SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

Asset Classes

Focus Area

Custodial and Waste

Topic

Baseline Practices

Question #

P4.1 – More frequent or detailed Waste Audit

Question

Has a Waste Audit been completed for the building in the past year or sampling for more than 24 hours?

Applicability

All asset classes
Owner/landlord occupied building
Tenant occupied building – waste managed by the owner/landlord

Answer & Scoring

  • Yes = Points as indicated below

Select all that apply:

    • Yes – audit conducted every year = 3 points
    • Yes – waste sampling took place over two or three days = 1 point
    • Yes – waste sampling took place over more than three days = 2 points
  • No = 0 points
  • Not applicable – Tenant occupied building: Waste managed by the tenant = 0/0

Max of 5 points

Requirements

  1. Waste Audit needs to meet Requirements laid out in Question P4.0a
  2. Highlight section that provides audit date and sampling duration

At a minimum, a waste audit should be carried out every three years. Annual audits are recommended. Auditing is a scientific approach aimed at collecting precise data about the characteristics of waste, including its mass, composition, waste stream and methods of disposal. To be credible, auditing should be conducted using a trustworthy methodology. In addition, it should clearly establish the different criteria and methods of evaluation, as outlined in an initial protocol.

Documentation

  • Waste Audit Report

Suggested Lead

Third-party

Value

  • Building off P4.0a – Waste Audit, perform waste audits annually or over a longer sample period to complete a detailed analysis of a building’s waste production and management

Description

Improving waste management practices requires knowledge regarding the nature and mass of waste collected on-site. Often data provided by waste haulers is not always based on weighted data, making a reliable analysis of a building’s performance impossible. Regular auditing of the waste generated on a site is therefore recommended to gain a more accurate understanding of the volume of waste generated, size of different waste streams and where waste is taken once it leaves the building site.

References

Adapted BB 3.0 Question

Best Practice 13 – Has a Waste Audit been completed for the building in the past three years?