With over 36 000 new Alberta homes started in 2004, the vast amount of materials used in residential home construction needs careful consideration. How often do we consider where materials come from or how they are manufactured, how long they will last and what happens to waste leftover from construction? 

It’s important to consider the environmental impact of home construction and thus ways that builders and others in the industry are addressing the issue.

The residential construction industry is working to do its part by looking closely at how materials are selected and used during home construction. This includes identifying where materials can be reduced by using different

construction techniques, finding new ways to re-use materials or recycling them on site. Also, when new materials are used, builders can look to make more sustainable purchase choices.

Surprisingly though, when it comes to waste and materials it is our personal everyday waste at home that is a bigger problem. The City of Calgary reports that Calgary residences alone made up 33% of the waste stream in 2003 which exceeds the total waste produced from both residential and commercial construction, renovation and demolition work combined!

The good news is that Calgarians are thinking the 4-Rs (Re-think, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). As a result, Calgary's residential waste generation has remained constant since 1993 despite at least a 23% increase in population over the same period.   

Yet, even though Calgarians recycled over 28 427 000 kg of materials at community depots alone (that’s about the same weight of 75 Boeing 747 Jumbo Jets) there’s still a huge opportunity to do more. 

Approximately 85% of residential waste deposited at Calgary landfills could be collected for recycling, which means there’s well over another 500 jumbo jets worth of material in our garbage cans that can be diverted so it doesn’t reach our landfills.