BUILDING DEFECTS

Building Defects In Saudi Arabia



Building Defects In Saudi Arabia

Reduction of Construction Waste

Reduction is defined as those activities that decrease or eliminate the generation of waste; i.e. avoiding the creation of waste material. Reduction starts at the design stage with the architect or designer using standardized structural dimensions to maximize the use of building materials and eliminate off-cuts. In addition, more efficient space design allows for the building of smaller homes, thereby reducing the amount of material and labour required and thus, the overall cost (Ahmed 1977, p. 21).

During the construction phase, a number of actions can be taken to reduce the generation of wastes. The first is to improve material storage to reduce damage from exposure to the elements. Another option is to use coated lumber that minimizes this problem. The next is the application of waste reduction practices, such as storing and reusing lumber cut-offs (by having one centralized cutting centre) or chipping of drywall scraps as a soil amendment.

Waste Generation

The waste generated by construction can be recycled. The separation of cardboard, plastic packaging, steel scrap, drywall, asphalt shingles and non-reusable wood in separate bins, and removing bins when full, is needed for recycling to occur. Source-separation and recycling of construction and demolition materials reduces the amount of waste entering landfills, saves on disposal costs and allows for quicker cleanup at the end of the construction phase. This saves hundreds of dollars per home (Ahmed 1977, p. 29). It takes time to separate, store and haul recyclable materials, but the increased labour costs are generally less than the costs of land filling it as waste.

Conclusion

The study identifies types and frequencies of human errors from 125 case histories of failure during the design, construction and operational stage of reinforced concrete buildings. These occurrences are due to below par professional practice, acts of omission and commission negligence and deficient specifications. Results indicate that there is an urgent need for formulation of a code of practice to provide effective guidance and exercise control over the profession conducts. Reuse is defined as using an item again in its same form, for the same or different purpose. One example is the reuse of dimensional lumber off-cuts as bridging, blocking and forming stakes. Another example is the reuse of windows, doors, sinks, tubs or other fixtures removed during a renovation or demolition whether in the same or a future project.

The reuse of ...