Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
O presente Trabalho de Tese de Mestrado aborda a problemática da gestão dos Resíduos de
Construção e Demolição (RCD) em Portugal, em particular em grandes superfícies
comerciais.
O sector da construção civil é particularmente afectado com a problemática da gestão de
resíduos, dada a quantidade, volume e diversidade de tipologias dos materiais que fazem parte
da sua actividade. Este sector é ainda um dos maiores contribuintes para o consumo excessivo
de recursos naturais e correspondente degradação ambiental.
Os donos de obra estando a par da valorização ambiental por parte da sociedade e a
expectativa de comportamento ético das empresas para com os seus diversos stakeholders
(partes interessadas) têm transformado a sustentabilidade num compromisso empresarial a
seguir.
A abordagem inicial à sustentabilidade de muitas empresas dos sectores da promoção
imobiliária e construção, começou pela implementação de políticas de sustentabilidade e de
sistemas de gestão ambiental, higiene e segurança e responsabilidade social, de forma a
assegurar uma gestão mais adequada dos aspectos ambientais e sociais da sua actividade. No
entanto, as estratégias de sustentabilidade dos principais intervenientes estão focadas na
promoção/construção de edifícios sustentáveis surgindo mais recentemente em Portugal
sistemas como o Breeam.
Portugal tem a maior área de lojas em Espaços Comerciais por habitante. Segundo a APCC
(Associação Portuguesa de Centros Comerciais), seria possível colocar simultaneamente toda
a população Portuguesa dentro das actuais superfícies comerciais.
Apesar da conjuntura internacional desfavorável registada no último ano, sobretudo associada
ao aumento dos custos da energia e à subida dos preços das matérias-primas, a abertura de
novos centros comerciais em Portugal abrandou, no entanto está prevista a abertura de 18
novas infra-estruturas nos próximos anos.
Consequentemente, a problemática da produção de resíduos de construção e demolição
associada à construção de grandes superfícies comerciais se não aumentar, irá pelo menos
manter-se. Neste contexto, encontrar medidas que promovem a redução de produção dos resíduos neste
tipo de construções e formas eficiente de gestão de Resíduos de construção e demolição neste
tipo de construções constitui o principal objectivo deste estudo.
No âmbito do trabalho de implementação ISO 14001 levado a cabo na empresa Engexpor –
Consultores de Engenharia (Especializada na Gestão do Projecto e da Construção de
Empreendimentos), foi recolhida informação de modo a caracterizar em termos de
quantidades e tipos de resíduos produzidos, a construção de dois espaços comerciais.
Numa das superfícies comerciais foi implementado um Sistema de Gestão Ambiental (SGA)
segundo a Norma ISO 14001 e na outra superfície, para além deste SGA, foi ainda
introduzida uma outra certificação, denominada Breeam, que à semelhança da anterior, e para
além de muitas outras vantagens, promove a redução da produção de resíduos, reciclagem e
reutilização.
Após implementação dos sistemas mencionados, procedeu-se a uma análise no sentido de
avaliar as potenciais diferenças/semelhanças, em termos de gestão de resíduos, em ambos os
casos.
Verificou-se que em termos de quantidades absolutas de resíduos produzidos por unidade de
área, a implementação de ambos os sistemas não traduziu melhorias, pois no segundo caso
onde foram implementados os dois sistemas, a produção de resíduos foi de mais de 8000
toneladas e no caso onde foi implementado apenas o Sistema de Gestão Ambiental a produção
foi de mais de 5000 toneladas.
Contudo, a construção onde foi implementada a certificação Breeam, levou a que 24% dos
resíduos pudessem seguir para valorização e a construção onde apenas foi implantada a
certificação ISO 14001, 11% dos resíduos foram valorizados, ou seja, menos de metade em
relação ao caso anterior. Consequentemente, os custos de envio dos resíduos para aterro são
menores no caso onde foram implementados ambos os sistemas.
Foi possível concluir que a implementação de sistemas voluntários de gestão eficiente da
construção dos edifícios é uma vantagem em vários aspectos, nomeadamente de marketing
comercial, factor de diferenciação no mercado, redução de custos, redução de potenciais
impactos ambientais, entre muitos outros. No entanto, considerando apenas a questão da
gestão e valorização dos resíduos conclui-se que ambos os sistemas trazem muitos benefícios,
mas não por si só, não são a solução para a redução da produção de resíduos de construção e
demolição.
This Master thesis addresses the problematic of Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Portugal, particularly in shopping centers. The construction sector is particularly affected by the problem of waste management because of quantity, volume and diversity of types of materials that are part of their business. This sector is still one of the largest contributors to the excessive consumption of natural resources and related environmental degradation. The developer, being ware of the environmental value by society and the expectation of ethical behavior by companies towards their various stakeholders, have been follow a corporate commitment towards sustainability. Today, sustainability is a mandatory issue addressed by the companies that wish to create long-term values. The initial approach to sustainability by many companies, in the sectors of property development and construction, began with the implementation of sustainability policies and environmental management systems, health and social’s safety and responsibility, in order to ensure a better social and environmental management on their activities. However, main parties’ sustainability strategies are focused on sustainable promotion/construction buildings, emerging systems such as BREEAM in Portugal. Portugal has the largest shopping area, in commercial spaces, per inhabitant. According to the APCC (Portuguese Association of Shopping Centers), it could be possible for the entire population to fit within the current Portuguese shopping centers. Despite the unfavorable international crisis registered of last year, mainly associated to the increased energy costs and rising prices of raw materials, the creation of new shopping centers in Portugal has slowed down; however it is expected a creation of 18 new infrastructures within the coming years. Therefore, it is expected for the constructions and demolition’s waste, caused by the creation of these large commercial areas, if not to increase, at least it will be maintained. In this context, finding measures that promote a reduction in waste production and efficient ways of managing construction/demolition waste is the main goal of this study. Under the ISO 14001 implementation work, carried out by the Engexpor Company - Engineering Consultants (Specialized in Project Management and Construction Enterprises), data were collected to characterize, in terms of quantities and types, the waste produced by the construction of two commercial areas. In one of the shopping centers was implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS) according to ISO 14001; and in the other shopping center, besides this EMS, was introduced another certification known as BREEAM, which like the previous one, promotes waste reduction, recycling and reuse, in addition to many other advantages. After these systems implementation, we proceeded with an analysis to evaluate potential differences/similarities in terms of waste management, in both cases. In terms of absolute amount of waste produced per area unit, the implementation of both systems did not bring improvements. In the second case, where the two systems were implemented, the waste volume was greater than 8000 tons; and in the other case, where only the Environmental Management System was implemented, the waste production exceeded the 5000 tons. However, in the construction where Breeam certification was implemented, 24% of the waste was recovered to recycle; however, in the construction with only the ISO 14001 certification, 11% of waste was recovered, which means less than half when compared to the case where Breeam certification was implemented. In conclusion, the costs of sending waste to landfill are smaller when implementing both systems. It was verified that the implementation of voluntary systems, in efficient management of buildings construction, had advantages in several aspects, such as: trade marketing, market differentiation factor, lowering costs, potential environmental impacts reduction, among many others. Focusing only on the issue of waste management and recovery, the systems brought many benefits; however, by themselves they are not the solution to reduce the construction and demolition waste production.
This Master thesis addresses the problematic of Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Portugal, particularly in shopping centers. The construction sector is particularly affected by the problem of waste management because of quantity, volume and diversity of types of materials that are part of their business. This sector is still one of the largest contributors to the excessive consumption of natural resources and related environmental degradation. The developer, being ware of the environmental value by society and the expectation of ethical behavior by companies towards their various stakeholders, have been follow a corporate commitment towards sustainability. Today, sustainability is a mandatory issue addressed by the companies that wish to create long-term values. The initial approach to sustainability by many companies, in the sectors of property development and construction, began with the implementation of sustainability policies and environmental management systems, health and social’s safety and responsibility, in order to ensure a better social and environmental management on their activities. However, main parties’ sustainability strategies are focused on sustainable promotion/construction buildings, emerging systems such as BREEAM in Portugal. Portugal has the largest shopping area, in commercial spaces, per inhabitant. According to the APCC (Portuguese Association of Shopping Centers), it could be possible for the entire population to fit within the current Portuguese shopping centers. Despite the unfavorable international crisis registered of last year, mainly associated to the increased energy costs and rising prices of raw materials, the creation of new shopping centers in Portugal has slowed down; however it is expected a creation of 18 new infrastructures within the coming years. Therefore, it is expected for the constructions and demolition’s waste, caused by the creation of these large commercial areas, if not to increase, at least it will be maintained. In this context, finding measures that promote a reduction in waste production and efficient ways of managing construction/demolition waste is the main goal of this study. Under the ISO 14001 implementation work, carried out by the Engexpor Company - Engineering Consultants (Specialized in Project Management and Construction Enterprises), data were collected to characterize, in terms of quantities and types, the waste produced by the construction of two commercial areas. In one of the shopping centers was implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS) according to ISO 14001; and in the other shopping center, besides this EMS, was introduced another certification known as BREEAM, which like the previous one, promotes waste reduction, recycling and reuse, in addition to many other advantages. After these systems implementation, we proceeded with an analysis to evaluate potential differences/similarities in terms of waste management, in both cases. In terms of absolute amount of waste produced per area unit, the implementation of both systems did not bring improvements. In the second case, where the two systems were implemented, the waste volume was greater than 8000 tons; and in the other case, where only the Environmental Management System was implemented, the waste production exceeded the 5000 tons. However, in the construction where Breeam certification was implemented, 24% of the waste was recovered to recycle; however, in the construction with only the ISO 14001 certification, 11% of waste was recovered, which means less than half when compared to the case where Breeam certification was implemented. In conclusion, the costs of sending waste to landfill are smaller when implementing both systems. It was verified that the implementation of voluntary systems, in efficient management of buildings construction, had advantages in several aspects, such as: trade marketing, market differentiation factor, lowering costs, potential environmental impacts reduction, among many others. Focusing only on the issue of waste management and recovery, the systems brought many benefits; however, by themselves they are not the solution to reduce the construction and demolition waste production.