Project 6: Developing a methodology for construction and demolition waste trading through a blockchain platform

PhD Candidate
 
Shiyamini Ratnasabapathy
Chair SupervisorCo-Supervisor
  
Prof. Srinath PereraDr. Ali Al-Ashwal

Waste generated through Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities is considered a valuable resource. Thus, C&D waste has great potential to yield a significant volume of recovered materials into the economy either by recycling, reusing or remanufacturing. However, the recovery of resources from the C&D waste sector is not being achieved at its maximum level due to several reasons. In order to achieve the maximum recovery from C&D waste sector, a sustainable strategy that helps in improving the resource recovery and efficiency is required. Besides, lack of the national waste data platform for the collection, reporting and auditing the waste data hinders the development of effective strategies, prompting circularity of recovered waste materials through the secured market platforms. Waste trading systems enable efficient sharing and procurement of waste materials by providing a business network among waste generators and waste consumers. Such a system would promote the circularity of reusable and recycled materials and help in achieving a more ecologically sustainable environment. Blockchain as a transaction technology, can facilitate the trading of C&D waste in a more manageable, secure and transparent manner, by enabling the waste generators and waste consumers to connect without a trusted intermediary. This research, therefore, aims to develop a waste trading platform implemented through the blockchain technology.

The major outcome of this research is a blockchain technology-enabled peer-to-peer construction waste trading platform (prototype) that can be used to exchange, sell or buy (enabling money transaction and rewarding for successful waste trading) reusable and recycled waste materials. The benefits include (1) improved resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact, (2) reduction of waste management and resource input cost, (3) reliable, traceable and timely waste data (4) access to new circular business investment opportunities (including networking benefits), (5) access to industry and government collaborations, (6) reputational merits for waste generators by achieving green star rating for diversion of waste from landfill, etc.

Industry Partners

  • Landcom

Publications

  • Ratnasabapathy, S., Perera, S., Alashwal, A. and Lord, O., 2019. Assessment of Waste Generation and Diversion Rates in Residential Construction Projects in Australia. Proceedings of the CIB World Building Congress 2019, Hong Kong SAR, China, 17 – 21 June 2019, pp. 238-255. Available at: https://www.cibworld.nl/site/databases/publications.html
  • Ratnasabapathy, S., Perera, S. and Alashwal, A., 2019. A review of construction waste data and reporting systems used in Australia. Proceedings of the 43rd Australasian Universities Building Education Association (AUBEA), Noosa QLD, Australia, 6 – 8 November 2019, pp. 396-405.
  • Ratnasabapathy, S., Perera, S. and Alashwal, A., 2019. A review of smart technology usage in construction and demolition waste management. In: Sandanayake, Y.G., Gunatilake, S. and Waidyasekara, A. (eds). Proceedings of the 8th World Construction Symposium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 8-10 November 2019, pp. 45-55. DOI: doi.org/10.31705/WCS.2019.5. Available at: https://2019.ciobwcs.com/papers