Investigation of efficient practices of construction and demolition waste management

The generation of construction waste is critical due to its adverse environmental impact. This work assesses the construction and demolition waste (CDW) scenario in construction sites of Chennai and Kerala, India. The primary sources of CDW generation are procurement issues, waste handling, improper design, poor management, human factors and a lack of awareness. A mixed method approach analyses the effectiveness and statistically identifies the highly efficient practice of seven best practice measures of CDW. A structural equation model depicts the relationship between waste generation and management practices. The best fit among the factors of CDW is estimated. Proper procurement and design phases are the most efficient best practices observed in the current study. Creating awareness and handling materials are the least efficient practices. The significant findings benefit all stakeholders and policymakers in the construction sector to meet the United Nations sustainable development goal 11: sustainable cities and communities.