Assessment of the Ecological Footprint of Construction and Demolition Waste in Residential Buildings

This research analyzes the feasibility of obtaining a real Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) footprint by quantifying and analyzing waste gen-erated in two residential developments. The aim is for the CDW footprint obtained during construction to serve as a reference for similar future projects, enabling more accurate waste management estimates. The methodology combines theoret-ical estimation and quantitative measurement of construction waste, comparing planned estimates with actual on-site data. Calculating the CDW footprint revealed significant discrepancies between EGR and PGR estimates and actual waste: up to 18% and 27% less, respectively, for non-hazardous waste, and 400–900 times more than actual for hazardous waste. For Level I CDW, primarily generated during excavation, the footprint ranged from 3.83 m3/m2 B/R for one basement to 4.60 m3/m2 B/R for two basements. For Level II CDW, the footprint depended on the construction system: 0.50 m3/m2 S/R for traditional construction and 0.30 m3/m2 S/R for prefabricated or industrialized elements. Hazardous CDW was quantified in mass due to a lack of volumetric data, showing lower values in industrialized constructions (0.000046 t/m2 S/R) than in traditional ones (0.000075 t/m2 S/R). These findings support compliance with current regulations and provide data-driven benchmarks that promote waste minimization and eco-efficient construction practices.