BY SEAN GRASBY, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, U.S. CONSTRUCTION & ENERGY SOLUTIONS, WESCO, A GCA OF HAWAII AND IDAHO AGC MEMBER
Contractors have a lot of incentives to utilize environmentally friendly and sustainable practices on their jobsites. Beyond the goodwill and positive impact on society, using more efficient building practices and minimizing waste can streamline operations and bring several financial incentives — from tax benefits and grants, to cost savings from efficiency gains to a reduced risk of regulatory fines.
How can contractors incorporate recycled materials, cut down on waste and ensure unneeded materials don’t get thrown out, while having enough to get the job done? Here are some tips for contractors to help minimize jobsite waste:
1. Proactively Eliminate Material Waste
From pre-kitting and prefab, to better inventory management, there are a number of solutions contractors can use to proactively eliminate extra material on the jobsite.
When considering the complex packaging and volume of materials needed on-site, identify opportunities to rely on pre-kitting solutions to streamline on-site processes and avoid lost materials. For example, if all the boxes can be unpacked in a facility off-site and delivered to the jobsite in a single box — ready for installation — your skilled laborers don’t need to waste time on nonproductive labor and can stay focused on their specialized tasks. This is especially important as the industry navigates the continued skilled labor shortages. Having highly specialized tradespeople unpacking materials obviously isn’t ideal.
To see the benefits of pre-kitting in action, consider lighting. Most lighting kits and materials come with a significant amount of packaging to keep them from breaking during shipment. When unpacked at the jobsite, this not only takes time, it also creates a significant amount of trash.
Utilizing a partner to unpack the materials at their own facility and deliver them to a jobsite keeps all of the installation materials together and easily identifiable. This ensures that the packing is recycled and waste is minimized. More importantly, it avoids having skilled laborers spend time unpacking boxes, looking for parts and breaking down materials for disposal, and helps save money as you eliminate the steep costs associated with removing and disposing of these materials from the jobsite.
Similarly, pre-fab, as the name implies, helps proactively streamline on-site processes and maximizes skilled labor by having an item assembled off-site and delivered intact, ready for installation, to the jobsite. For example, data center cabinets are cumbersome and require a number of parts — from shelving, to fans, to glass or plexiglass front doors. By pre-assembling these cabinets and delivering them ready for install, you are better positioned to get a job done on time and on budget, keeping your valued tradespeople focused on their skills.
2. Minimize Sources of Waste on Jobsites
Cabling can be a significant source of waste on a jobsite. First, many contractors continue to get most of their cable delivered on wooden reels, and the reels themselves often don’t get recycled, adding to the waste removal costs. Additionally, purchasing cable based on engineered estimates is another source of waste. These estimates tend to be 10-15% more than what’s actually needed and/or used in installation; and, once cable is cut, any leftover material often gets thrown out. Ordering cable based on true taped lengths helps to not only minimize waste, but saves cost as well.
3. Lean on Distribution Partners for Material Recycling
Distribution partners are about more than just “pick and pack.” The right partner can connect contractors and construction companies with vendors that use products with recycled materials or other partners that can help recycle extra material.
Returning the packaging, no matter if it’s cable or lighting or something else, not only helps contractors save money and the headaches of disposal, but it’s also good for the environment. If contractors can recycle just 20% of their packaging or materials, that’s enough to move the needle on the cost savings and environmental responsibility to make them more competitive on job bids.
In the case of the cable reels above, for example, wooden reels are generally just thrown away after use. Some distribution partners provide returnable reels and will accept certain materials to be recycled. Additionally, some partners will ship pallets back with the items after use to ensure that it is not thrown away on the jobsite.
The Financial Benefits of Minimizing Waste
Recycling and sustainability can often seem like “fluffy” concepts that aren’t practical when the job needs to get done. But as we’ve seen, they can have very real cost benefits. Pre-kitting and pre-fab solutions can help reduce waste disposal costs and nonproductive labor. More precise materials management practices can help cut down on material costs by ensuring you only buy what you need. And leaning on partners to utilize recyclable materials can help further cut down on costs.
These practices can help make contractors more competitive on bids. Depending on the project’s location, it can also unlock tax breaks, grants and other government incentives.
There is no denying that eliminating material waste on a jobsite results in both cost savings and maximized labor resources. As contractors continue to face headwinds — from supply chain disruptions to skilled labor shortages — and look for ways to be more competitive, it is important to consider how materials management solutions, available through strategic partners, can minimize waste, increase efficiencies and boost profitability.
Sean Grasby has more than 20 years of experience driving business growth and strategic innovation across diverse industries and currently serves as the senior vice president & GM, US Construction and Wesco Energy Solutions.