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Setting a requirement or

recycled content

Procurement guidance for construction

Using more recycled material in construction is a powerul way o making a contribution tosustainable development diverting materials rom landill and using ewer natural resources.

Who is taking action?Construction clients, developers, publicbodies and planning authorities are increasinglysetting requirements or reused and recycledcontent on their projects.

Trailblazers include:

British Land, Hammerson and Stanhope;Skanska;

Marks & Spencer and John Lewis Partnership;Scottish Government;

Northern Ireland Central Procurement Directorate;Welsh Health Estates;

Yorkshire Forward;Deence Estates;

Building Schools or the Future;National Oender Management Service;

Raploch Urban Regeneration Company;Southmead and Hillingdon Hospitals;

Leeds Metropolitan University; andBristol, Leeds, Newcastle and Glasgow City Councils.

Why take action?

demonstrate perormance against

corporate responsibility andsustainability policies withoutincurring a cost premium;

meet the requirements oplanning authorities;

provide a competitive edgethrough dierentiation;

show commitment to recyclingand good practice;

drive down the cost o wastemanagement and recycling;

satisy the values heldby employees; and

respond to and pre-empt changesin public policy.

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What projects are suitable?

Recycled content can be increased or all orms o construction,including civil engineering, new build and reurbishment.

Will it increase cost or risk?Increasing recycled content need have no impact on project cost ordesign and there is no need to use unamiliar materials. Many o theproducts with higher levels o recycled content are already mainstream,high-volume products that are cost competitive with, and subject to thesame testing arrangements as, equivalent products containing lessrecycled material.

WRAP maintains a database o the recycled content o commonly

used construction products, available romwww.wrap.org.uk/rcproducts

Will it take a lot of effort?Most o the potential to increase recycled content can be achievedwith just the top 5 to 10 Quick Win options or that project.

What are the common Quick Wins?bulk aggregates (sub-base, pipe bedding, fll, etc);ready-mix concrete (oundations, floor slabs, etc);asphalt;drainage products/pipes;pre-cast concrete products (paving, slabs);concrete tiles and reconstituted slate tiles;dense blocks;lightweight blocks;clay acing bricks;plasterboard;ceiling tiles;chipboard and other wood-based boards;insulation (floor, wall and roo); andfloor coverings (carpet, underlay, etc).

Market researchidentifed a range

o mainstream

construction products

oering above-average

recycled content at

competitive prices.

As a result, we had

the confdence to set

a requirement in our

tender specifcation

or 10% recycled

content or the project

as a whole without

prejudicing our budget.

This is important in

helping the Council and

its schools walk the

talk on sustainable

development.

Chris Wiseman,

PFI Project Manager,

Bristol City CouncilOrdinary constructionproducts, includingbricks, oten containrecycled content

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Setting a requirement or recycled content

What level of recycled content is easily achievable?

We know rom case study evidence that achieving 10% recycledcontent by value or the project overall (i.e. not per product) iswidely achievable. Indeed, many buildings exceed 10% even withoutexplicitly trying to increase recycled content. By adopting the mostsignifcant opportunities to increase recycled content through theuse o cost competitive, readily available products, levels exceeding1520% are common.

What do I need to do?The process o delivering higher recycled content begins with settinga requirement, as shown in the diagram below:

To set a requirement, construction clients and developers couldinclude the ollowing wording in project procurement documentation speciying a minimum outcome and requesting good practice:

at least 10% of the total value of materials used should derive fromrecycled and reused content in the products and materials selected.

In addition, show that the most significant opportunities to increasethe value of materials derived from recycled and reused content havebeen considered, such as the top ten Quick Wins or equivalent, andimplement good practice where technically and commercially viable.

While the 10% benchmark could be considered modest, its aim isto instil the process o measuring and considering recycled contentwithin the project. The additional requirement to achieve goodpractice ensures action even i the baseline level o recycled contentor the selected design is shown to be greater than 10%.

Template wording is available rom WRAP or use in corporate

policy statements, project bries and prequalifcation processes,and subsequently in tender, appointment and contractual phases indierent procurement routes including both traditional and design& build. See the detailed guidance document Setting a requirementor recycled content in building projects.

4 Selection of Quick Wins

Clientand team Contractorand team Sub-contractorand team

Feasibility

6 Evidence ofusing QuickWins (e.g.delivery notes)

6 Evidence ofusing QuickWins (e.g.delivery notes)

6 Evidence ofusing QuickWins (e.g.delivery notes)

Outlinedesign

2 Design team estimates baseline andidentifies good practice (Quick Wins)

Detaileddesign

3 Refinement of recycled content figures and review ofQuick Wins (both procurement of new products and useof reclaimed/ reused materials)

5 Delivery of Quick Wins (through procurement

or use of materials available onsite)

Packageprocurement

Construction

1 Client setsrequirement

CASE STUDYPrison buildings

The National Oender ManagementService (NOMS) is the second largestgovernment construction client in theUK ater Deence Estates. Analysis oa major construction project at HMPRanby showed that recycled contentcould be improved rom 23% to 29% atno extra cost, with an additional 5000tonnes o material avoiding landfll.NOMS Property now requires its

ramework contractors to deliver atleast 20% recycled content, by value.

British Land nowrequires at least

15% recycled

content in its major

developments, and

preerably 20%.

Case study results

show this should be

both practical and

cost-competitive.Richard Elliott,

Head of Construction,

The British Land Company plc

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www.wrap.org.uk/construction

Waste & Resources

Action Programme

The Old Academy,

21 Horse Fair,

Banbury, Oxon

OX16 0AH

Helpline reephone

0808 100 2040

Printed on 80%recycled content paper

Tel: 01295 819900

Fax: 01295 819911

Web: www.wrap.org.uk

E-mail: ino@wrap.org.uk

Setting a requirement or recycled content

Disclaimer

While steps have been taken to ensure its accuracy, WR AP cannot accept responsibility or be held liable to any person or any loss or damage arising out o or in connection w ith the inormationin the procurement guidance and any other WRAP resources being inaccurate, incomplete or misleading. Any organisation or other person in receipt o the guidance should take their ownlegal, fnancial and other relevant proessional advice when considering what action (i any) to take in respect o any initiative, proposal, or other involvement with any procurement process, orbeore placing any reliance on anything contained therein. For more detail, please reer to our Terms & Conditions on our website www.wrap.org.uk

How can a project team increase and report

on recycled content?To help project teams assess, increaseand report on the recycled content o theirprojects with minimum eort, WRAP hasdeveloped an online Recycled ContentToolkit. This is a ree resource available atwww.wrap.org.uk/rctoolkit

The toolkit can be used to:estimate the baseline perormance othe project;identiy the top 10 or more Quick Win

opportunities;record how each Quick Win is beingaddressed in the project (i.e. whether ornot it is being pursued); andproduce reports showing the recycledcontent achieved by a project, developmentscheme or company portolio.

Practical supportWRAP can provide ree training in the use othe toolkit to designers and contractors onmajor (typically 50m+) construction projects.WRAP also provides practical supportand training to major clients when settingprocurement requirements.

Further informationWRAP provides guidance and tools covering allaspects o materials efciency in construction,including waste reduction, recycling andrecycled content. These are reely available atwww.wrap.org.uk/construction