Recycle Glass in Construction

RECYCLE GLASS IN CONSTRUCTION
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Introduction
Glass is considered to be one of the valuable materials which are used in the building and
construction industry. This particular material has the ability to retain all its natural qualities
regardless of the number of times it is reprocessed and recycled. As a result of this quality of
glass, recycling processes assist in the saving of energy, employment creation as well as
environmental protection. In regard to the saving of energy, glass is made up of a mixture of
cheap and plentiful materials like limestone, sand and soda ash. The processes of melting such
kind of the raw materials in the furnaces usually need a huge amount of energy.1
Task 1
Problem Identification
Building components and materials play a very important role in the construction of solar
buildings. The review of literature sources has emphasized that solar architecture, as well as
intergradation, is in dire need of the productive strategies of the design which are productive to
focus on the reuse of recycled building materials2. The research work has indicated that increase
in the cost of melting raw materials as well as melting recycled glass together with the increase
in the energy prices significantly affect the cost-effectiveness of using materials which are
recycled in the production of cellular glass. This particular paper, therefore, aims at providing a
mechanism through suggestions to ensure there is the optimal use of recycled materials in the
industry of construction. The energy efficiency is therefore served as one of the top priorities.
1 Thomason, J.L., Yang, L. and Meier, R., 2014. The properties of glass fibers after conditioning at composite recycling
temperatures. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 61, pp.201-208
2 Schibille, N., Sterrett-Krause, A. and Freestone, I.C., 2017. Glass groups, glass supply, and recycling in late Roman Carthage. Archaeological
and Anthropological Sciences, 9(6), pp.1223-1241.

Research Methods
The main aim of this particular paper is a suggestion of a mechanism for realizing optimal use of
the recycled materials in the industry of construction which is also committed to serving energy
efficiency as one of the top priorities. The research was guided by the questions including:
 What are the priorities of using recycled materials as related to issues of energy
efficiency?
 Which material of the recycling process can be used in the improvement of energy
efficiency especially in the solar building?
As a research sample, recycled cellular glass was selected to assist in the development of the
inference mechanism. A combination of qualitative as well as quantitative methods was used in
the study. The problem-solving approach has been used in this particular study in answering the
research question which is closely related to the industry of constructions especially energy
protection3.
Feasibility Study
According to the feasibility study conducted on glass recycling companies, the process of
recycling can be effectively done by the use of at least two methods. These include open and
closed loop process. In the process of the closed loop, the glass material wastes are recycled back
to their main form. This implies that they take their original properties as well as initial
applications. Also in the case of the open loop process, the material recycled is used in other
processes of the product either as a raw material or as the starting point. As a result of the
3 Mohajerani, A., Vajna, J., Cheung, T.H.H., Kurmus, H., Arulrajah, A. and Horpibulsuk, S., 2017. Practical recycling applications of crushed
waste glass in construction materials: A review. Construction and Building Materials, 156, pp.443-467.

increasing volume of the municipal waste which is produced from the demolition of the building
and other old urban setups especially big cities and towns, there has been unprincipled as well as
non-technical waste disposal. This has made the process of recycling to get much attention. The
construction material price increase in the recent years as well as the need to ensure an increase
in productivity in the construction industry has made the contractors and employers look for
ways of reducing the cities of the project costs. Such attempts are also directed to reduction of
the environmental impact of glass wastes. Contractors, therefore, prefer using recycled glass
materials in the management of solar house construction costs4.
Brief and Specification
In any set up of project management, the scope of the project affects time, client, costs among
others. This particular project is not an exception.
Time: The amount of required time in the deliverable production will be directly related to the
quantity of requirement which forms part of the end results5.
Cost: The higher the amount of requirement in the product management/project management,
the higher the cost.
Client: The client will be expected to pump lots of resources in terms of materials to be used in
project management. His will go alongside being patience with the due process.
Materials: Different projects will require different materials depending on the nature of the
deliverables required. Glass waste management will also vary depending on the option taken.
4 Ling, T.C., Poon, C.S. and Wong, H.W., 2013. Management and recycling of waste glass in concrete products: Current situations in Hong
Kong. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 70, pp.25-31.
5 Kuram, E., Tasci, E., Altan, A.I., Medar, M.M., Yilmaz, F. and Ozcelik, B., 2013. Investigating the effects of recycling number and injection
parameters on the mechanical properties of glass-fiber reinforced nylon 6 using the Taguchi method. Materials & Design, 49, pp.139-150.