Materials Resource Efficiency in Regeneration
Review of detailed design, set requirements in tenders and planning submission, calculate KPI targets.
Step 4 of 10 in the Materials Resource Efficiency in Regeneration process
- Parties involved:
- Design team
- Workstage:
- Design
CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Working with existing objectives at detailed design stage
- Setting KPI requirements
- Setting requirements in planning applications
Introduction
This page summarises the actions required at detailed design stage to implement resource efficiency, including how to set KPI requirements and how to show commitment to efficient use of materials within planning applications. More detailed information is available in Section 9 of "The efficient use of materials in regeneration projects".
Working with existing objectives at detailed design stage
If targets on resource efficiency have been set within the project, architects and designers should consider the following:
- The need to be aware of the client's policy and objectives on efficient use of material resources, in order to address them in the design;
- The need to raise awareness of resource efficiency and the wider sustainability agenda in the wider project team. Extensive guidance is available from WRAP Construction Sector Waste & Resources Action Programme
- The need to identify as early as possible any additional tasks arising as a result of the drive to use material resources more efficiently in the regeneration project.
These additional tasks may include:
- Introduction of objectives and requirements into the contract documentation;
- Inclusion of objectives and requirements in planning submissions, as required by Planning Authorities;
- RC Quick Wins assessment using the Net Waste Tool;
- Pre-demolition audits to gather information on materials available from the demolition; and
- Defining minimum requirements for KPIs.
Setting KPI requirements
This section is intended for architects and designers working on projects procured in the traditional way. Consultants working on Design and Build and PFI projects are advised to read Section 8 of "The efficient use of materials in regeneration projects".
Three KPIs should be set as early as possible within the project:
- Demolition Recovery Index (DRI)
- Retained Material (RM)
- Recycled (and reclaimed) Content (RC)
Further details are available within Section 5 of "The efficient use of materials in regeneration projects" and also in Step 1 and Step 2 of this module.
How to produce estimates for inclusion in tender documents
The three KPIs can be calculated and included in procurement and planning documentation using the following information:
- A pre-demolition audit or previous experience of similar demolition projects should provide (a) an inventory of materials that can potentially be recovered from demolition and (b) an estimate of total demolition arisings.
- This will allow calculation of estimated figures for baseline RC for the project and a listing of the top ten Quick Wins. RC can be determined from the outline design using the The Net Waste Tool.
- From the Quick Wins identified, a list can be put together of materials recovered from demolition arisings that are able to be used in the new build.
If the above information is not available, suggested alternative approaches are to:
- set requirements based on past experience or other information, such as Case Studies;
- ask the bidders to provide indicative requirements in their submission.
Setting requirements in planning applications
The local Planning Authority for the project should be consulted to establish existing material efficiency requirements for demolition and construction. To demonstrate commitment to resource efficiency, the planning submission should outline the processes proposed for:
- setting objectives;
- defining requirements for material resource efficiency KPIs;
- addressing material resource efficiency in the design; and
- propagating material resource efficiency down the supply chain via the tender and contract document.