Influential factors on using reclaimed and recycled building materials

Abstract

When resources are in decline, opportunities to create circular resource flows cannot be ignored. Reuse and recycling of building materials can significantly contribute to these efforts. Reuse and recycling of building materials and consumption of reclaimed and recycled building materials as environmental practices have potential to enhance resource efficiency in the construction industry, leading to a reduction in the amount of waste produced and energy consumed. Counting the use of reclaimed and recycled building materials as a pro-environmental behavior and studying the influential factors is one of the first steps towards establishing this behavior. It is important to have a comprehensive view of the process in which the pro-environmental behavior is generated and it can therefore be useful to study relevant variables influencing pro-environmental behaviors. A current lack of quantitative data linking these issues hinders the effectiveness of solutions. This paper investigates some of the factors influencing use of reclaimed and recycled building materials based on the perceptions of the main stakeholders of the construction industry in New Zealand, discussing these in the context of literature. Results show that price and self-satisfaction are the most influential factors among the factors we examined, and age, gender, and income are predictors of these factors. We also note that environmentalists and regulators are less positive, and producers and consumers are more positive about barriers against the use of reclaimed and recycled building materials. The study results can help direct and focus efforts to divert waste from landfill.