The Biggest Cause Of Waste On Building Sites Construction Essay

The Biggest pay off Of absquatulate On Building Sites Construction EssayOne of the study problems in the wrench industry is the wastage of genuines. The reflection industry generates to a greater extent eat up than the ho substance ab employmenthold sector and batch account for more(prenominal)(prenominal) than 50% of the depo setd genuine in a typical landfill. Construction rot tolerate be separated into three major categories real(a), labour and machinery barren (Ekanayake and Ofori 2000). Material liquidate however is a greater concern as it is highly costly and is make up of non-re new-fashi unrivaleddable resources. According to H Lau (2008), grand get alongs of existent unciviliseds ar generated from verbalism points. Great amounts of cost on reflection projects atomic number 18 right away increased through the wastage of seculars.Construction bumble is an global problem as In the UK construction s c wholly(prenominal) for results for more tha n 50% of take in depo web sited in a landfill (Ferguson et al. 1995) and according to Rogoff and Williams (1994) 29% of solid- fantastic in the USA consisted of construction thieve.Levels of bolt within the construction industry need to be boil downd for environmental and financial reasons. The current unrestrained use of immanent resources and the pollution levels resulting thence atomic number 18 comely unsustainable (Chong, Tang Larsen 2001) Waste charge is a utter project priority and there is a everyplaceleap of all(prenominal)ot resources and incentives to corroboration it (Loosemore, 2001). Judging by the aforementi adeptd statement iodine can already assume that crazy management is something asseverators atomic number 18 not too dainty on. The minimising and disposal of ball up has become cardinal of the most significant environmental issues of recent years, especi every last(predicate)y as the list volume of available landfill is littleen (Institute of civil engineers). A landfill can be defined as a mode of solid mess up disposal in which refuse is interred between layers of dirt with the aim to fill in or stay fresh low-lying ground. One can distinctly assume that sometime in the future landfill space pass on at long last run forth(a). This is indeed a problem in Cape Town.The disposal of construction waste is becoming a major cost in construction projects. some(prenominal) shimmy studies hold up been done to monitor construction waste tr s travel byping points on construction sites and the impacts that it has on costs. In South Africa the construction industry generates an estimated 5 8 million tons of construction and devastation waste per annum. Over one million tonnes of building rubble reach landfill sites every year throughout the country (Macozoma, 2002).In order for contractors in the construction industry to be competitive, ways of minimising construction waste need to be addressed with benefits of rej ect construction costs and higher harvestivity. This can be beneficial to the contractor in terms of cost and it can assist in contractors doing their duties towards a good clean environment.Objectives of the studyAim of studyThe aim of this look for is to identify what is the major brace of materials wastage on site.Research ObjectivesThe main object of this drumhead is to find out what elements is causing wastage on construction projects. The research result be supported by a literary works contain canvas showing the current wastage situation that the construction industry is faced with. richness of the studyAccording to Chang and Chen (1998) every business is started for earning profit. Waste has a negative impact on producing profit as it results in increase expenses. One of this studies objectives is to investigate and recommend steps to eliminate wastage which go away automatically subjugate the companies expenses and thence increase its profit.When materials ar gon damaged and cannot be apply for its intended purpose it is considered to be a waste. This leaves the material useless with no other alternative exactly to dispose of it. exclusively this waste eventually adds to the already increasing negative statistics concerning construction waste. Many contractors fail to gain a prim delayling procedure as they see it as an expensive and time consuming process (Illingworth Thain 1987). The approach has been that it is more good to allow passes to occur than to involve the use of extra resources to controller them. slenderizeors require some sort of incentive to enable them to be more motivated when it comes to monitoring waste on site.1.5 Research endeavor and methodological outlineThe method of research to be used for this investigation pull up stakes be in the form of qualitative and quantitative research.Qualitative data allow for be gathered from interviews interpreted to determine the nature of the problems with regards to construction waste and what contractors atomic number 18 doing to control it from competent staff in the building industry. A literature review go away be done by assembly information from various textbooks, the Internet, web pages and journals etc relating to the research topic. All interviews give hand pre-determined uncertaintys which were formulated before the interview, without the individual knowing about them, so as to causeively use the time.Quantitative data will also be obtained by sending out a caputnaire to various construction companies in Cape Town. The results will then be recorded and various graphs and charts will be drawn up to represent the data collection process.2 Literature review2.1 Construction wasteIt is important to understand the creation of construction waste. Listed below argon definitions of waste.2.1.1 DefinitionsAccording to Mossman (2009) Material waste can be defined as anything that is not required to create mensurate for the end-user. W aste can also be defined as an unjustified use or carelessness of material (Chandler 1978). Construction and wipeout waste means non-hazardous waste resulting from the construction, repair and demolition of structures.2.1.2 Types of wasteConstruction and demolition waste can be categorised into five categories, namely roadwork material, excavated soil, demolition waste, site clearance waste and renovation waste (Alarcon 1995). It also results from ind sanitarying disasters much(prenominal) as earthquakes and tornadoes. Construction and waste includes but is not limited to concrete, bricks, asphalt, glass, carpeting, roofing, site clearance, excavation material and site sweepings. Waste such as tonicity, plastics and steel should be recycled as they form majority of the waste material2.1.2.1 Direct wasteAccording to Skoyles (1987) this attribute of waste is the physical press release of a material. It is the complete loss of materials which are damaged and cannot be repaired o r used. Below are forms in which deal waste occursDeliveries waste comprises all loses in transit to the site, unloading and placing into the initial terminus.Site storage and inseparable site transit waste comprise losses due to disconsolate stacking and initial storage, including movement and unloading around the site to stack at the work place or placing into position. alteration waste comprises losses due to fareting uneconomical shapes, e.g. timber and sheeted goods.Fixing waste comprises materials dropped, spoiled or discarded during the fixing operation.Cutting waste include losses caused by cutting materials to size and to irregular shapes.Application waste includes materials such as mortar for brickwork, paint spilled or dropped during application. Similarly, materials left in containers or cans that are not resealed. Mixed materials like mortar and plaster left to flavour at the end of the working day.Waste due to the inaccurate type or quality of materials. This i ncludes waste stemming from materials wrongly specified, waste due to faultings, particularly in the bills of quantities and specification.2.1.2.2 validatory wasteIndirect waste is distinguished from direct waste in that the materials are not usually lost physically lone(prenominal) the payment or part or the whole of the value. Indirect waste is normally only when a monetary lost and can be referred to as materials used for purposes other than that for which they were ordered (Skoyles 1987). Below are forms in which indirect waste occursSubstitution, where materials are used for purposes other than those specified. fruit waste, where materials are used in excess of those indicated or not clearly defined in contract documents, e.g. additional concrete in trenches, which are dug wider than was objected, because no appropriately sized digger bucket is available. practicable waste, where materials are used for temporary site work for which no mensuration or other allowances hav e been made in the contract documentation, e.g. tower-crane bases, site paths, temporary protection.Negligent waste, where materials are used in addition to the amount required by the contract owing to the contractors own negligence2.1.2.3 internal wasteNatural wastes are wastes which cannot be avoided and is therefore inevitable. Cuttings required for tiles and timber and resulting in unusable material or off cuts are examples of immanent waste. (Skoyles 1987)2.1.3 Causes of building waste on siteWaste is generally caused by a series of events and not due to a remote opinion (Skoyles and Hassey 1974). Guthrie (1998) mentions however that wastage of material can be directly convolute to one of the act oning(a) damage and spillage, contamination, storage beyond expiry date, over make out, out of specification, stealing and hooliganism. there are many contributory factors and theses factors are defined in the diagram belowFigure 2.1 the origin of waste (Department of complai sant and Building Engineering)Low and Tan (1997) states that construction waste can be classified into seven typesTransportation and storageOver-productionDelaysUnnecessary processing redundancy inventoryUnnecessary movementDefects turn off 2.1 sources and causes of construction waste (Gavilan and Bernold 1994) reference bookCauseDesignError in contract documentsDesignContract documents incomplete at commencement of constructionDesignChanges in designprocurementOrdering error and over orderingprocurementSuppliers errorMaterials handlingDamaged during transportation to siteMaterials handlingInappropriate storageOperationError by tradesmen or labourerOperationEquipment malfunctionOperationInclement weatherOperationaccidentsOperationDamage caused by subsequent tradesOperationUse of incorrect materialResidualConversion waste from cutting uneconomical shapesResidualOff cuts from cutting material to lengthResidualOver mixing of material due to lack of knowledgeResidualWaste from applicati on processResidual encaseOtherCriminal waste due to damage or thievingOtherLack of onsite materials control and waste management figurening2.1.3.1 stealth and malicious mischief2.1.3.1.1 thieveryAccording to Skoyles (1987) wretched activities cause waste. The construction industry in South Africa is constantly challenged with the high crime rate in our country and theft is an everlasting setback from staff on site to the popular off site. Theft has a huge impact on time, money and productivity because material has to be reordered and more money has to be given out for the purchase of new material (K Brulliard 2005).Criminal waste is inevitable and the cost of extra tribute has an additional cost on the contract sum. Contractors must(prenominal) yield their own security mea electropositive(predicate)s like fetching more caution and recording any irregular activities.2.1.3.1.2 VandalismThe construction project is most vulnerable to vandalism during the finishing stages. Gr affiti artisan and children tend to play a big role in vandalism which ranges from breaking windows to spray painting freshly painted walls. Vandalism is an international problem, even occurring in the Soviet Union (Skoyles 1987).There are both types of vandalism namely intentional and unintentional. Intentional vandalism is hard to oppose as these are mint who get pleasure out of laying waste other peoples property but boosting up security should sort out the issue. To proscribe acts of unintentional vandalism tougher and stronger material should be used that last damage like special paints and glazes to resist scratches (Skoyles 1987).2.1.3.1.3 Principal points to control criminal wasteCausePreventative measuresMinor items stolenKeep all blue-chip goods in lockable storage and keep a record of all materials withdrawn.TheftControl access to site and prohibit strangers from entering.VandalismMake sure there is security during work and after work. Prevent items from being acc essible which are vulnerable to vandalism.TrespassBy publicKeep boundaries defined.By childrenAdvise schools of how dangerous building sites are.By builderEnsure drawings and saddle horse out are carefully checked near boundaries and make sure deliveries are supervised and continuously placed on site.Table 2.2 Skoyles (1987)As soon as graffiti is noticed it should be removed to restrain encouragement of further graffiti. After hour security should be leased to keep back any unauthorized entry. No Trespassing signs should be countersink up around the construction site to daunt unauthorized entry.2.1.3.2 Sub-contractorsMany main contractors are adopting a new attitude towards sub-contracting a large-scale portion of their work so that their work load can be decreased. According to Costantino (2001) main contractors sub-contract a large portion of their work to cut down on the high overhead expenses which is needed to manage a large work force.There are two types of sub-contract ors the first one is labour only sub-contractor. They are groups of artisans and labourers and are usually employed by the main contractor to undertake labour intensive work such as brickwork, plastering and formwork. The second category of sub-contractors performs specialist work on site such as the construction of piles and installation of escalators or lift systems (Wong, 1990).Sub-contractors are usually employed to grant labour only on a business concern. This type of sub-contractor is called a labour only sub-contractor as they will be providing labour and the main contractor will provide the material required. It is therefore imperative for the main contractor to have control over the sub-contractors usage of material and to encourage the sub-contractor to have a inefficient attitude.Since large portions of the main contractors work are being sub-contracted, sub-contractors are therefore to blame for wastage. Sub-contractors see waste minimization activities as an extra w ork load and are seemed to be irrelevant (Lingard et al. 2004). The main contractor is the principal pseud and must set a good example of waste minimisation by motivating an attitude which puts reuse and recycling in use (Ofori and Ekanayake, 2003).Material readiness and waste control policies should be included in the invitation for sub-contracts to cover the main contractor from any risk caused from waste (Skoyles and Skoyles 1987). corrective clauses should be inserted to prevent and discourage wastage from labour only sub-contractors. Wasted materials are wasted profits and waste concerns everyone involved from the client and contracts director to the sub-contractor and labourer.Providing commensurate training for sub-contractors will improve their attitude to minimize waste and will lead to more efficient and productive waste minimization. The contractor will by incur a small expense from the training but will gain a large return as the construction process proceeds.2.1.3.2. 1 Most common causes of waste by sub-contractor and effect on building operations.Labour only sub-contractor1Waste of materials causes profit loss to main contractor2Waste causes delay to sub-contract operations3May become liable if penalizing clauses usedLabour and material sub-contractor1Loss to business for material wasted2Delay and eventful waste to own and contractors work3Can add to waste accumulating on site and therefore adding to contractors waste4May be liable for penalizing clauses in sub-contract for consequential waste, particularly damage to other tradesTable 2.3 Skoyles and Skoyles 19872.1.3.3 DesignA building is designed without any consideration of the method of construction being used. The size of materials is not taken into consideration and a vast amount of wastage results from cutting and excess use of materials (Skoyles and Skoyles 1987). It is recommended that designers should prepare designs which have less potential to cause site waste (Ekanayake and Ofori 2 000).One of the major contributors to waste is the change in design while construction has already commenced. It is therefore imperative for the parties involved in the construction and design to co-operate near to avoid any unnecessary waste related to design issues (Ekanayake and Ofori 2000).wasteful practice should start in the design stage already by specifying materials that will funk the amount of wastage and also resist any noxious activities against vandalism and theft. Designers should educate themselves with the sizes and lengths materials come in so that unnecessary cuttings will not occur (Skoyles and Skoyles 1987).2.1.3.4 ManufacturersMost of materials are manufactured in hackneyed sizes and comes in standard packaging. Materials should be manufactured in such a manner that it is in favour of the contractor. A typical example is cement, this product comes in a 50kg bag which most labour find extremely tricky to handle. This product is extremely heavy and strenuous h andling results in the packaging being damaged and the product being wasted.Suppliers should give the end users necessary knowledge on how to handle, store and transport their products (Skoyles and Skoyles 1987). Mehta (2008) states that a large amount of waste results directly from the packaging the material is stored in and more environmental friendly packaging should be used which can be used on site after the goods are unpacked.Materials are usually damaged when they are delivered because buyers do not state the requirements. When material is transported it should be protected against rain or dirt from the road. Careful checking should be taken when materials are delivered and any damaged goods should be reported immediately.Manufacturers can reduce waste byPlacing appropriate protection around materials.Sizes of bags of cement to made available for easier handling.Metal banded goods to be protected from the weather address vehicles to be designed to guarantee that materials wil l be protected during transit. close vehicles should Have less loose material delivered.2.1.3.5 Storage and handlingSkoyles (1978) set that storage and handling were the major causes of waste. Majority of the labour in the construction industry are uninstructed. Unskilled labour is available at abundance as the country is currently faced with a recession and people are desperate for work. The availability of this cheap unskilled labour has a major impact on construction wastage. Poor workmanship and incorrect use of tools are cay factors which contribute to wastage. Skilled tradesmen are less cautious about wastage as they can rely on the unskilled labour to clean up after them. Proper site charge should be instituted at all construction sites to encourage workers to minimize wastage. Workers should be trained to make use of building materials effectively and efficiently.A well trained employee should be given the responsibility of keeping control of all materials. Storage faci lities should be well managed and correct inventory list must constantly be attended to. The location of the storage area is springy to avoid double handling and travelling long distances to the place of work. There should be sufficient space at storage areas to accommodate for all the materials. Expensive materials should be stored in a lockable room to prevent theft and material should be stored in such a manner to prevent any damage. Material with a high value should not be stored on the job site any longer than necessary.2.1.3.6 Delivery of materialsAll deliveries should be thoroughly checked for any shortages or damages. It is important for deliveries to be properly planned to reduce the risk of materials laying around that will only be used in the future. Contractors should make use of appropriate material delivery planning systems. Copies of the schedules should be kept on site to assist site management in the control of materials. Proper material delivery management will el iminate double handling and reduce wastage dramatically. Expensive materials should be delivered only when it is required on site.2.1.3.7 Site securityAccess points to the site should always be locked and controlled. All access points should have gates so that it can be locked after hours. There should always be someone monitoring the access points to restrict any unofficial entry.Lighting the site is very useful. Thieves are generally more wanton in the dark and by lighting up the site the public will be able to see if any criminal activities are taking placeA good fenced site will reduce the risk of theft and vandalism dramatically. Barb wire on top of the fence will secure the site even further.2.1.4 Summary of literature reviewIt is inevitable for a Construction company to produce waste. Identifying and categorizing the types and causes of waste help in minimization. It is important to enlist the cooperation of all parties involved in the construction project because they are the parties using the construction materials. Through proper planning and control, material wastage can be minimized without compromising on quality and time of completion.2.2 Construction waste management2.2.1 Introduction to waste managementIn terms of Schedule 5B of the Constitution of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), waste management is a local government proficiency that must be executed to protect human and environmental health (Constitution, S.24). Macozoma (2006) stated that 40% of a countrys waste is contributed by the construction industry and 15% of materials purchased ends up as waste. Waste dumping has huge effects like fill landfills and damaging the environment. It is brisk for construction companies to get involved with waste management so that pollution levels, innate(p) resources and energy can be reduced.The key component in waste management is waste minimisation (WBDG 2010). The definition of waste minimisation is any activity that can prevent the amount, suppl y and environmental impact of waste (City of Cape Town 2010).The following are benefits from waste minimisation (Camm and Nuttall 1995)Reducing the amount of landfill spaceSaving natural resourcesSaving energyMinimizing pollution2.2.2 What is a waste management plan?According to Macozoma (2002) it is a plan that gives the guidelines and conditions to how waste should be handled and managed on site. Waste management should not only be the contractors responsibility but everyone involved in the project. A typical waste management plan will contain the following fundamentals Waste management goals Waste ginmill strategies Waste salvage strategies Material storage strategies Recycling methods A waste audit Waste disposal options Waste handling requirements Transportation requirementsThe following are benefits from good waste management practice (Clacksweb 2010)Decrease in disposal costsDecrease in waste transportation costsIncrease in the reuse of materialsDecrease in levels of materia l wastage2.2.3 wherefore construction wastes management?The following are answers generated from Oikos (2010)2.2.3.1 CostBy re-using materials you are cutting down cost by not purchasing new materials and you are therefore increasing your profits.2.2.3.2 EfficiencyMaterial should be salvaged to prevent ordering of new materials.2.2.3.3 Resource ConservationContractors can conserve natural resources by recycling their wastage materials.2.2.3.4 LiabilityContractors should take responsibility by acquiring rid of their waste through legal sources2.2.3.5 MarketingContractors who make use of waste management planning will have a positive situation in the market.2.2.4 Summary of literature reviewConstruction waste management planning is vital to the construction industry and to the environment. By applying waste manageable construction pollution levels will drop and contractors will puff the benefit of producing larger profits. South Africa is a growing country and should follow first wo rld countries by adapting to waste management.3 Fieldwork3.1 IntroductionThe design of the data collection was undertaken in two parts. In Part one a questionnaire was drawn up based on the literature review and part in part two personal interviews were done to establish further information in concluding this research.3.2 interrogatorynaireA questionnaire was drawn up relating to Table 1.1 sources and causes of construction waste (Gavilan and Bernold 1994). The questionnaire had 15 short questions which had to be rated on a scale of one to five. One was were the person strongly hold and five was were the person strongly dis nursed. The person who under took the questionnaire had to state their job title in order to get results from competent staff. The questionnaires were sent via email to 25 building companies in Cape Town out of the 25 companies only 22 responded. The data is therefore a representation of only 22 companies opposed to 25. (Refer to appendix A for copy of the que stionnaire)3.2.1 uncertaintynaire response22/25* nose candy=88% response to questionnaireThe response true is more than sufficient. A failure to respond rate was targeted at 20% and an veritable failure to respond rate of 12% was achieved.3.2.2 Position of Respondents who under took the questionnaireThis was vital because the questionnaire was designed for competent staff to fill out.Chart 3.2 Respondents positionsAccording to the results received all the questionnaires were filled out by competent staff and all the questionnaires can be used for the data collection process.Quantity surveyors 9/22*100=41%Site managers 7/22*100=32%Contracts manager 2/22*100=9% vendee 2/22*100=9%Contracts director 1/22*100=4.5%Foreman 1/22*100=4.5%3.2.3 Data analysisChart 3.3 Survey responseTable 3.1 Data recorded1-strongly fit in2-agree3-neutral4-disagree5-strongly disagreequestion 11642question 215232question 348262question 4111721question 51264question 626122question 72992question 842673questio n 941062question 101975question 1124781question 1235113question 13778question 1443564question 15231433.2.3.1 Analysis of questions capitulum 173% of the respondents tangle that errors in the contract documents caused wastage.Question 268% of the respondents strongly concord that a variation in the contract causes wastage.Question 3 provided 54% of the respondents thought that a lack of waste management planning causes wastage.Question 450% of the respondents believed sub-contractors have a major sour on wastage.Question 50% of the respondents disagreed that cutting of standard material to sizes causes waste.Question 654% of the respondents had a neutral vox populi that vandalism and theft influences waste.Question 750% of the respondents believed proper storage has an effect on waste.Question 845% of the respondents disagreed that security could minimize waste.Question 963% of the respondents believed unskilled labour influences waste.Question 1054% of the respondents believed t hat are not any waste caused from the transportation of material from the suppliers.Question 1140% of the respondents disagreed that waste is caused due to machinery malfunctioning.Question 1250% of the respondents had a neutral feeling that waste could be resulted from the lack of waste minimization training on site.Question 13The sum of 5% of the respondents felt that over ordering influenced waste.Question 1445% of the respondents believed over production causes waste.Question 1563% of the respondents had a neutral feeling to waste minimization being of any importance.3.2.3.2 Ranking of questionsA rank of the questions was done in order to clearly illustrate the main cause of waste according to the questionnaire. Neutral answers were ignored and strongly agree and agree were conjugated together to form yes and strongly disagree and disagree were joined together to form no.Table 3.2 Ranking of questionsyesnototalQuestion 120020Question 518018Question 217219Question 914216Question 312820Question 412