FIS 10 Golden Rules for Waste Reduction

Avoid late changes to design and plan all works to minimise waste from the start of the construction process. Poor coordination and late design changes are major contributors to waste on projects.

Choose solutions that generate less waste and design assets that can be dismantled. Avoid over-ordering and enable reuse.

Only use as much packaging as is required to protect the product. Use materials that can be recycled and reuse pallets.

Re-think waste. Prioritise reuse and recycling and avoid landfill.  What is your plan for off-cuts? How do you declare and report damaged material due to poor handling or storage (can you set targets to reduce?).  Did you know the Supply Chain Sustainability has a free you use materials exchange platform to help identify a home for unused construction materials.

At the start of a project, ask suppliers and advisors about new products that are more efficient or less harmful to the environment.

Pass information about sustainability on to you your customers.  Is the question “we could improve sustainability by…” part of your conversations?

Make materials go further by designing your projects to be as compact, integrated and resource efficient as possible.  What can be standardised? Would adapting the design to suit standard material sizes help to improve resource efficiency? What can be done off-site to optimise waste re-use and minimise safety and health issues associated with cutting materials on site?  If you are stripping materials out, can they be re-used on this or other projects?

Buy materials and products that have a low environmental impact over the life of the project, whilst maintaining or improving the performance of the project.  Do you know what the life-cycle of the materials you are using are?

Procure materials and products that are certified to recognised responsible sourcing certification schemes where they exist.

Always identify ways in which carbon could have been saved on a project with additional investment or time and make this part of your future conversations with clients and suppliers.