Reusing construction materials through the use of a Logistics terminal: A case study of redesigning logistical flows in the collaboration between a main contractor and a rental company

Abstract

The construction industry is resource-intensive and with the increased number of construction projects, the amount of construction waste is also increasing. Reusing construction materials to a larger extent has been identified as one important aspect in the transition towards a more sustainable construction industry. However, this challenges the established logistics setups between the supply chain and the construction site, including the roles of different actors. Potentially, increased reuse of construction material could also generate more construction transports, thus contribution in a negative way to increased emissions and congestion. Various projects may also need different logistics setups. Reusing construction materials through logistical solutions could potentially be a solution to decreasing the amount of construction waste that has such a detrimental effect on the environment. Reusing filling materials within construction has been given increased attention and is widely researched. However, this has not extended to materials used in the construction of buildings. The study aims to investigate the possibility of improving the reuse of construction materials by using a logistics terminal. The study covers the case of a planned logistics terminal in the Gothenburg region and develops a flow model, taking into account the material-, information-, and economic flows that relate to the terminal and the potential changes from using the logistics terminal. The case involves a construction company and a rental company, that aims to run the terminal as part of its logistics services. The data is gathered by semi-structured interviews with logisticians, logistics managers, site manager, purchasing manager etc. The study shows that the current flow model without a logistics terminal has poor on-and off-site logistics coordination, communication and a loss of feedback that hamper potential reuse improvements. Conclusively, the biggest challenge for implementing a logistics solution for an increased reuse of construction materials are factors related to information flows among the various actors in the supply chain, and across projects. The uncertainties of economic aspects of reuse serves as a big obstacle to breaching, that causes a resistance to invest. However, the study concludes that the potential environmental and economic gains when investing in reusing construction materials are immense. Thus, solving challenges of material handling, information infrastructure and economic factors enable the benefits of reusing construction materials. Concentrating efforts on enabling efficient construction logistics would appear imperative for solving the indicated challenges.