Analysis of the factors stimulating and conditioning application of reverse logistics in construction

Waste minimization and recycling are principles of the concept of sustainable development that is now globally introduced. Construction in the sense of manufacturing goods and construction and exploitation of buildings generates a significant amount of waste. Therefore, the developing of the concept of waste management and the reverse logistics is implemented to the construction industry. A statement released by the European Commission on July 1, 2014, indicates, however, the presence of inefficient management of raw materials in construction. The primary purpose of initiatives published in the statement is to increase the efficiency of resource management by new and renovated buildings and also by the reduction of their overall impact on the environment that occurs in all phases of building life cycle. The main idea of the article is to define the concept of reverse logistics in relation to the construction industry and to analyze factors stimulating and conditioning the implementation of reverse logistics in construction projects, while giving the expected results. Physical flow of raw materials and products in the building life cycle has been analyzed. The article discusses the allocation of reverse logistics tasks among the participants of investment process, so that it has become an economically effective and profiting branch for construction companies along with a profitable environmental aspect. Problems that should be taken into consideration in order to manage the waste and raw material in construction in an effective way have also been indicated. As a conclusion, article shows an example of reverse logistics model, that may be the foundation for creating a decision making supporting system. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of the Operational Research in Sustainable Development and Civil Engineering meeting of EURO working group and 15th German-Lithuanian-Polish colloquium.