immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Bauabfälle

  • Conference highlights the opportunities and challenges of circularity

    Conference highlights the opportunities and challenges of circularity

    The Kästli companies have organised their Kästli symposium for the fourth time. According to a press release, around 100 experts and interested parties discussed the circular economy in construction at the Rubigen gravel pit.

    The construction industry already recycles 70 percent of its approximately 75 million tonnes of construction waste every year. But: “Circularity is more than just recycling,” said Susanne Kytzia from the OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, according to the press release. The circular economy must strike a balance between many different interests. Many small decisions together could make a big difference.

    Patric van der Haegen from Eberhard Unternehmungen pointed out the high ecological and social costs of a purely profit-driven approach. “This makes it all the more important that we as an industry take responsibility now and set a new course.” Pascal Remund from host Kästli called for cross-generational thinking. “We need to think and act with foresight – in the interests of those who come after us,” said the Chairman of the Management Board of the family business, which will soon be 140 years old.

    Michael Widmer, Managing Director of the Swiss Building Materials Recycling Association (BKS ), also believes that politicians and the administration have a duty in this regard, especially when it comes to public procurement. However, all those involved in the construction industry also need courage, according to the participants. This ranges from building owners, planning companies and construction companies and also includes the scientific community. “The circular economy is not a goal, but a path on which we are constantly learning,” said Pascal Remund. “It is crucial that we act now – together and courageously.”

  • Recycling construction waste instead of landfilling it

    Recycling construction waste instead of landfilling it

    In the canton of Zurich, around 1 million tonnes of waste end up in a landfill each year. Most of this comes from construction activities – even though a large proportion of all construction waste is already used as recycled building material, for example in road and earth construction or for the production of recycled concrete. Landfill capacities in the canton of Zurich are scarce, and the construction of new landfills is becoming increasingly costly and difficult. The Department of Construction therefore wants to adapt the specifications for the treatment and recycling of construction waste with the aim of ensuring that in future even more waste is returned to the material cycle and does not end up in a landfill. This will also conserve natural resources.

    Recycling up to 100,000 tonnes of additional waste per year

    By far the largest part of the waste produced during the construction of buildings, roads and infrastructure is excavated material, i.e. soil and rock. If this is contaminated by pollutants, it must first be treated in a soil washing plant or a thermal plant before it can be recycled as construction material. Up to now, the Department of Construction has stipulated that at least 50 per cent of excavated and excavated material with low and low levels of pollution must be treated during excavation work. This quota is now to be increased to 75 per cent. This would mean that between 80,000 and 100,000 tonnes of polluted construction waste could be treated each year and returned to the material cycle as recycled construction materials.

    Dismantling material only in exceptional cases directly to landfill

    The demolition or conversion of existing buildings also generates around 2.5 million tonnes of construction waste per year in the Canton of Zurich. Of this, about 90,000 tonnes are deposited directly in a landfill. In future, only those demolition materials that are explicitly listed will be allowed to go directly from the construction site to a landfill. This list includes materials for which no recycling process exists to date, such as ceramics, porcelain or expanded clay. All other deconstruction materials must first be taken to a sorting or processing plant. This new regulation is intended to ensure that demolition materials are reprocessed into new building materials wherever possible.

    The specifications for the recycling of construction waste are laid down in a guideline (“Treatment rule for contaminated construction waste, bullet trap material and demolition materials”), which must be applied to construction projects in the canton of Zurich. The Construction Directorate has submitted the adaptation of this guideline to the stakeholders concerned for comment by the end of September.

  • Adrian Amstutz is to become the top building material recycler

    Adrian Amstutz is to become the top building material recycler

    The board of directors of arv Baustoffrecycling Schweiz proposes Adrian Amstutz as new president to the general assembly. He justifies this in a press release with the experiences of Amstutz as the former owner of an architecture and construction management office, as mayor of Sigriswil BE and as SVP national and state council. Amstutz also chaired the central board of the ASTAG commercial vehicle association for twelve years.

    Amstutz is to succeed Thomas Merz. He resigned as president of the association in autumn after five years. Since then, Vice President Kurt Morgan has been running the President on an interim basis.

    The association was founded in 1990 and is based in Schlieren. He advocates the interests of recyclers of construction waste. The election of the new President is scheduled for the General Assembly on May 19.