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Recycling on a Grand Scale

Johnson and Hunzinger team up to reduce waste

   When it comes to recycling and construction, size matters. A focus on economies scale was a key for Hunzinger Construction Co. reaching a 91.68 percent diversion rate of construction waste without breaking the bank on the $73 million renovation expansion of Johnson Controls Inc.’s corporate headquarters in Glendale. Given the sheer volume and variety of materials involved, some creativity was needed to figure out who would take that material besides the nearest landfill.

   Pallets and wood spools, for example, were sent back to manufacturers, said Craig Konrad, project manager with Hunzinger. The company also worked with suppliers to minimize packaging and materials to lessen waste. To maximize recycling, several containers were required to collect wood, steel, drywall, commingled recyclables and many other materials, Konrad said, and that’s where the economies scale came into play. It takes an expansive multibuilding project such as Johnson Controls’ to create enough waste to fill different containers and merit their associated costs, said Dan Davies, senior project manager for Hunzinger.

   “It’s an added logistics element, certainly,” Davies said of having to maintain and monitor different containers. “It’s standard practice now for us.” Separating out different materials for recycling saves money in landfill tipping fees, Davies said, especially when other users can be found who will come on-site and take material away. He declined to say whether, in the end, all of the effort resulted in cost savings.

   The savings in amount of waste sent to landfills has led to an increasing number of project contracts specifying recycling goals upfront, though, he said. Johnson Controls’ goal was to recycle 75 percent of both demolition and construction waste, said Dennis Kois, Johnson’s director of employee relations. Those figures were part of a long list of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification requirements, he said. A dedication to the environment is important to Johnson, and Hunzinger Construction was chosen in part for its LEED credentials, Kois said. Waste reduction and LEED certification were critical aspects of the project, he said. “If there was an added cost, “ Kois said, “it was one well worth it.”

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