From Guest Blogger Thomas Verdone: Five Ways Your Construction Site Can Go More Green

Taking steps to make your construction site more green can have more benefits than expected.

Aside from the obvious environmental benefits that accompany going green you can see a substantial reduction in cost through increased efficiency and recycling or reusing common construction materials.

Here are 5 ways that your construction site can go more green:

1. Waste Prevention During the Design Process

Waste prevention should start before the construction site is even set up. By beginning with the assumption that you will create a green construction site you can take advantage of some additional techniques which will make your building process greener. You can complete all of the research necessary to find building materials which are a greener alternative and learn all about the local recycling requirements of the area you are building in which will be discussed in greater detail later.

2. Reuse and Recycle Waste On-site

This is one of the easiest steps to take to achieve a greener construction site yet it is rarely implemented as widely as it should be. Take an active stance on looking for ways that you can reuse extra construction materials that would otherwise go to waste. By simple coming onto the job site with this mindset you will be amazed at the different uses you can come up with for materials that would have otherwise gone to waste. This can have a big impact on your bottom line as well when you don’t have to purchase replacement materials in the future.

3. Divert Your Runoff Water

Runoff water from your job site can be one of the major ways that you are harming the environment near your building location. By diverting it or filtering it onsite to a safe location you can improve how green your site it. Runoff water can cause serious harm to the local vegetation if not properly filtered which can become a blight on your company’s reputation. By ensuring that you have diverted or filtered your runoff water correctly you can not only help the nearby environment but you can also save your business potential complaints in the future.

4. Utilize Green Materials

If you are looking to make your construction site greener an easy way to do so is to replace common building materials with greener alternatives. You can literally create green construction by taking the time to research your options when it comes to materials instead of doing things the way they have always been done.

5. Know Your Local Recycling Requirements

Local companies are the best way to understand the requirements and potential benefits of the local recycling laws. You can often find companies who will clean your construction site in exchange for the right to recycle your excess waste. This is a win-win situation because you won’t have to pay your crew or an outside crew to clean up your job site and you retain the benefits of creating a green construction site.

About the Author: Thomas Verdone is an author who covers a wide range of topics, including finance, home improvement, the green movement and gutter helmets.