An analysis of factors influencing waste minimisation and use of recycled materials for the construction of residential buildings

Residential building construction activities, whether it is new build, repair or maintenance, consumes a large amount of natural resources. This has a negative impact on the environment in the form depleting natural resources, increasing waste production and pollution. Previous research has identified the benefits of preventing or reducing material waste, mainly in terms of the limited available space for waste disposal, and escalating costs associated with landfills, waste management and disposal and their impact on a  building company's profitability. There has however been little development internationally of innovative waste management strategies aimed at reducing the resource requirement of the construction process. The authors contend that embodied energy is a useful indicator of resource value. Using data provided by a regional high-volume residential builder in the State of Victoria, Australia, this paper identifies the various types of waste that are generated from the construction of a typical standard house. It was found that in this particular case, wasted amounts of materials were less than those found previously by others for cases in capital cities (5-10 per cent), suggesting that waste minimisation strategies are successfully being implemented. Cost and embodied energy savings from using materials with recycled content are potentially more beneficial in terms of embodied energy and resource depletion than waste minimisation strategies.

Challenging librarians : the relevance of the doctorate in professional practice

We, as librarians, are adept at challenging academics, students and administrators about the crucial role of information literacy in higher education and lifelong learning. Consequently, the push for strategic partnerships with academics is frequently in the foreground of our thinking. Concomitantly, the push for academic status for librarians is raised occasionally, particularly as a pay and equity issue. Yet, our purposes may appear somewhat misguided or rhetorical when contrasted to the nominal prerequisites required for professional practice, especially when compared with those of academics. The issues of information literacy and knowledge production within a knowledge economy compound such debate. This paper argues that ‘credential creep’ is catching up with librarians in the university sector. In order to be regarded as integral to academic endeavour, those of us who ‘teach’ information literacy may need to match the qualifications normally required by academics. Consonant with this proposal is the Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework: Principles, Standards and Practice (Bundy, 2004) of the Australian and New Zealand Institute for Information Literacy (ANZIIL) and the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL). The Framework mirrors many of the desired outcomes of a doctoral degree, a degree possessed by approximately one per cent of Australian librarians but, in comparison, by more than fi fty-four per cent of Australian academics. This paper challenges—not academics—but librarians, to embrace the notion of undertaking doctoral study to enhance our professional (or amateur) practice and our information literacy. The recommendation is derived in essence from my study on doctoral research and information literacy (Macauley, 2001). It also incorporates the current discourse on these issues and uses personal narrative to articulate the findings. It seeks also to explore those tensions and contradictions commensurate with practising what we preach.

Peter Blasby

Peter Blasby of Croatia makes a flying save. This picture won the National Soccer Photographer of the Year award in 1982 for Les Shorrock.