July 20, 2022 – There is an inherent amount of waste generated by the construction process. However, building methods like modular construction can provide ways to reduce that statistic. To discuss this topic, host of Mainstream Modular, Tyler Kern, welcomed John Killingsworth, associate professor in construction management at Colorado State University, to explain how this is possible.

“New construction produces well over 20% of the solid waste that goes into the landfill, and that’s just the process of building,” Killingsworth said. “That number gets significantly higher — in excess of thirty percent — when we consider the waste produced by demolishing old buildings when they reach the end of their useful life.”

It’s no secret that the built environment utilizes many natural resources in the construction process. When buildings reach the end of their usefulness and demolition occurs, the materials end up in a landfill, and that waste of resources is a lost opportunity to recycle/repurpose. Sustainable building practices are essential, but often those solutions are not regenerative and could require updates or replacement parts down the road.

Extending a building’s lifecycle is critical, and a circular economic model attempts to achieve that goal through the design and production of products that will reduce waste in the manufacturing and construction process. Killingsworth emphasized, “Are we building in a way that we can keep the buildings in the economic cycle or in use, for longer than twenty, thirty, fifty years?”

Modular construction utilizes five principles that guide circular economics: building accessible layers, designing out waste, designing for adaptability, designing for disassembly, and material selection. According to Killingsworth, the material selection is at the core of circularity.

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Circular Economics in Modular Construction

About Guerdon
Guerdon is the leading manufacturer of large-scale, commercial modular construction projects in the Western US and Canada. Guerdon’s modern, innovative modular technology combines on-site construction with precise off-site factory assembly line production. Traditional schedules are shortened substantially because modular units are constructed in our factory-controlled environment while site work and foundation construction are completed concurrently. Guerdon helps developers, architects and general contractors gain greater control over project quality, schedule, and the bottom line. Guerdon’s factory and corporate office are in Boise, Idaho serving 12 western states including California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Arizona and Wyoming as well as Canada.