The construction industry all around the globe has integrated technology and benefited from it to a large extent. From a swift supply chain to effortless project management, the construction industry is surely seeing a boom in many economies globally. Through IT tools and AI assimilation, construction projects have not only gained speed and flawlessness, but they have also seen cost effectiveness and minimum human errors. Despite all this, with an ever-growing population and the need for customization, like every other business, construction businesses also need to keep checks and balances for effective revenue generation in the long run. Today contractors and engineers are focused on building diversified designs and infrastructures, which might be profitable for economies but also pose threats to the industry. This is because management of resources, wastage on the construction sites, tool management and raw material stocking, all are the problems faced by businesses on a day-to-day basis. Shifting inventory from one site to another, be it small tools or equipment as big as excavators, is risky, mainly because thefts are very common in this industry.
To manage the above-mentioned hurdles that all lead to resource wastage, the following measures can be taken within the construction industry:
1. Minimization of Errors:
Perhaps the most difficult but the most needed step to avoid resource misallocation and ultimately wastage is the minimisation of errors within the steps involved along the project life cycle. From the phase of planning and forecasting, through implementation and execution, all steps should be guarded with clear scrutiny and beforehand plans. This is because construction projects are somewhat unpredictable owing to the seriousness of their nature; injuries, accidents, falls, equipment shortages and unplanned downtimes, raw material inaccuracy and labour shortages all can be hitches between the success of a construction project and its initiation in the first place. Errors cannot be completely eradicated but minimising them to a great extent is surely possible through careful project management.
2. Equipment Tracking:
Due to unplanned breakdown of equipment and machinery on site, sometimes the raw material ready to be used could be used more efficiently. The effectiveness and usability of the raw materials might expire, leading to a massive sunk cost that cannot be recovered and topple the revenue stream of the business. Equipment and machinery should be repaired or replaced as needed beforehand so that discrepancies can be avoided on-site. Equipment rents should be paid on time and spare parts should be available readily for any immediate change. Machinery should be checked to avoid any injuries and accidents which ultimately lead to a labour shortage and the absence of skilled staff from the construction site, causing dismay.
3. Adequate Storage of Materials:
Raw materials in the construction industry are exposed to natural damages like weather conditions, humidity and unexpected rainfalls. Similarly, raw materials, if not stored properly, might lead to negative impacts on ecosystems and a shortage of water in the soil. This eventually leads to an aggravation of global warming and increased air and water pollution in the long run. Today, over 50% of all air, water and soil pollutants are constituents of construction raw materials. The efficiency of raw materials is compromised to a colossal extent if they are not stored adequately and under appropriate conditions. According to 2023 statistics, 60 million tons of carbon dioxide is emitted only through raw materials wasted and inappropriately stored by construction businesses in the United Kingdom alone. Improperly stored materials cannot be recycled or reused and the only result is dumping them into trash, which has no proper disposal in many nations around the world, therefore creating havoc for future generations.
4. Getting Rid of Surplus:
One way in which wastage can be curtailed to a large extent is by ordering raw materials only when needed and as per construction requirements. Once ordered in surplus, it should be immediately used in simultaneous on-site projects to save it from complete wastage. Similarly, materials that do not decompose or expire with time, if stored properly can be reused and therefore should be brought into use instead of new purchases from the suppliers. Surplus should be donated or sold out with immediate effect, to avoid environmental and earthly hazards, as well as funds wastage.
5. Tool Management at All Times:
Tools and apparatus are in use at all times on construction sites, especially during peak times of a project. Tools are not just used for repair and replacement of equipment parts but also in measuring, estimating and accurately forecasting events. Investing in tool management software is the need of the hour for every construction business which has not done it yet. Such software helps in regular audits of available tools, and the need for buying new ones and discarding old apparatus if needed. Tool inventory needs regular checks and balances to keep an eye on thefts and wastage of funds as tools are used by different labourers at different times within a construction project.
6. Using Sustainable Building Materials:
Using prefabricated walls instead of cementing is an innovation in the construction industry which is still questionable but still a cheap alternative to expensive raw materials. Many construction projects have used prefab and sustainable homes for temporary purposes, and have managed to save quite a large amount of raw materials annually. Using modular building components like fibreglass can be deconstructed instead of demolition when buildings need to be dismantled or are not needed anymore, e.g. rehabilitation centres built after the Japan earthquake were eventually dismantled because of fibreglass and tin walls, saving tons of raw material which would otherwise have been wasted.
It is apposite to say that raw material wastage is a critical problem worldwide in construction industries, and if addressed with intelligent strategies and planning, can be overcome to a large extent, cutting costs and environmental hazards together for a better earth to live in.
