SMARTWaste: An Innovative, Flexible and Smart Solution to Construction Planning 



Business case

Impact on the availability of resources as well as their effect on living organisms, ecosystems, and components of the environment.

Ecological Impact

Impacts on the financial condition of a company, as well as the the economicconditions of its stakeholders and on economic systems at local, national, andglobal levels.

Economic Impact

Direct and indirect reduction in economic costs

Cost Savings

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Reduced use of virgin materials and/or an increase of the use of secondary and bio-based materials

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

Minimise waste through diversion: Instead of sending waste to landfill, it is redirected into other industrial processes for handling, treatment, recycling, recovery, or reuse in various forms. 

Minimise waste through design: At the outset of a process of project, plan and design such that there is zero waste or minimal waste during production, use, and at end of life. 

Minimise Waste (SDG12)

Reduced use and withdrawal of water and rate of recycling and reuse of water

Save Water (SDG6)

Reduced use of fossil fuel energy sources and/or increased use of renewable energy

Reduce Energy Consumption

Societal Services

Producing building materials and providing services to create residential and non-residential infrastructure and real estate


Construction and Infrastructure

Collecting waste from households and businesses by means of refuse bins, wheeled bins, containers, etc., and providing treatment, incineration, materials recovery and reclamation, and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste

Waste Management

Producing building materials and finished and semi-finished building products for construction

Construction Materials and Products

Ensure renewable, reusable, non-toxic resources are utilised as materials and energy in an efficient way

Prioritise regenerative resources

Use digital, online platforms and technologies that provide insights to track and optimise resource use, strengthen connections between supply chain actors, and enable the implementation of circular models



Incorporate digital technology

Replace freshwater with less impactful alternatives and enact water efficiency measures

Regenerative water

Replace energy sources with less impactful alternatives and enact energy efficiency measures

Regenerative energy

Employ online platforms to connect and improve information sharing between stakeholders

Digital platforms

Enacting measures that optimise material use such as 3D printing, etc.

Material efficiency

Developing or utilising online platforms to enable circular economy opportunities through information, product or service offering

Online platforms

 Develop research, structure knowledge, encourage innovation networks and disseminate findings with integrity


Strengthen and advance knowledge

Regenerate strategies phase out hazardous or toxic materials and processes and substitute them with regenerative biomass resources. A circular economy aims to mimic natural cycles—by shifting to more regenerative farming practices, for example—while also maximising the share of circular biomass that enters the economy. Regeneration can happen both at the systems level (by designing regenerative processes) as well as at the product level (by switching synthetic to organic fertilisers, for example).

Regenerate

Impacts

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Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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As Alan Cawley, Senior Sustainability Manager at Sisk says, “The Sustainability team at Sisk is lean so we need the organisation and supply chain to work with us. SmartWaste is helping with this and to maintain everyone’s focus on the company’s sustainability agenda. It makes it easier for the Environmental Champions on site and the supply chain to capture and input the data needed.”  • Easier to collect data, and by providing consistency,
has educated individuals about good environmental
practice
• Supporting on the 2030 Sustainability Roadmap
and the Carbon Reduction Plan
• Help Sisk achieve their environmental compliance
and duty of care obligations     Sisk have been using SmartWaste since 2011. Initially it was selected to capture waste data, but it is now used for not only waste, but also water, energy, timber and sustainable sourcing. SmartWaste is also being used to help Sisk achieve their environmental compliance and duty of care obligations. The system helps manage the necessary day to day activities and responsibilities. Whenever inspected and assessed by local regulators, they are always satisfied with the information provided and the processes supported by SmartWaste. Importantly, SmartWaste’s reporting capabilities alert the Sisk Sustainability team immediately to issues and potential data input discrepancies.   Historically, identifying whether timber had been sustainably sourced was difficult. SmartWaste is enabling Sisk to engage with material suppliers. The software identifies who is compliant, encouraging suppliers to get on board with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and expand their range of sustainable source product.
Monthly board reports include metrics and key performance indicators provided by SmartWaste. This is important to help keep senior management informed and show progress against the Carbon Reduction Plan and Sustainability Roadmap targets. Having committed to 5 Sustainability Themes with 8 working groups, each with a Main Board sponsor, maintaining momentum on sustainability is very important to Sisk.       Sisk are using SmartWaste across all their construction projects. This has included the complex Project Kells retail and office development in Dublin city centre, the design and construction of the M17/M18 Motorway Scheme, the Capital Dock mixed use development in the Dublin Docklands and Canada Gardens in Wembley Park, London. The implementation of the SmartWaste Application Programming Interface (API) is also improving the quality and input speed of waste data. Sisk’s expectation is that they will have to capture more and more data, so the API is essential. For excavation waste, getting hold of data from sub-contractors has not always been straightforward. The bulk upload facility provided by SmartWaste has made this more effective.   Sisk have committed to the Science Based Target initiative and are striving to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The business is working towards a substantial reduction in their Scope 3 emissions by 2030. SmartWaste is a significant component in helping achieve Sisk’s Carbon Reduction Plan. It is also expected that the practical implementation of Circular Economy thinking will become increasingly important.       
Operating across Ireland, the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, Sisk is an innovative 1.5bn euro engineering and construction company. Family owned and operating since 1859, sustainability is central to their operations.
For more information on Sisk:
www.johnsiskandson.com
https://www.johnsiskandson.com/uk/contact   
SmartWaste is the leading environmental social and governance (ESG) platform for the built environment. It supports net zero carbon, circularity or social value objectives and captures biodiversity, energy, materials, transport, waste and water data.
Find out how Smartwaste can help you achieve your net zero targets. Book your free demo now:       Contact us for product, sales, or financial information.  Contact us   Find out why over 20,000 users choose SmartSite.  Book a demo                     Log in Entries feed Comments feed WordPress.org  	 


BRE is an independent, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, operating in the built environment and associated industries.
BRE SMARTWaste is a flexible, online-reporting platform for all company types across all sectors that can help manage and reduce waste outputs, impacts and costs. It is intended for clients, contractors, owners, operators and occupiers.
It can be used to prepare, implement and monitor site waste management plans (SWMP). SWMP’s describe how materials will be managed efficiently and disposed of legally during construction, explaining how the re-use and recycling of materials will be maximised. This involves estimating how much of each type of waste is likely to be produced and the proportion of this that will be re-used or recycled on site, or removed from the site for re-use, recycling, recovery or disposal.
SMARTWaste can help:
 Becoming a SMARTWaste member can help demonstrate to clients that a company is committed to delivering best practice, and gives access to guidance and support from the SMARTWaste team.
'SMARTWaste Commercial' allows organisations to monitor and manage waste streams across a portfolio of buildings.
Tailor-made international versions of SMARTWaste can be developed to suit the requirements of individual countries, taking into account legal requirements, best practice and local conditions.
Pre-demolition and audit services can help understand and manage refurbishment and demolition waste.
--BRE_Group
 [edit]  Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki  

        
Collate data in one place Construction management software allows you to collate all your projects’ environmental impacts in one place to easily compare project performance and produce comprehensive reports for more efficient environmental management.   
Manage compliance
with regulations Detailed information on waste arisings, waste management routes and waste management companies including licence and permit information can be used to demonstrate compliance.   
Set targets for improving performance SmartWaste data can be used to compare project and company performance with industry benchmarks, highlight areas for improvement and savings (including time and money) and set targets to reduce the environmental impacts of construction projects.   
Align your strategy with BREEAM Various software modules are available to record data in alignment with BREEAM requirements and reports are available to demonstrate where credits can be achieved, for integrated environmental management.        Saved by SmartWaste users     Tonnes of waste diverted from landfill        When it comes to your construction, demolition or refurbishment site environmental impacts, it’s important to understand where your project can be saving time and money and where performance can be enhanced to further reduce the environmental impacts of construction across your projects. Our construction management software can help.
SmartWaste exists to help deliver on your environmental management needs. Our capabilities will help users not only achieve the above but assist you with meeting the ever-increasing demands of project monitoring and reporting.
SmartWaste can be used across a supply chain, with organisations inputting building site data relevant to them, for the client or principal contractor to report and analyse, giving the vital information needed to identify trends and areas of improvement. This enables a more informed environmental strategy to be achieved.   Based on feedback from our customers, the SmartWaste team have been busy developing several new modules which are now available to all our members, giving you even more areas to monitor, measure and report on than ever before.
These include:

Incident and Complaints
Ecological and Biodiversity
Considerate Constructors Scheme

These new modules will help our members meet the ever-increasing demands for project monitoring as well as the requirements of BREEAM New Construction standards.      

  Maria Troy, Quality & Compliance Manager, Maylim Limited


    Click on the icons below to learn more about each of the SmartWaste modules.















     
Waste Management
Measure and report on waste generated on site and whether it is reused, recycled, recovered or disposed. This provides visibility of key waste types, amounts, waste management routes, diversion from landfill and the related carbon impacts. Data can be easily entered online or via the new Application Programming Interface (API) which allows transfer of data directly from waste management contractors’ reporting systems.

Provides a comprehensive platform for managing compliance with Duty of Care waste regulations.
Maximises reuse and recycling of waste materials on site, resulting in environmental benefits.
Improves a company’s overall recycling rate and the diversion of waste from landfill, generating major cost savings.

Find out more about construction site waste management
Contact us now
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Water management
Capture information on water use, including mains water, water delivered to site or recycled water, and water discharge. Report on carbon impacts and cost of water use and discharge.

Target and reduce water consumption to reduce project costs.
Monitor water use, recycling, reuse and discharge to deliver environmental benefits
Compare water usage with UK construction sector water benchmarks

Find out more about construction site water management
Contact us now
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Energy management
Collate data about electricity, natural gas and fuel on site. Identify the main sources of fuel use such as site equipment, cabins, vehicles and generators. Report on carbon impacts and cost of energy use.

Reduce the CO2 footprint of a project and save cost
Set and monitor energy reduction targets to deliver environmental benefits
Compare energy performance with UK construction sector energy benchmarks

Find out more about construction site energy management
Contact us now
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Transport management
Gather data on journeys, associated fuel usage, and related carbon impacts for waste removed from site, materials to site, and travel associated with staff and contractors.

Focus on material sourcing and waste transportation to reduce journey times, fuel usage, and reduce cost
Understand travel and transport impacts, and improve your environmental processes.
Conform with carbon emissions Schemes and Standards.

Find out more about construction site transport management
Contact us now
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Materials management
Monitor the use of certified and non-certified materials on your construction projects including their embodied carbon impacts. Data can be recorded for material types inducing timber, steel, concrete and many more.

Ensure the use of certified, sustainable materials on your projects to deliver environmental benefit.
Evidence sustainable choices to achieve BREEAM standards and Client expectations
Adhere to industry sustainability standards.

Find out more about construction site materials management
Contact us now
Return to top              Capture key site data including ecology surveys undertaken, planting and removal of trees, installations of bat and bird boxes, and impacts on key ecological features.

Ensure the local wildlife stays protected during your project.
Meet your ecological and biodiversity compliance obligations.
Evidence that actions identified in ecology surveys have been addressed.

Find out more about construction site ecology management
Contact us now
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Social Value
Evaluate non-financial considerations such as social and environmental impacts in a local context to understand their impact on key stakeholders in the affected community. Enable Social Return on Investment (SROI) or Social Cost Benefit Analysis reporting.

Enhance your reputation, brand and stakeholder relationships by demonstrating how your actions are positively impacting the local community.
Increase sales and inspire customer loyalty by evidencing socially aware construction practices that win business and encourage repeat stakeholder engagement.
Lower costs through improving data capture accuracy and reliability whilst reducing complexity and process inefficiencies.

Find out more about social value
Contact us now
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Reporting
SmartWaste includes a range of reports and charts across all modules which are available at project and company levels. In addition, there are reports bringing together information on cost, carbon and BREEAM requirements from the various modules. Performance can be measured against targets set at project and company level.

Various reports are available at project, business unit or company level to compare performance against targets
Carbon report collating information about carbon impacts from energy use, embodied carbon of materials, transport impacts, waste management and water use
BREEAM report brings together information entered on various SmartWaste modules to support BREEAM assessments

Find out more about reporting
Contact us now
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Other site impacts
Capture evidence related visits from regulatory and local authorities, internal environmental audits carried out by staff and/or third-party consultants, as well as any complaints or notices received from external parties, including the public.

Ensure concerns and issues are captured and visible, to support site management and best practice.
Meet your compliance obligations to standards such as ISO14001
Ensure that actions relating to incidents and complaints are efficiently addressed, protecting your reputation with the broad community.

Find out more about other site impacts
Contact us now
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Integration
The SmartWaste Application Programme Interface (API) allows contractors and third-party software applications to securely communicate with and transfer waste, materials and associated transport data automatically to SmartWaste.

Avoid wasting time consolidating reports; automate data collection across all of your logistics brokers, materials suppliers, waste management contractors and haulage firms.
Minimise manual data entry on site and reduce administrative overhead.
Increase the quality of captured data quality, removing the potential for human error.

Find out more about integration
Contact us now
Return to top       For new construction or refurbishment projects demonstrate how waste reuse and reduction are going to be prioritised. Benefit from independent advice to manage waste sustainably and at the highest value. Support BREEAM’s requirement for Construction Waste Management and Planning Authorities’ need for comprehensive Lifecycle Assessment (LCA).

Demonstrate resource conservation, increased efficiency, and responsible and sustainable sourcing to enhance your reputation, brand and stakeholder relationships.
Increase the value of your asset by supporting achievement of BREEAM certification.
Lower costs by identifying materials that can be reused and recycled at the highest value.

Find out more about pre-demolition audits
Contact us now
Return to top         SmartWaste video stories demonstrate how our partners have achieved their goals using SmartWaste’s construction management software, for more efficient environmental management solutions.
  SmartWaste in use at the Kings Cross development   
SmartWaste in use at the Broadway Project by Keltbray      Browse the latest insights and case studies from some of our partners, who use SmartWaste construction management software to help with their environmental management, and learn how you can reduce the environmental impacts of construction.
 Sisk achieve their ambitious environmental and sustainability commitments with SmartWaste ...Read More
 SmartWaste provided Maylim with a solution to record and interrogate data to ensure good environmental performance, which is one of ...Read More
 SmartWaste supports Colas’ transformation strategy and commitment to a net-zero target in line with limiting global warming to a 1.5°C ...Read More
 SmartWaste has helped United Utilities to demonstrate outperformance of their waste target of 95% of waste diverted away from landfill ...Read More
 SmartWaste delivers carbon reporting for Countryside Properties’ construction projects, modular panel factories and offices ...Read More
 BW: Workplace Experts identify Scope 3 carbon emissions for all its construction projects ...Read More
 Helping Recycling Lives automate their workflow with the SmartWaste API ...Read More
 For Canary Wharf Contractors efficient logistics have been fundamental to their construction process due to the unique size, scope and ...Read More     

Hertfordshire

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BRE is an independent, research-based profit-for-purpose organization made of innovative researchers, scientists, engineers and technicians that seek to better the built environment through progressive solutions.

BRE Group

<p>Developed by the BRE Group, SmartWaste is an innovative online reporting software that has rapidly become a popular choice for promoting sustainable decisions in the built environment. This tool aims to support circularity by recording and monitoring all data relevant to energy consumption, material selection, waste and water management on building sites to help reduce waste and minimize cost. The platform has particularly proven its success amongst construction managers, as it effectively validates the assessment of environmental impacts by comparing recorded data against industry benchmarks and produces relevant recommendations for each project.</p>