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Efficient waste management in construction logistics: a refurbishment case study

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Logistics Research

Abstract

Large-scaled construction projects with their complex logistical processes of transport, handling and storage material to site, on site and from site bear significant environmental impacts. Such impacts include use of land, production of waste and emissions. In this paper, we investigate—by using a case study approach—how a well-planed implemented material management can affect efficiency in construction logistics focusing on logistics of disposal. The motivation behind this research is to examine the ecological and economic impact of construction logistics on waste management on site, when construction logistics is planned and determined in the early planning phase of a refurbishment project. We find that the implementation of a waste management plan can reduce environmental impacts, specifically increasing the efficiency of logistics of disposal by approximately 9 %, but it is associated with higher costs. The findings gained from this single case study research lead to case-study-specific recommendations for practitioners and regulators in the construction logistics area.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the European Project ZeroWIN that is grant funded by the European Commission Framework Programme 7 for funding part of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Massivbau, Darmstadt University of Technology, Petersenstraße 12, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    André Tischer & Carl-Alexander Graubner

  2. Bauserve GmbH, Goldsteinstrasse 114, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    André Tischer

  3. Kuehne Logistics University, Brooktorkai 20, 20457, Hamburg, Germany

    Maria Besiou

Authors
  1. André Tischer
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  2. Maria Besiou
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  3. Carl-Alexander Graubner
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Correspondence to André Tischer.

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Tischer, A., Besiou, M. & Graubner, CA. Efficient waste management in construction logistics: a refurbishment case study. Logist. Res. 6, 159–171 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12159-013-0105-5

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