CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLUTION WASTE RESEARCH

As C&D waste is a source of commercial waste, the council has limited influence over the construction industry’s behaviour of managing it. However, there is an opportunity to work with large-scale developers to support C&D waste diversion through wider uptake of deconstruction methods instead of demolition, and facilitating the recycle and reuse of materials.

Here’s a few research pieces commissioned for Auckland Council.

Auckland Council has done a Cost Benefit Analysis of Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion from Landfill, based on an HLC Ltd development in Auckland. This is a report on a high-level Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) of two options proposed by Auckland Council’s Waste Solutions Unit for C&D waste diversion from landfill. For each proposed option, expenditure is spread across a series of activities that relate to each of the broad areas of focus identified for C&D waste diversion, namely awareness, infrastructure, brokerage, regulatory controls, training, job and business opportunities. 

Auckland Council undertook a qualitative research project with Colmar Brunton to better understand the industry sentiment towards waste reduction. Construction experts representing a broad range of the industry confirmed that any change needs to clearly articulate the industry benefits, ensure external market structures provide the capability to act sustainably, and be backed by regulation.

Auckland Council have been involved with most of the research projects at Unitec’s Environmental Solutions Research Centre. They are active in research that aims to better understand building products and how they are used unitec.ac.nz/research-and-enterprise/environmental-solutions-research-centre