Proper waste management is a requirement within the FCC Construcción Environmental Protection Policy, and, as such, its cost is assumed in the works budgets. The opportunity for waste recovery minimize the environmental, social and economic burden that waste management entails, as it becomes demonstrated in this Case Study.

Indeed, in the refurbishment of the first floor of Building 49 in the work OGMA in Portugal, it should proceed to the replacement of interior finishes, windows, electricity, air conditioning, painting, etc. The estimated cost for waste management was very high because, despite reusing existing materials, it represented almost 2% of the budget of the work.

To boost waste hierarchy and minimize waste generation, the following resolutions were adopted on site:

• All components of the luminaires were separated: fluorescent lamps, capacitors, starters, metal box and wiring .
• Fluorescent lamps were replaced by compact luminaires, which are more efficient.
• The remaining recoverable waste was segregated: air conditioning ducts (which were also flattened to reduce their volume), partition wall and suspended ceilings frames, shutters and wood.
• This recoverable waste was transported and managed by an authorized agent, which paid € 7,000 to work.

Thanks to the economic benefit obtained by making a correct segregation of reusable elements on-site, other waste management was paid with this extra income, and even little economic benefit upon the completion of the works was obtained.

In addition to the evident environmental benefit, due to the reduced need of landfills, this best practice taught the work managers that if waste management is planned adequately from the beginning, it will result positive in the financial balance of the work.