As part of our Now or Never commitment to eliminate all avoidable construction waste by 2030, we have begun turning site waste into a commercial product.
Across two project sites at Farnborough Leisure Centre, for Rushmoor Borough Council, and Queen’s Drive, a mixed residential housing scheme for Swindon Borough Council, we have separated brick work and clean concrete at the demolition stage to create a certified high-quality aggregate called 6F5.
Historically, our project sites have crushed aggregate to a 6F2 level. This generates a waste material, which is limited to reuse of 1,000 tonnes, and which must be reused within one year of production. But 6F5 has none of the restrictions of 6F2. Because this product is classed as a material, not waste, it can be reused, sold or passed on to our customers.
In total, we created almost 20,000m3 of 6F5 aggregate across both projects, worth over £600,000, which was both reused on site and passed to the customer. In addition, because the need for offsite removal was eliminated, we also avoided 10,530 miles-worth of carbon emissions transporting to the nearest waste contractor.
By eliminating waste, we work more efficiently and reduce our consumption of natural resources, helping us to transition away from the take-make-dispose model of delivery. By the end of 2022, we had reduced our construction waste by 58% and our construction waste intensity (relative to turnover) by 66% compared to 2012.
