement/tendering, pre-construction planning and construction phases to improve resource efficiency practice and introduce material circularity principles into traditional construction-SME supply chain processes.