Have you ever stopped to wonder how much waste is produced during the construction of a new home? According to a study performed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), “an estimated 8,000 lbs on waste is created from the construction of a 2,000 square foot home.” Crazy, right? With that in mind, Hibbs Homes places an emphasis on green home building and makes it a point to reduce how much waste is produced during a construction project. Some of the major benefits of doing so include:
- Reducing waste lowers the price of construction.
- When materials are reused or recycled, they provide more materials for future projects.
- Minimizing waste during construction reduces the amount that ends up in landfills.
Here are some of the steps we take to minimize waste and build more sustainable homes.
It Begins with a Plan
The first step to ensuring we minimize waste during a construction project is to develop a plan before we even begin. During the planning stages, we consult with and value the opinion of an engineer. With their input, we are able to create a plan to build or remodel a home with as little waste as possible. In addition, we work with our architect to plan the home’s dimensions to ensure we have the right amount of material to accommodate the project. Working with an engineer, architect, and designer helps us minimize waste through a reduce, reuse, and recycle process.
Utilize Pre-Manufactured Materials
One of the best ways to minimize waste during a construction project is to use pre-manufactured materials when possible. Rather than constructing these materials on-site, they’re built in a factory and delivered to the construction site when completed. Doing so keeps any waste from the production contained to the factory where it can be recycled.
Some pre-manufactured materials we use to minimize waster during construction include:
- Wall panels
- Roof trusses
- Pre-cut wall studs
- Engineered floor trusses and/or I-joists
Another option is using modular building, which is similar to pre-manufactured parts. However, instead of just building parts in the factory, the whole home is built in a factory. When completed, the home is delivered to the home site where it can be set in place on a pre-poured foundation.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Throughout the home building process, our goal is to produce as little waste as possible. To do that, we look for ways to reuse as much material as we can, including lumber. Our team consistently reuses lumber for bracing, backing, support and fire-blocking. Any material, lumber or otherwise, that cannot be reused will be recycled if possible.
In addition, rather than utilizing just one large dumpster on the construction site, we have multiple waste bins. There is a bin for steel and aluminum materials, wood, and concrete, as well as a bin for true trash. Multiple waste bins help us to easily sort scrapped materials and recycle what we can for future construction projects.
Hibbs Homes is a premier green home builder utilizing a green construction process in the St. Louis region. As an industry leader, our team was one of the first members of the St. Louis Home Builder Association to build a green-certified home in the region. For more information about the green home building process, please contact our team. We’d be more than happy to answer your questions!