From Challenge to Collaboration: A Speculative Vision for Sustainable C&RD Waste Management in India
“From the cave temples in Ellora, the perfect symmetry of the Taj Mahal areal, gigantic stepwells, to the 80-ton stone crown of the Thanjavur temple: India hosts some masterpieces of engineering and construction.” (Sun, 2023). With construction being the frontier of India’s development as a nation, it estimates there is a production of 150 million tonnes of Construction, Renovation and Demolition (CR&D) waste annually through active projects, while the actual figure can be 3 to 5 times higher (Chaudhary, 2021). This ESSAY aims to speculate into a future that embraces the concepts of circular economy and co-design strategies coupled with holographic Artificial Intellingence (AI) – A.R.C.H.I.E. (Gupta, 2023) collaborative approach to produce innovative solutions.
What is Construction, Renovation and Demolition Waste? – The term CRD waste as the industry professionals call it refers to the waste generated during/after any construction, renovation and demolition project which primarily includes wooden doors or planks, concrete rubble, glass, PVC pipes, aluminium frames and broken brick masonry (Chaudhary, 2021). Whilst many of these materials get recycled and reused due to their monetary value, a major portion of it is dumped into garbage landfills polluting the environment around it.
The CRD waste management is a need of the hour as CRD waste constitutes up to 25-30% of the total waste generated by the country (Khan & Thussu, 2023). Furthermore, improper disposal of CRD waste has various hazardous environmental implications – poor air quality of the city, pollution of the groundwater etc. In addition to this, there are various social challenges we face as members of the society with the increased price we pay for the poorer quality materials and fast depletion of naturally occurring materials like sand (Beiser, 2019).
“Whilst many developed countries like the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain have successfully diverted the waste landfills to recycling facilities, there are many developing countries like China, Bangladesh and India, where more than 90% of the CRD debris ends up in the landfills” (Sharma, et al., 2022). In order to further the cause, there is a need for reformation at a grassroots level where we need to change the functioning of the industry from a linear process and instead adapt the global model of circular economy which gained traction through in recent times through its 3R model – reduce, reuse and recycle. Although this strategy has now evolved into a 9R model - Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, Recycle and Recover (Sharma, et al., 2022).
CURRENT SITUATION OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA
As a developing nation, India is constantly in a state of construction and development i.e. it is constantly producing CRD waste and is slowly starting to overload the landfills and is becoming a toxic part of the urban environments (Chaudhary, 2021), with demolition waste generation rate of 1735kg/m2. (Sharma, et al., 2022).
Figure 1 CRD Waste Estimates in India (Somvanshi & Verma, 2020)
Following this rate, India produces approximately 150 million tonnes of construction waste which accounts for 35-40% of the global CRD waste generated annually (beWasteWise, 2023).With such large volumes of CRD waste production, only 1% of it is being recycled (DownToEarth, 2020).
Figure 2 Typical Construction Renovation and Demolition waste composition in India. (Faruqi & Siddiqui, 2020)
Improper disposal of CRD waste leads to various health hazards like -
AIR POLLUTION
Construction and demolition activities produce large amounts of pollutants that can spread over large distances and stay in the environment for a long time and can cause multiple health complications like chronic headaches, breathing problems, skin and eye irritation etc. (Chaudhary, 2021).
GROUNDWATER POLLUTION
During construction, renovation or demolition stage, various elements found in a household – lead-based paints, fluorescent lamps etc are often mishandled and improperly disposed with the CRD or general waste and further create a chemical mix which percolates deep into the soil and groundwater disrupting the hydrology and ecology of the area (Chaudhary, 2021).
ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA TO TACKLE THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), 53 major cities in India were tasked to set up a CRD recycling plant by 2020, but, only 13 of those were established thereby allowing waste recycling rate to 6500 tonnes per day which is 1% of the total waste generation (DownToEarth, 2020).
Table 1 CRD Waste Recycling Plants in India (Somvanshi & Verma, 2020)
Following to such large production of CRD waste, the government of India is increasingly becoming aware and started to lay out multiple legislations and policies to curb the issue at hand. Although, the management of Construction, Renovation and Demolition waste is primarily governed by the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules of 2016 which were issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). These rules aim to regulate the entire journey of CRD waste to minimise environmental impact and promotion of sustainable practices in the construction industry by mandating the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) to overlook and manage the safe handling and disposal of CRD waste.
Table 2 Chronological outline of important Construction and Demolition Waste management Legislations in India.
Original Infographic created from the data from (Faruqi & Siddiqui, 2020).
WHAT IS GOING WRONG?
Despite the introduction of Construction and Demolition waste management legislation in India, there are multiple challenges affecting their effective implementation. Firstly, there is a lack of awareness which creates a corresponding lack of compliance amongst various stakeholders like construction companies, contractors etc (Khan & Thussu, 2023). Furthermore, many of these stakeholders tend to follow traditional disposal processes due to a lack of understanding about new rules and legislations and not wanting to invest in proper waste disposal management infrastructure (Khan & Thussu, 2023). Secondly, inadequate monitoring and enforcement of these legislations add to the efficient implementation of these rules (Khan & Thussu, 2023). Furthermore, there is a lack of penalties for non-compliance entities which enables them to follow traditional methods over sustainable ones. Lastly, there is a lack of funding from the central government in the construction and Demolition Waste management sector to develop adequate infrastructure for the effective implementation of this legislation.
HOW CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND CO-DESIGN BE A TRANSFORMATIVE SOLUTION?
The amalgamation of circular economy and co-design principles offers a promising solution to the challenges faced in construction and demolition waste management in India. “The world’s consumption of raw materials is set to nearly double by 2060 as the global economy expands and living standards rise, placing twice the pressure on the environment that we are seeing today” (OECD, 2018). There is a need to fundamentally change the working process of handling construction and demolition waste by adopting a circular economy approach, which emphasizes the 9R strategies. That combined with co-design strategies that foster collaboration and stakeholder engagement will result in innovative solutions that address the complexities of construction and demolition waste management in the country.
Circular economy’s principles propose a framework to re-imagine the construction industry by moving away from the linear model of “take, make, use and dispose of” (Gupta, 2021) towards a closed-loop system. “Architects have a key role to play in the circular transition of the construction sector. They are the flag bearers of innovation, the key decision-makers of design – and smart designs today, have the potential to impact sustainable development for decades to come.” (Gupta, 2021). Only after incorporating circular economy principles in every aspect of construction and design can we achieve true sustainability in our built environment. Furthermore, combining these principles with co-design strategies with the people who have been an integral part of this process which not just includes ministers and policymakers but also architects, urban planners, engineers, contractors and even young design students. Only after incorporating these stakeholders with diverse perspectives can we achieve tailored solutions to meet the needs of the hour.
DESIGN FUTURE
It is the year 2050, and amidst the rapidly evolving built landscape, there was the inception of a regulatory body cum research organisation called – ‘Sustainable Construction Waste Management Authority of India” or (SCWMAI) which stands as a pioneer in revolutionalising the construction industry. With its establishment on the ethos of circular economy and co-design., SCWMAI has reshaped the way construction, renovation and demolition (CRD) waste is managed, by setting new legislations and standards of sustainability and innovation.
SCWMAI would comprise experts from various ministries, departments and organisations like – the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), the Council of Architecture (COA), the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), National Association of Students of Architecture (NASA), and the representatives from the central government. Furthermore, there will be no hierarchy amongst the top representatives and would embody a collaborative space with equal say and power and the decision-making authority would be shared amongst various stakeholders from all these sectors.
Previously, many legislations were passed to cater to the problem of Construction and Demolition Waste Management but were insufficient due to various reasons like – lack of accountability, lack of awareness, weak response from the Construction and Design fraternity, lack of infrastructure and technology etc. (Khan & Thussu, 2023). After analyzing the loopholes there was a need to bridge these gaps which led to the formation of SCWMAI. The thing that sets SCWMAI apart from every other legislation is the involvement of various stakeholders from various government organisations including people from the architecture and design fraternity. This allows an industry-wide impact and adherence to new rules and legislations. Furthermore, following the ethos of co-design and the involvement of the National Association of Students of Architecture (NASA India) provides a platform for young students to speak their minds and also contribute to the betterment of society with their new perspective.
SCWMAI holds significant power in the construction industry along with the authority to mandate architects, designers and contractors to adhere to strict rules for proper CRD waste management and failure to comply, results in hefty penalties. Simultaneously, SCWMAI offers tax rebates who obtain the certification from SCWMAI during/after the construction of their property for following sustainable CRD waste management practices thereby maximising impact outside of the design fraternity. Additionally, the inclusion of the central government allowed a nationwide impact of the creation of construction and demolition (C&D) recycling units in all the major Tier-1 and Tier-2 Cities following the previous 13 cities which were there in 2020 (Swetha K., et al., 2022). The recycling facilities not only process the waste efficiently but also transform it into valuable resources which are then sold to raw material suppliers effectively closing the loop of circular economy and making the waste an asset instead of a liability to the society.
Unlike other regulatory bodies, SCWMAI operates as a collaborative research and innovation institute advocating its ethos in sustainable construction processes whilst collaborating with leading research institutions, universities and technology companies to develop state-of-the-art solutions for CRD waste management such as – innovative recycling techniques, exploration with sustainable materials etc. These combined with local workshops and surveys from the people managing the CRD waste at ground level set SCWMAI apart from other organisations. Furthermore, SCWMAI has created a global impact by fostering international collaboration and knowledge-sharing to tackle global challenges regarding CRD waste management. SCWMAI partners with international organisations, governments and other stakeholders to exchange practices, and resources and collaborate through joint research Programmes, knowledge exchange forums, and international conferences thereby contributing towards creating a sustainable future and a greener built environment.
COLLABORATION WITH HOLOGRAPHIC AI – A.R.C.H.I.E.
ARCHI-E or Architecture Experience is an intelligent interactive AI bot which aims to bridge many gaps in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry (Gupta, 2023). Following on the lines of JARVIS (or Just A Rather Very Intelligent System) from the Iron Man series, ARCHI-E is invented as an extension to the Building Information Modelling (BIM) software which helps the user manoeuvre through complex projects with a swish of a hand and can also help in expediting the decision-making process from various stakeholders (Gupta, 2023).
Since ARCHI-E is an interactive intelligent AI and an extension to the BIM software, it will help Designers, Architects and Contractors analyse and calculate the exact volume of raw materials required and calculate the material wastage which would further help us identify the volume of CRD waste generated in every project. By integrating sustainable policies into the then-available AI solutions, architects, designers and contractors will be able to ascertain the exact waste generation and prepare a detailed report for approval by SCWMAI. Furthermore, ARCHI-E will help architects, designers and contractors explore new sustainable materials and explore new design approaches like Design for Disassembly (DfD), Design for Remanufacturing (DfRem) etc. to address circular economy in the built environment through design (Gupta, 2021). These design approaches will help in creating circular buildings which can be dismantled and their materials repurposed while keeping the values of the circular economy intact.
In conclusion, the integration of ARCHI-E with BIM software and its alignment with the policies and legislations of the Sustainable Construction Waste Management Authority of India (SCWMAI) represents a revolutionary shift in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry towards sustainable construction and waste management.
FUTURE OUTCOMES
The integration of ARCHI-E the holographic AI tool with the principles and strategies of circular economy and co-design authored by the Sustainable Construction Waste Management Authority of India (SCWMAI) begins a transformative era of sustainable construction practices in India by 2050. ARCHI-E’s capabilities in calculating the Construction, Renovation and Demolition (CRD) waste generation coupled with its ability to suggest the latest sustainable materials and design approaches, transforms the way architects and designers approach design thinking. By Integrating ARCHI-E’s insights can optimize their designs and minimise CRD waste generation thereby reducing the carbon footprint of their project and its environmental impact. Furthermore, following the ethos of collaborative design, SCWMAI paves the way for new design thinking strategies. By involving, architects, designers, contractors, policymakers, students and communities in the design process, SCWMAI creates a culture of innovation and knowledge sharing that works on the principles of sustainable practices whilst maintaining a shared power and accountability amongst the stakeholders thereby promoting an era of designing with the society rather than designing for the society. The initiatives taken by SCWMAI won’t only lead to tangible reductions in the CRD waste in the landfills but also stimulate economic growth, promote innovation, create jobs and improve public health and quality of life.
After applauding the many positives, there is a need to acknowledge the possible challenges associated with our speculation. Firstly, people might find it difficult to adapt to the new rules and policies laid out by SCWMAI and might want to avoid the additional expense of getting approval from the regulatory body. Secondly, the widespread adoption of ARCHI-E and sustainable practices might create a gap within the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry like – industry leaders and small-scale contractors and people from marginalized communities with a lack of access to these resources, training and infrastructure. Furthermore, the association and integration of these sustainable practices might be a financial challenge to a lot of users and there would be a need for investment in new technologies and training programmes for this portion of people while also providing substantial financial support to adopt these practices. Lastly, since construction and development will not stop soon, there would be a need to periodically audit the implementation of the organisation’s policies and legislations to check the efficiency and tackle any issues of corruption that may arise in the organisation.
CONCLUSION
The integration of ‘The Sustainable Construction Waste Management Authority of India or SCWMAI’ and the principles and strategies of circular economy and collaborative design represent a revolutionalising opportunity for India’s Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry by the year 2050. Under the umbrella of SCWMAI, multiple stakeholders collaborate and co-create solutions that work towards sustainability, minimization of waste generation and enhance resource efficiency throughout the construction lifecycle. Furthermore, SCWMAI encourages architects, designers and contractors to design for disassembly and implement modular construction techniques while promoting the closed-loop system where the materials and resources are continuously circulated and reused.
Moreover, SCWMAI offers a platform that completely overlooks all aspects of construction and Demolition (C&D) waste management systems, including policy-making, exploration of new sustainable materials and technologies, and promoting circular design principles. Also, being a co-design platform it also tackles the current problem faced of lack of awareness and accountability due to its diverse set of participants ranging from – architects, urban planners, designers, contractors, policymakers, and even students. Not only do these initiatives lead to tangible reductions in the volume of CRD waste in landfills and prevent environmental degradation but also create a culture for innovation and collaboration that inculcates the adoption of sustainable practices in young architects and designers. Furthermore, the collaborative design methodologies ensure a perspective of the ground staff dealing with the issue and is integrated into the decision-making process leading to the creation of tailored solutions that address the specific needs of certain communities.
The integration of these policies with intelligent and interactive holographic AI – ARCHI-E or Architecture Experience would expand the horizons of sustainable practices as it would allow designers and architects to calculate and tackle the exact volume of raw materials hence reducing the CRD waste in the projects. Although, its introduction will create a gap among industry leaders smaller firms and local contractors who might not have the financial backing to use ARCHI-E.
In conclusion, while the integration of circular economy and co-design principles holds immense potential for transforming India's construction industry, careful consideration of the challenges and proactive measures are necessary to ensure a smooth and equitable transition. Through collaboration, innovation, and visionary leadership guided by the organization SCWMAI, the construction industry can pave the way for a sustainable and regenerative built environment that benefits society and the planet for generations to come.
References
· Beiser, V., 2019. Why the world is running out of sand?. [Online]
Available at: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191108-why-the-world-is-running-out-of-sand
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· beWasteWise, 2023. Construction & Demolition Waste in India - Challenges and Way Forward. [Online]
Available at: https://wastewise.be/2023/01/construction-demolition-waste-in-india-challenges-way-forward-with-brajesh-kr-dubey/#:~:text=Construction%20and%20demolition%20waste%20is,the%20global%20C%26D%20waste%20annually.
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· Chaudhary, S., 2021. Identifying the Malba Problem. [Online]
Available at: https://www.malbaproject.com/post/identifying-the-malba-problem
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· Chaudhary, S., 2021. Malba Project. [Online]
Available at: https://www.malbaproject.com/post/identifying-the-malba-problem
[Accessed 27 February 2024].
· Chaudhary, S., 2021. Why Should We Care About Malba? The Environmental Perspective. [Online]
Available at: https://www.malbaproject.com/post/why-should-we-care-about-malba-the-environmental-perspective
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· DownToEarth, 2020. India recycles only 1% of its construction and demolitoin waste: CSE. [Online]
Available at: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/waste/india-recycles-only-1-of-its-construction-and-demolition-waste-cse-73027
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· Faruqi, M. H. Z. & Siddiqui, F. Z., 2020. A mini review of construction and demolition waste management in India. Waste Management and Research, 13 March, 38(7), pp. 708-716.
· Gupta, N., 2021. 7 Ways in which Architects can close the Malba Loop. [Online]
Available at: https://www.malbaproject.com/post/7-ways-in-which-architects-can-close-the-malba-loop
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· Gupta, N., 2021. Circular Economy in the Built Environment. [Online]
Available at: https://www.malbaproject.com/post/circular-economy-in-the-built-environment
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· Gupta, R., 2023. ARCHI-E: A glimpse into the Future – Holographic AI Revolutionizing Design and Collaboration in the AEC Industry, Lancaster: s.n.
· Khan, F. F. & Thussu, M., 2023. CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION WASTE IN INDIA: PRACTICES TO TACKLE CND WASTE. International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science, September.05(09).
· OECD, 2018. Raw materials use to double by 2060 with severe environmental consequences. [Online]
Available at: https://web-archive.oecd.org/2018-10-23/496914-raw-materials-use-to-double-by-2060-with-severe-environmental-consequences.htm
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· Sharma, N., Kalbir, P. P. & Salman, M., 2022. Global review of circular economy and life cycle thinking in building Demolition Waste Management: A way ahead for India.. Building and Environment , 15 August.Volume 222.
· Somvanshi, A. & Verma, A., 2020. Another Brick Off the Wall - Improving Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Indian Cities. New Delhi(Delhi): Centre for Science and Environment.
· Sun, S., 2023. Statista. [Online]
Available at: https://www.statista.com/topics/7869/construction-industry-in-india/#topicOverview
[Accessed 25 February 2024].
· Swetha K., S., T.P., T. & M.V.N., S. K., 2022. Implementing construction waste management in India: An extended theory of planned behaviour approach.. Environmental Technology and Innovation, Volume 27.
