Through all phases of a construction project, especially building, you generate waste. Tons of it ends up in landfills but it could help fill your wallet instead. During this time when every penny counts, increasing numbers of contractors and builders are looking for ways to improve construction site best practices for increased efficiency. However, many contractors don’t realize that some of the most significant savings are hitting the dumpster. What you don’t know about selecting a waste-services and recycling provider can be costly.

According to the EPA, building-related construction and demolition debris totals approximately 160 million tons per year, accounting for nearly 26 percent of total non-industrial waste generation in the United States. Construction waste is inevitable whether or not a demolition phase is involved, but by gaining a comprehensive understanding of your waste disposal you can take advantage of opportunities to increase your bottom line on every project.

The Best Laid Plans
Any new project bid should include taking into account the site’s waste-disposal needs at every phase of development – from demolition to construction to installation to occupancy. This enables building firms to establish recycling-program baselines and identify prospects for significant savings for the client.

Several factors play a role in how much waste can be anticipated in any site’s waste-anagement plan. For instance, new construction projects will typically require less waste disposal during the early foundation stages of the building; then, once the interior build-out begins, the volume of waste will grow rapidly. On the other hand, demolition projects tend to have very heavy, large waste materials requiring near-constant rotation of multiple containers from the site to landfills or recycling centers.

The biggest mistake many contractors make is not taking into consideration site logistics of the waste-disposal plan. Making decisions on the placement of dumpsters on site, how many and what type of containers are needed and the equipment needs in accessing trash and recycling containers can be critical in maintaining a safe and clean construction site.

Crowded sites may not be able to fit several dumpsters, which means single-streaming or com-mingling bins may be a good option. Builders must consider each subcontractors’ access to the containers from multiple locations on the jobsite. The amount of space allotted to retrieve the container is also often overlooked in the site planning process, creating many headaches for the onsite construction crew. There can be significant costs and time involved in repositioning the container location, so contractors should confer with a waste-disposal agency early in the planning process.

In some cases, a company will contact only one or two waste-service providers for a bid estimate. There may be valuable incentives and resources available that you can learn about by asking for additional waste-service bids. Keep in mind that certain haulers may only accept specific types of commodities or be tied to specific routes, so they may not be offering these incentives to you.

Similarly, contractors frequently choose the cheapest rate without considering the added value of slightly more expensive haulers. While rates can be very competitive, construction managers must consider the reliability of the service, manpower available, inventory of containers and hours of service. With fuel and landfill charges fluctuating, it is also important for contractors to have these costs built into their waste-disposal pricing to create a more accurate budget. In addition, a direct contact and an after-hours emergency phone number are a must for any successful partnership.

By consulting with a waste-service provider during the bidding process, builders can take advantage of many other resources available during the construction phase, such as help in the construction of appropriate waste structures, benchmarking the environmental and monetary returns and providing reporting documents during construction. These may help in meeting certain credits for sustainable milestones or certifications, such as LEED, which are more often favored by clients during the bidding process. Without a true evaluation by an expert from a company such as IESI, you may miss out on significant savings and new business opportunities.

Benefits of Recycling Best Practices
As recycling trends move from superfluous preferences to standard requirements, builders are realizing the monetary gains that can be achieved through more thoughtful approaches to waste disposal. While the initial catalyst to implement a recycling program may be returns in employee satisfaction, sustainable certification credits or, of course, environmental protection, the resulting impact on a project’s bottom line is often the most compelling selling point.

While every business is unique, general contractors and business owners are finding recycling to be much easier now that containers are mixed-use, meaning they accept all commodities together. These containers are brought to a single recycling facility that will sort the contents for re-processing. This eliminates the time necessary for a laborer to sort the materials on site and lessens site space that would be required for multiple source-separated containers.

Many site managers are concerned about the space requirements necessary for access to additional recycling equipment. Waste-services leaders can provide an audit to review the current waste stream, identify recyclable materials and distinguish potential savings that could mitigate those concerns. They can create a plan that meets the construction manager’s space and budget.

More importantly, a waste-hauling consultation may be able to identify certain materials that the contractor is not aware could be recycled, such as shingles, asphalt, dirt, rock or brick. Reprocessing many of these materials can actually provide a gain in revenue, or the waste-services provider may be able to point out areas where additional recycling may not have been considered. For example, a small three-to-six yard commercial dumpster could be staged on many sites for the recycling of office papers and materials used in the administration trailer.

Construction managers should also beware of the fact that some waste management firms retain a percentage of a client’s recycling rebate, cutting into your savings. Responsible haulers will put new customers in direct contact with the recycling agent to ensure they receive the full benefit of participating.

Education is key. General contractors and businesses should work with their waste-disposal agencies to find options to maximize the volume and type of materials that a site is able to reprocess, as well as selecting recycling centers that require lower fuel consumption in transportation. Then builders must educate everyone on site, including subcontractors, about the recycling efforts in effect and clearly communicate the program’s rules and requirements.

If a site manager wants to implement or improve recycling operations, the best thing that he or she can do is call for a trash audit. Your waste-service provider can act as a consultant for recycling, working with multiple salvage outlets and can provide you with valuable insights and options.

David Bahrenburg, is the district manager of IESI Missouri, a national waste-disposal and recycling services provider.

~Reprinted with permission of Pacific Builder & Engineer and ACP

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Both systems represent the next generation of advances that began with the antilock braking system (ABS), a standard feature on most vehicles that works by sensing and preventing wheel lock-up, improving traction and steering during hard braking.  Contrary to popular belief, antilock brakes don’t help the tires stop a vehicle any quicker; they just stop them more safely because the driver can maintain steering control.  Because an ABS allows drivers to steer while applying maximum braking, there is greater vehicle stability in an emergency and this can make a significant difference in avoiding obstacles. 

Whereas ABS focuses on eliminating lock-up in braking situations, traction control, also called acceleration slip regulation (ASR), regulates wheelspin during acceleration.  It is specifically designed to ensure maximum contact between the road surface and the vehicle’s tires when accelerating from a complete stop or speeding up to pass another vehicle, particularly under less than ideal road conditions.  The technology can monitor wheel speed, cut engine power or even apply the brakes to optimize contact between the tires and road surface.

Stability control incorporates ABS and traction control to increase traction during potential side-skidding situations.  The stability control system utilizes speed sensors on each wheel, as well as steering-angle sensors and a hydraulic modulator.  When sensors detect that the vehicle is about to travel in a direction different from the one indicated by the steering wheel position, it automatically brakes the appropriate wheel to help the driver maintain control.  In many cases, engine power also is reduced.

These options are available on a wide selection of vehicles, including some economy cars.  But it is important to note that these technologies may be marketed under a number of different names.  Be sure to understand the features and ask questions to confirm that these options are offered when purchasing a vehicle.

Optimal brake performance also depends on selecting a vehicle with the right components.  One of the most critical considerations is the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).  The GVWR refers to the maximum a vehicle can weigh at any time. According to industry standards established by manufacturers, the GVWR includes the net weight of the vehicle, plus the weight of the driver and any passengers, as well as fuel, cargo and any aftermarket equipment or accessories added to the vehicle.  Exceeding the GVWR by regularly overloading a vehicle not only reduces its service life significantly, it can cause premature mechanical failures on various driveline components, including the brakes. 

Because brakes are a normal wear item for any vehicle, sooner or later they will need to be repaired or replaced. However, proper brake maintenance will reduce these costs and possibly help avoid more expensive rotor or drum replacement by making sure brakes never get to the metal-to-metal point. 
How a vehicle is used and how it is driven have an enormous impact on brake life.  The brakes on vehicles that are driven in heavy commuter traffic get hot and usually experience more wear than those on vehicles that are used mostly for highway driving.  Recommended maintenance needs to be adjusted accordingly.

The bottom line is that all the technological advancement in the world can’t protect a bad driver.  The best way to reduce stopping distance is to make sure drivers slow down and pay attention to the road at all times.

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