Sustainable Practices in Construction

by Tang Lee

Buckminister Fuller once said, "When you build a building, you rape the earth." A building occupies land, alters the ground and vegetation, prevents the percolation of rainwater into the ground, interrupts the flow of wildlife through the area, and consumes resources, labour, materials and fuel. Designers of buildings, especially architects, have an enormous impact on the environment, both present and future. Once completed, the building continues to use finite resources to power, heat, cool, and maintain the building for about one hundred years. It is imperative that the architecture profession understands the impact of their craft, and become stewards of a sustainable future. Architects consume more resources than any other profession. Construction and demolition waste in Canada is 9 million tonnes per year, representing one-third of all solid waste. We produce more solid waste than almost any other country. A large proportion of the waste is considered hazardous, polluting our water and soil. The demand for more waste disposal sites has increased landfill and incinerator tipping fees by 500% since the mid-1980's. As landfill sites across Canada reach capacity, municipalities become more selective about what goes into them. For example, common gypsum board waste and old carpeting are commanding a premium for disposal. Disposing of old carpeting costs over $85.00 per ton in Vancouver, but in Calgary, winter disposal cost is even higher. Construction and demolition waste in Canada is 9 million tonnes per year, representing one-third of all solid waste. Reducing the amount of solid waste produced in construction makes good economic and environmental sense. If the builder knows the amount of waste by percentage volume or by weight for each type of material, he or she will realise the potential cost savings. It may be profitable to have a person responsible for waste management operations, including recycling and disposal. Some builders give non-profit organisations access to the construction site after hours for sorting through materials that can be recycled, resulting in less waste being hauled to the landfill. Salvaging building components from buildings being demolished has become a very profitable business in Winnipeg and Edmonton. Clients are demanding that their architects find unique architectural pieces to incorporate into their new buildings. Architects are well positioned by society and by their training to provide leadership in shaping a sustainable future.

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