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TION IN
Supporting green design in construction through
industrial materials recycling
What is the
Construction
Initiative?
The Construction Initiative is a collaborative, public-private sector effort to increase the recycling
and reuse of industrial materials in building and transportation construction projects across the
nation. The Construction Initiative will increase awareness that industrial materials, which might
otherwise be discarded, can be recycled or reused to meet the material needs of the nation's
construction industry. Industrial materials recycling supports green design in construction by
decreasing the demand for virgin resources and reducing the energy use and greenhouse gas
emissions associated with virgin materials.
What are industrial
materials, and why
should they be
recycled?
Industrial materials include coal combustion products, spent foundry sand, construction and
demolition (C&D) materials, and iron and steel slags. Many of these materials have chemical
and physical properties that make them valuable resources, but they are often disposed as
waste. Recycling, rather than disposing, industrial materials conserves natural resources and
reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, industrial materials are often
less expensive than virgin materials, so designing with recycled industrial materials can make
good economic sense for project owners and builders.
How are industrial
materials recycled
in construction
applications?
Industrial materials can be recycled in construction applications such as buildings, roads, or
other structures because they have similar engineering properties to the virgin materials they
replace. In some cases, they can even improve the quality of the products in which they are
used. For example, using coal fly ash as a partial replacement for portland cement enhances the
strength, durability, and workability of concrete. Common uses for coal ash, ground granulated
blastfurnace slag, and spent foundry sand include concrete, road embankments, and flowable
fill. Concrete and asphalt rubble can be crushed and used as road base, aggregate in pave-
ments, structural fill, or drainage material.
How does the
Construction
Initiative work?
Green building and
the Construction
Initiative
The goal of the Construction Initiative is to increase the amount of industrial materials recycled
or reused in construction projects across the nation. To reach this goal, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) staff provide technical assistance to individuals and organizations
interested in recycling and reusing industrial materials in their construction projects, including
building owners, real estate developers, architects, general contractors, and transportation
officials. EPA also collaborates with the Federal Highway Administration and the Industrial
Resources Council, which comprises representatives from seven industry associations, to
provide additional technical and environmental information about the recycling and reuse of
industrial materials in construction projects.
Green, or sustainable, building is the practice of creating and using healthier and more
resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition.
Designing with industrial materials and recycling the C&D materials generated from projects are
key components of green building and can add points to various certification programs, such
as the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®)
green building rating system.
www.epa.gov/industrialmaterials
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In addition to industrial materials reuse and recycling, green
construction can involve a variety of sustainability areas for
which EPA staff can provide technical assistance, including
air quality, recycling and green purchasing, water steward-
ship, and energy efficiency. The Destiny USA project, which is
highlighted below, is a prime example of the kind of multi-
media assistance EPA staff can offer. For more information on
EPA's programs that support green building, visit EPA's green
building website, www.epa.gov/greenbuilding, or contact the
Construction Initiative coordinators identified below.
EPA's Region 8 headquarters in Denver has earned a Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold rating and contains
recycled industrial materials throughout the structure. For more
information, visit: www.epa.gov/region8/building/index.html.
A Construction
Initiative Success
Destiny USA, a major commercial development in Syracuse, N.Y., will be built with
recycled industrial materials. In 2006, EPA contacted the owner and developers of Destiny
and offered to host a meeting at EPA Region 2's New York City office to discuss the
environmental benefits of industrial materials recycling as well as other EPA programs that
support green building. In September 2006, Destiny USA and EPA entered into a voluntary
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which identifies Destiny's intent to pursue several
conservation and pollution prevention-based programs and initiatives as part of the
design, construction, and operation of the complex. Since the signing of the MOU, EPA
has provided technical assistance to Destiny that has resulted in several environmental
accomplishments:
• Greenhouse gas emissions reductions. With EPA's assistance. Destiny determined the
project could utilize concrete containing 30 percent coal fly ash with no compromise to
performance. In July 2007, Destiny poured the first such concrete batch in the sidewalks
lining one of the major streets and the auxiliary parking lots. The project will ultimately
utilize more than 3,000 tons of coal ash, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly
3,000 tons, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of about 500 passenger vehicles.
• Reduced air emissions from construction. EPA assisted Destiny in transitioning from
B20 biodiesel fuel to B100 biodiesel fuel for all construction vehicles involved in the proj-
ect, resulting in reduced air emissions from construction.
• Purchasing Renewable Energy. Through EPA's Green Power Partnership, Destiny com-
mitted to purchasing renewable energy certificates for the operation of the existing
Carousel Center mall, which is currently being expanded as part of the project.
Destiny also has committed to joining EPA's WasteWise, WaterSense, and ENERGY STAR®
programs. For more information on the Destiny project, visit www.destinyUSA.com
We want to
promote your
project!
If you are interested in recycling industrial materials in your construction project, or for more
information about the Construction Initiative, contact our coordinators Nicole Villamizar, at
villamizar.nicole@epa.gov, or Rita Chow, at chow.rita@epa.gov. Recognizing that success
fosters success, we also are interested in documenting and promoting ongoing or recent
construction projects in which recycled industrial materials are used.
The Construction Initiative is a component of EPA's Industrial Materials Recycling Program.
Visit our website: www.epa.gov/industrialmaterials
©Recycled/Recyclable—Printed on paper that contains at least 50% post consumer fiber.
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
EPA-530-D-08-001
www.epa.gov
April 2008
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