 |
July 2003
|
Onsite grinder, which is used for production building applications.
|
Building Science Corporation (BSC) is a Building America partner funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to provide technical support for construction strategies that improve energy performance, reduce construction waste and increase labor productivity. BSC has developed a "cradle to grave" process for implementing advanced framing techniques. To address this problem, BSC linked three key innovations:
- Developing a simple way to recycle mixed construction waste,
- Reducing the amount of framing waste that is generated in the first place, and
- Investing savings in higher performance wall systems.
To deal with recycling generated waste, BSC partnered with Packer Industries, Inc. Their goal was to deploy and implement a machine that will grind up the mix of waste materials generated at construction sites, including wood, drywall, roofing shingles, brick, and concrete block, thus significantly reducing the labor that would have been required to sort waste streams at the job site. The solution was the Packer 750, a self-contained, low-speed grinder developed by Packer Industries that can handle all of these materials on-site. After the materials are ground up, they can be sent off-site for use in landscaping or composting operations or used on-site in a variety of applications—soil amendment, erosion control mats and berms, road base. In addition to the huge capabilities of this machine, it is still mobile enough to be pulled by a pick-up truck. BSC builder, Artistic Homes (850 to 1000 affordable high performance homes a year), has used the Packer 750 to reduce the amount of waste material that they send to the landfill from 3,771 tons to just 563 tons. Following is a breakdown of these reductions.
2001 Landfilled Waste By Weight |
2002 Landfilled Waste by Weight |
Dumpsters |
1100 |
Dumpsters |
107 |
Size/Dumpster |
30 yards |
Size/Dumpster |
30 yards |
Total Weight |
3771 tons |
Total Volume |
563 tons |
Material Breakout |
Material Breakout |
Wood |
1182 tons |
Wood |
0 tons |
Sheetrock |
726 tons |
Sheetrock |
0 tons |
Cardboard |
418 tons |
Cardboard |
0 tons |
Metals |
3 tons |
Metals |
0 tons |
Masonry and Mixed |
1326 tons |
Masonry and Mixed |
563 tons |
Driveby |
116 tons |
Driveby |
0 tons |
Total |
3771 tons |
Total |
563 tons |
Total Reduction 3,208 tons |
BSC reduces framing waste by not generating it in the first place through the use of advanced framing techniques. "Waste minimization is a strategy that always works," according to Peter Yost of BSC. "Why pay for materials that are never used and then pay again to dispose of them?" Advanced framing is a package of methods, including 2x6 24-inch on center in-line framing, two-stud corners, modular layout, and increased insulation. BSC builder Artistic Homes cut their lumber package by 10% and their wood waste by 40% using an advanced framing Package. But the benefits go beyond wood efficiency. Less wood means more insulation and fewer drywall callbacks—both the builder and the homebuyer win with advanced framing.
Working together through the Building America Project, Artistic Homes, BSC and Packer Industries have made incredible advancements in the area of waste reduction. The Packer 750 and advanced framing are the impressive products of their cooperation.
For more information on the Packer 750, please contact Packer Industries, Inc. at 800-818-2899, 5800 Riverwood Rd., Mableton, GA 30126, or e-mail packerind@aol.com.
For more information on advanced framing techniques, please contact Building Science Corporation at 978-589-5100, 70 Main Street, Westford, MA 01886 or e-mail peter@buildingscience.com.
An overview of advanced framing techniques is also included in Building America's "Houses that Work" Seminars. can be found on the EEBA Web site.
For more information on Artistic Homes visit their Web site.
|
