Ferrovial Construction reuses up to 100% of the excavated earth and 98% of the materials recovered from demolitions at Barajas in line with its commitment to reduce the generation of waste on site and therefore environmental impact.
The works at Barajas Airport, consisting of the renovation and construction of taxiways and aprons, have shown that it is possible to achieve a link between economic and environmental profitability. The reuse of the materials generated during the execution of the project, has permitted the reduction of the generated waste after a detailed analysis of the possible uses of the waste and the substitution possibilities presented by the project.
In the four projects involved in this development, including platforms and streets, milling and demolition of asphalt agglomerate have been reused the products proceeding from the units to reach 98% of recovered materials, and in the case of demolition of concrete tracks and excavation earth, 100% has been achieved.
With this reuse and reduction of the generated waste policy, the project has achieved considerable cost savings, optimization of the construction process and environmental benefits with respect to the original design. The recycling rate obtained is over 99% for the CDW and earth, achieving a reduction in the need for natural aggregates of approximately 90,000 m3 and a more than notable reduction in energy consumption, with a consequent reduction in emissions.
Reuse of products: a technique that guarantees quality
The reuse of products “in situ” makes it possible to reduce three types of environmental impact. On the one hand, the reduction of waste generated on site, avoiding its management in treatment facilities or its disposal in landfills. On the other hand, it minimizes the need to exploit natural resources, thus avoiding the extraction of materials such as natural aggregates or the consumption of bitumen. Thirdly and lastly, the consumption of fuels in the transport of waste, in the exploitation of natural resources and in the transport of these materials to the construction site.
Reuse of generated products on-site requires a thorough knowledge of the project, of the subproducts to be generated and of the processes by which this subproducts can be transformed into a usable resource on site. These on-site reuse practices allow Ferrovial to continue to be a profitable company committed to the Sustainable Development Goals. A clear example of the Circular Economy.
At the forefront of these achievements at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport works were, among others, Patricia Perallón Morales, head of Quality and Environment at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport works, Manuel Calvo, Quality and Environment-Civil Works advisor, and the airport works managers José Luis Lovera de la Cruz and Ignacio Rodríguez Pérez Curiel.
