Z-squared: Construction Systems from Waste, Part 1

About the report

This study identifies recycled and reclaimed alternatives for the ‘standard’ materials and products that a volume house builder would need to build a development like Z-squared (a concept zero carbon & zero waste mixed use community with 2,000 homes). The focus here is to calculate a realistic target for the recycled and reclaimed content of the development and identify ‘quick wins’.

The report is one of ten in our Z-squared research report series.

Published March 2006
Pages 42

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BioRegional is a registered charity – if you would like to make a donation for this report please visit www.justgiving.com to do so securely on-line – suggested donation £4.00.  

Your support will help us to continue developing solutions for sustainable living.

Introduction

Z-squared is a concept design for a 2000-home mixed use community within the Thames Gateway. The design aims to demonstrate ways of achieving zero carbon zero waste (hence Z-squared) targets within the context of mainstream development. This study focuses on the residential and retail side of the development, but does not take account of the site-wide infrastructure or community focused buildings such as schools and clinics.

This study identifies recycled and reclaimed alternatives for the ‘standard’ materials and products that a volume house builder would need to build a development like Z-squared. The focus here is to calculate a realistic target for the recycled and reclaimed content of the development and identify ‘quick wins’, where:
• no change in construction system (concrete frame system in this case) would be required as a result of the alternative specifications
• like for like material and product alternatives are identified which can fit into existing standard designs and construction processes
• none of the alternatives suggested would be significantly costlier or more difficult to procure than ‘standard’ materials.

The analysis found that by substituting materials that are readily available and have already been used in other developments, it is possible to increase the recycled content of this development to almost 64%. A further 5% of materials could be supplied from reclaimed materials. Furthermore, if the design was changed to accommodate other reclaimed materials, and sufficient lead time given for sourcing all possible reclaimed materials, nearly 80% of the building could be built from recycled and reclaimed materials.

As this study has focused on a particular construction system in a particular location the specific figures are only relevant to this development; but the approach taken, calculating a realistic recycled target and identifying the quick wins, would be applicable to any development. Volume two contains a full list of suppliers of materials with a higher than standard recycled content, which would be relevant to all contractors and developers in the UK.

Download the report

........................................................................................................
BioRegional is a registered charity – if you would like to make a donation for this report please visit www.justgiving.com to do so securely on-line – suggested donation £4.00.  

Your support will help us to continue developing solutions for sustainable living.