A guidance document produced by Network Rail in

collaboration with:

Waste Workshop

Design out

Guidance on Designing out Waste: How to run a Design out Waste Workshop

This document provides guidance on how to run a Design out Waste

Workshop (DoWW). This guidance is based on information that can be

used as a foundation to running a DoWW for any type of project. It will

provide time frames, responsibilities and steps necessary for the

process.

This document is designed to help support the reduction waste and

enable IP Great Western and Crossrail Region to achieve the target of

ensuring every project runs a Design out Waste Workshop. It will

also support Network Rail targets to divert 95% waste from landfill

(minimum 90% diversion and stretch target of 98%).

The Workshop

When should it be run?

Anytime between GRIP 3-4.

Attendees should be briefed

prior to the workshop to

bring shared learning

How long will it take?

On average between 2 and 3

hours are required for the

workshop

Who must attend?

NR project team; design

team; construction

representative; specialist

subcontractors.

Can it be run in conjunction with other

workshops?

The DoWW can be run in conjunction

with other workshops such as Value

Engineering, Resource Efficiency and

Sustainable Design

How is it structured?

Three sections: 1. Awareness Session 2. Creativity Session 3. Reasoning Session

Section 1: Awareness Session

During this session the facilitator will introduce the group to the principles of designing out

waste and what advantages can be gained from focusing on ways of reducing waste (e.g.

cost, carbon savings). Information on these principles can be found in Appendix A.

The key waste streams related to the project should be identified and if possible waste

forecasts made.

Section 2: Creativity Session

Here an array of ideas for waste reduction related to the project scope of works will be

considered for the Reasoning Session. Top tips for this session include:

There should be a free wheel for ideas, no criticism allowed;

Go for quantity and expand on other’s ideas; and

Write it, shout it, throw it – ideas should be written on note cards or post-its, one idea

per card, maximum three lines.

If ideas are not flowing, or if the workshop is losing focus, refer back to Designing out Waste

Principles to regain the stability of the scope (see Appendix A) or try asking some of the

prewritten open questions presented in Appendix B.

Section 3: Reasoning Session

An Opportunities Matrix should be completed, with each idea from the Creativity Session

falling into one of the four quadrants. A blank template is provided in Appendix C.

Objective

All participants have a clear understanding of the waste

reduction principles and why this workshop is being run.

Time scale

Up to 30 minutes

Objective

Generate ideas focusing on how the design of the project can

be developed or even changed to reduce waste.

Time scale

45-60 minutes

Objective

Evaluate the ideas from the creative session for their waste

reduction potential and feasibility for implementation in terms

of cost, programme and quality.

Time scale

Allow the rest of

the session for

this

Category A: further investigation actions assigned to an individual who has expertise in the

relevant subject (e.g. an opportunity relating to the bridge deck would allocated to the civils

engineer; one relating to signalling equipment to a signalling engineer; one relating to track

work to a track engineer etc.).

Completion dates should also be set to ensure they are progressed. Where actions are

assigned for further investigation, provide action including metric using form in Appendix D.

Categories B-D: Reviewed periodically, with the Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP)

review (at least 6 months) to check whether changes to the project increase their potential

for consideration.

Recording and Output

All waste reduction ideas should be recorded in the relevant section of the SWMP. If further

investigation is required by specialist professionals then actions should be assigned to those

people. Guidance on how to complete a SWMP and what to do with the output can be found

on the GW&C Region IMS page for Waste Minimisation as well as on Safety Central.

The output of this workshop should be integrated into the overall design process of the

project and be directly embedded into the GRIP 5 procurement process.

Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP)

All initial forecast of waste should be recorded in the relevant section of the SWMP.

Appendices

Appendix A – Five Principles of Designing out Waste

Five Principles of Designing out Waste

During the design process there are numerous opportunities to reduce waste. This guide

provides a systematic approach to identifying and implementing them at project level. It is

based on key principles distilled from extensive consultation, research and work carried out

by WRAP directly with design teams. This research has identified five key principles that

when applied can help reduce waste at design:

1. Design for Reuse and Recovery

2. Design for Off Site Construction

3. Design for Materials Optimisation

4. Design for Waste Efficient Procurement

5. Design for Deconstruction and Flexibility

In this section the guide aims to address each of these principles and consider their

opportunities for designing out waste.

Design for Reuse and Recovery

This principle focuses on making as much use of free materials that are available on site or

on nearby sites which can achieve considerable cost savings. It is impossible to eliminate

the import of materials completely, which means the Design for Reuse and Recovery of

materials already on site is fundamental to achieving materials resource efficiency. For this

reason; design for reuse and recovery can be split into two subsections;

Below are a couple of examples of generic opportunities that are available to enable reuse

and recycling of materials on site.

Reusing existing foundations, floor slabs, pavements,

structures and drainage

Designing site layout to use existing topography and

features

Balancing cut/fill quantities

Manufacturing soils on site using PAS 100 compost

Treating of soils with cementitious agents and use of

hydraulically bound materials (HBM)

Using geosystems to enable use of material on site

In-situ remediation or encapsulation of contaminated land

Crushing/screening arisings for use as recycled aggregates

Cold recycling of pavements

Sometimes it is impossible to reuse and recycle materials on site and more are needed to be

brought to site to enable the delivery of the project. These are referred to as recycled

content. Examples of these can be found below.

Using recycled/secondary aggregates in unbound

applications

Using steel with high recycled content

Using PAS100 compost in soils manufacture and

landscaping

Reclaimed railway ballast

Using recycled steel in piles, safety barriers, decks, rails,

structures, etc

Using recycled plastic in kerbs, railway sleepers, piles, etc

Using high recycled content in pipes, e.g. recycled

aggregate in concrete, recycled steel, plastic, etc

Using geosystems with imported fill to reduce layer

thicknesses

Design for Off Site Construction

The benefits for designing waste off site has shown to considerably reduce waste on site by

changing the construction process into one of a rapid assembly of parts that can provide

many environmental, commercial and social benefits, including:

It is vital that all necessary specialists are involved in the designing for offsite construction.

When piling for example, a number of issues need to be taken into account including ground

conditions, adjacent structures, limits on noise and vibration, and anticipated loadings such

as wind gales.

In terms of when in the design stage this needs to be considered, there are a number of

advantages in planning to design for offsite construction in the preliminary stages of design.

These include:

Structural design/system selected;

Project timescales;

Coordination with other work packages;

Project buildability; and

Procurement routes.

Off Site Construction

Improved workmanship

quality and reducing

errors

Reduced Waste on Site

Reduced construction

related transport

movements

Improved Health and

Safety on site through

avoidance of accidents

Reduced construction

timescales and improved

programmes

Design for Materials Optimisation

Materials Optimisation means adopting a design approach that focuses on materials

resource efficiency so that less material is used in the design and/or less waste is produced

in the construction process, without compromising the design concept or required

performance.

There are three subsections to material optimisation:

1. Use of geosystems

2. Innovation to reduce overall material use

3. Simplification and standardisation of materials and component choices

Use of Geosystems

One such technical solution used for the design of materials optimisation is the use of

geosystems to avoid having to excavate soft foundation soils, which may be unable to

support the proposed loading from embankments or structures.

Innovation to reduce overall material use

An example of this could be to reduce the weight of a structure so that fewer/lighter materials

are needed to stabilise it, for example using fibre reinforced composites rather than cement

without affecting the performance.

Simplification and standardisation of materials and component choices

By simplifying and standardising the works of a project the level of reworking and amount of

off cuts can be potentially decreased whilst improving the buildability of the scope. Though

this tends to be considered in the detailed design stage, by including it earlier on the in

design stage the more likely it will be that standardisations will be applied.

Original Design

Materials Same

Design Concept

Think LEAN

Design for Waste Efficient Procurement

This principle focuses on the importance of developing an early integrated project team to

engage on waste minimization initiatives. One of the most important ways in which

procurement can be used to promote waste reduction is by including commitments to

reducing waste in contracts throughout the supply chain, including those for designers.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can be included in the contract with the involvement of

the design team and developed in conjunction with the principle contractor. With this

contractual targets can be created to enable requirements for waste minimisation. Examples

of this may include:

Specifying high recycled content packaging where required

Offering off-cuts to local Charities/Public

Staff training to avoid damage and spoilage (wastage)

Minimization and reuse of supplier packaging

Develop take back scheme with suppliers for unused

materials

Waste Minimization

Client

Designer Contractor

Subcontractors

End of Life - Deconstruction/Decommission

Operational Maintenance

and Refurbishment

Construction Commissioning

Phase

Design Phases

• Greater Resource Efficiency

• Lower Cost

• Specify Reusable/Recyclable materials wherever possible.

• Consider adaptability for potential future expansion

• Consider deconstruction flexibility.

• Construct with Reusable/Recyclable materials wherever possible.

• Add any required future expansions fittings/connections.

• Use easily disassembled components.

Design for Deconstruction and Flexibility

We need to consider how materials can be recovered effectively during the project

operational life cycle.

Appendix B – Prewritten Questions

Design for Reuse and Recovery

Design for Off Site Construction

Design for Materials Optimisation

Design for Deconstruction and Flexibility

Design for Waste Efficient Procurement

Are any existing foundations, structures, pavements, floor slabs or services on the site that can be reused or refurbished either in part or wholly to meet the client’s requirements?

Can the proposed site layout be matched to the existing topography to minimise the amount of earthworks?

Is imported topsoil likely to be required; if so, identify whether there are suitable materials for soil manufacture on site as an alternative, and incorporate into the cut/fill balance?

What structural materials are being used? Can similar materials be used that have a recycled content or higher recycled content?

Are there large structural elements in the design such as culvert sections or bridge sections? Can these be constructed off site?

Are there any measures required on site to enable off site construction to be used (e.g. amendments to entrances and exits, requirements for space and height at relevant stages of construction).

Are ground improvement techniques likely to be required if weak foundation soils are present?

Can work platforms be maximised for the use of recycled and secondary aggregates and integrate into the permanent works?

Are there any structural solutions that use less material and simplify the structural solutions as much as possible?

Is future expansion or modification of the construction likely to be required and if measures need to be included in the design to facilitate this.

What are the implications of Design for Deconstruction and Flexibility to major elements in the compound?

What are the requirements of demolition contractor with the client to maximise reuse, recovery and recycling?

What are the procurement routes responsible for the identified waste streams and initiate discussions with potential contractors and/or subcontractors to identify ways to minimise these?

What are the waste minimisation initiatives with the client and are they embedded in drawings, specifications and contracts?

Appendix C – Options Matrix

Appendix C – Options Matrix Template and Table

Project Name Date Idea Matrix Position

Appendix D – Actions Form and Example Actions Form Project Name

Date Idea Action (including responsibility)

Metric Completion Date

Example of Action Form

Project Name

Date Idea Action (including responsibility)

Metric Completion Date

Joe Blogs Bridge

01/02/17 Reduce carbon by using carbon reduced cement

Use carbon tool kit to test how much carbon saved – JB

Tonnes of carbon reduced

02/03/17

Joe Blogs Bridge

01/02/17 Reuse timber to create bird boxes

Look into how much excess timber likely to have – FP

Tonnes of waste reused

02/03/17

Possible metrics include: cost savings (including material and disposal cost savings);

waste reduction; carbon reduction; time savings; labours saving