Reducing the environmental impact of equipment waste in construction: As easy as IoT
While the construction sector faces significant headwinds with supply chain issues and inflation, most construction companies have kept their sites firmly on the ball when it comes to setting and meeting sustainability targets. As the government looks to enshrine into law emissions targets for the nation to adhere to, most construction companies have already set their net zero targets and are instilling a level of accountability into their operations.
But net zero targets aren’t the only sustainability goals the construction sector is trying to meet; they’re also trying to reduce the wastage generated in projects across Australia. Unnecessary waste is an issue for the nation at large, but also the sector more specifically: some estimates have revealed construction and demolition to be one of the key offenders, accumulating roughly 40% of Australia’s national total waste production, with a third of that wastage ending up in landfill.
Many companies, therefore, are looking at instilling a culture of planning and accountability to reduce waste across a project, which in most instances encompasses managing all assets from electric drills to consumable items and safety equipment.
It’s easier than it sounds. Typically, volumes of equipment and consumables are delivered to site for the entirety of the project, with employees and contractors using that equipment as needed – as these items are essential to the project but small in nature, project managers tend to worry about the bigger picture – focusing on engineering, site safety measures and execution – rather than the day-to-day use of said equipment.
This leaves the monitoring of equipment wastage stuck in something akin to an oversight limbo, with rarely anyone actively monitoring how wastage is occurring, nor how to reduce it. For example, a lack of planning or efficient use of battery drills on site can mean far too many of these tools being incorrectly specified, ordered, and delivered.
At the end of a project, it will be apparent that equipment has typically been underutilised, overused or neglected, leading to the equipment being either lost or damaged and thus unusable, or requiring significant repairs. Costing business many thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, while impacting supply chains, and sustainability targets as manufacturers race to keep up with the demand that is in essence destined to be waste.
So, what’s the answer? It’s not as if project managers can typically find more time in the day to monitor single pieces of equipment.
Truth be told, there’s no single answer to solve the issue. However, one part of the solution is the Internet, or more specifically, the Internet of Things (IoT). Digitisation and IoT potentially enable greater accountability for on-site equipment usage, which can reduce incorrect usage and tracking equipment on site.
Adding connectivity and tracking to equipment ensures construction sites can collect data on tools, equipment and consumables on site: everything from who is using them, how they’re being used on site, where they are, and even how they travel around a given site. With overseeing management software, such as a real-time asset management system, industrial and construction sites can review the utilisation rates and reduce waste and even catch potential damage to equipment and repair it before the damage worsens and makes the equipment irreparable.
Getting IoT off the ground at the site requires surprisingly little effort these days, with each piece of equipment simply requiring a barcode – when a worker requests a tool on site such as a battery or drill bit, the barcode is scanned, and the data is sent to the asset management system with that worker’s name.
Workers are thus encouraged to protect stock and equipment and subsequently reduce the risk of overconsumption (limits can be applied to how much individuals are allowed to consume), while companies are able to achieve greater visibility of equipment utilisation across projects. Furthermore, the ability to measure and analyse data quickly and easily enables these companies to better plan the value and volume of the assets required for a project. Having this data at their disposal reduces the need to “ballpark” cost estimates for subsequent projects, and instead have a more accurate understanding of what to expect from a cost perspective.
However, the true benefit of IoT adoption is the impact it will have on the reduction on wastage across the site which can lead to a significantly improved environmental impact. A culture of accountability, efficient repairs, and a reduction in damaged or lost equipment can significantly limit the environmental footprint left behind by a project.
As construction companies look to achieve net zero targets, they need to concurrently look beyond a reduction of emissions as the sole environmental measuring stick. Wastage is a huge concern for the nation but often goes under-discussed amid the race to net zero. Thankfully, technology is providing the impetus for construction companies to quickly and easily reduce the environmental impact, traditionally left behind after the completion of major projects.
This article was written by Coates general manager for industrial service Jeff Allen.