Abstract

In June 2009, Waikato Regional Council commissioned Waste Not Consulting to research the procurement practices of territorial authorities’ (TAs) in the Waikato region, specifically in relation to council civil works. The purpose of the research was to investigate whether current TA policies and processes are stimulating, or could be used to stimulate, the use of four specific recycled materials in council civil works (i.e. crushed concrete, composts/mulches, crushed glass, recycled timber). This research followed on from a recommendation made in a strategic review of waste flows and infrastructure in the Waikato conducted by SKM in 2007 . The project also investigated procurement policies and practices relating to the use of energy efficient street lighting technologies.

The purpose of the project was to investigate how Environment Waikato and the region’s TAs can better drive waste minimisation and local economic development from within their own organisations by using recycled materials in civil works projects (e.g. roading, water services, parks and reserves and building services). An additional goal was to investigate opportunities for Waikato TAs to achieve greater energy efficiency through improving street lighting design and technology.

Recycled Materials in Civil Works and Energy Efficient Street Lighting: A Review of Waikato Territorial Authorities’ Procurement Practices [PDF, 1 MB]

Contents
	Executive Summary	1
1	Project background and objectives	5
1.1	Background	5
1.2	Objectives	6
1.3	Terminology	6
1.4	Report structure	7
2	Project Methodology	8
2.1	Background research	8
2.2	Face to face interviews and surveys	9
2.3	Data analysis and surveys	9
3	Local government context	10
3.1	Using recycled materials in civil works.	10
3.2	Council policies, strategies and plans.	11
3.3	Council Land development standards and guidelines.	11
3.4	Examples of NZ local authority procurement practices for civil works	13
3.4.1	Palmerston North	13
3.4.2	Christchurch City Council	13
3.4.3	North Shore City Council and Waikatere City Council	15
3.4.4	Further examples from local governments in NZ	16
4	Recycled materials in civil works	18
4.1	Quantities of four key waste materials in the Waikato	18
4.2	Crushed concrete	20
4.2.1	Description and uses	20
4.2.2	Demand in civil works	20
4.2.3	Key literature and resources	21
4.3	Processed organic wastes	23
4.3.1	Description and uses	23
4.3.2	Demand in civil works	23
4.4	Crushed glass	24
4.4.1	Description and uses	24
4.4.2	Demand in civil works	25
4.5	Recycled timber	26
5	Energy-efficient street lighting	28
5.1	Introduction	28
5.2	Background information	28
5.3	Role of the electricity commission	30
5.4	Energy-efficient street lighting project electricity commission	30
6	Survey results	32
6.1	Introduction	32
6.2	Procurement and sustainability policies	32
6.3	Existing uses for recycled materials in civil works	33
6.4	Potential for future use of recycled materials in civil works	34
6.4.1	Drivers, barriers and future initiatives	36
6.5	Tender processes and standard specifications	38
6.6	Quantity and cost data	39
6.6.1	Waste and recycling quantity data	39
6.6.2	Quantity data for compost and aggregate use	40
6.6.3	Cost data	40
6.7	Street lighting	41
6.8	Proposed role for Environment Waikato	42
7	Feedback from contractors and suppliers	44
7.1	Contractors	44
7.2	Concrete and aggregate manufacturers and suppliers	45
8	Summary and conclusions	47
9	Recommendations	49
9.1	Recycled materials in civil works	49
9.2	Energy-efficient street lighting	53
	References	54
Appendix A	TA Survey	56
Appendix B	NZWASTE and WASTEMINZ notices	57
Appendix C	Street lighting proposal	58

Recycled Materials in Civil Works and Energy Efficient Street Lighting: A Review of Waikato Territorial Authorities’ Procurement Practices

Abstract

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