Safety at work. While it might seem like job site safety has nothing to with sustainability, you will soon see how it is connected. Work stops when there is an injury or accident. Priorities change as a result. What matters most is that they get medical care or safety quickly. What happens to the materials and equipment that were damaged after an accident? Building materials and equipment often end up in the recycling bin or landfill. Avoiding accidents, even those that aren’t serious, can help prevent destruction of materials or equipment that will need to repair or replaced.
Keep your site clean. Dirty job sites can cause accidents and spoil new materials. The safety of all workers is the primary reason for a clean jobsite. But damaged materials from weather, climate, and other factors can have hidden costs that negatively impact not only the bottom line but also the environmental impact of a project.
Choose materials from responsible suppliers. What percentage of your building materials is made from recycled content? What type of packaging does the company use? And can that packaging be recycled or reused? How much of the onsite waste was generated by a particular product Are local sources used for building materials? These questions must be considered when you are looking for building materials.
Use offsite construction. There are less waste at the site, and there is a higher chance that scrap will be reused. Prefabrication offers other sustainability benefits, such as a lower shipping cost, less waste, and a decreased chance of injuries. These components are also manufactured in controlled conditions and not on the ground. Prefabricated components require more space for transport, but there are net environmental savings because less material needs to be transported and hauled away.
Use efficient tools. You will save more time and money by maintaining good equipment. Purchase high-quality tools designed to last longer. Example: Carbide-tipped or diamond-tipped drill bits and saw blades typically last longer than cheaper, hardened metal ones.
Training. It will take more time for someone who does not know how a tool works or what to do with heavy-duty equipment to finish the job. They will also be more likely to damage or destroy the tools or the construction materials. Make sure everyone is trained in the proper way. This goes beyond safety training. It also includes equipment training and material training.
It is important to consider how the construction materials will perform on your structure. How do you decide whether to specify asphalt shingles that are more durable, investment-grade metal roofing or traditional asphalt. All three options have their environmental impacts. You should consider both the environmental and waste implications when selecting the material. Always try to reduce waste. BIM (Building Information Modeling) is an innovative technology that will allow you to see materials from a project as part of a system. This kit of parts approach can drastically reduce material waste on a project and may even cut down construction times.
A safer construction site can be made by using more sustainable building materials and efficient systems.