The development of concrete technology results in a new generation of cement-based concrete such as high-performance concrete, self-compacting concrete and high-performance, self-compacting concrete. These concretes are characterised by better parameters not only in terms of strength and durability but also rheology of the mixtures. Obtaining such properties requires the adoption of a different composition and proportion of ingredients than ordinary concrete. The greater share of cement in these concretes causes an increase in the energy consumption and emissions (per unit of concrete volume) at the production stage. However, use of new generation concrete allows for a reduction of overall dimensions of a structural element, due to the increased strength parameters. Such a solution may finally result in lower consumption of resources and energy, as well as a decrease of gas emissions. The article presents the results of a comparative environmental analysis of ordinary and new generation concrete structures.

A circular economy requires closed circuits of consumed resources. Construction generates approximately 50% of solid waste globally, which is difficult to manage. The aim of this article was to identify the factors that determine the development of circular construction in the context of waste minimisation in the life cycle of building structures. The identification of cause-and-effect relationships by means of the DEMATEL method allows the problems of construction waste management to be taken into account in the context of the development of sustainable construction and fulfilling the principles of the circular economy.

Realization of Millennium Development Goals should be also reflected in construction industry. Sustainable consumption and production patterns can be associated with implementing and developing reverse logistics system on construction site to close the supply chain of construction materials. Initiating activities are undertaken already at the construction site, conditioning thereby further possibilities of resource recovery, stages of the recovery process, and total costs. Hence, the type, quantity and the quality of waste affect the cost of its collection – which can be a significant item in a project's budget. The paper provides an overview of the existing national recovery systems and waste policies to provide background for the case study. A crucial part of the research is an analysis of three waste management scenarios for a particular construction project. “Anthropocentric”, “current” and “ecocentric” approaches were studied in terms of waste collection costs. Two extreme approaches were created as an alternative to usual waste management policy applied on construction site. The “antropocentric” approach is a reflection of ill-conceived waste management - assuming no segregation, which leads to high costs of waste processing. The “ecocentric” approach, in turn, assumes direct sales of sorted waste at lower prices, and also by reverse logistics within the project, thereby providing cost savings. The results show that policy of waste disposal encourages and even forces entrepreneurs to implement reverse logistics despite the additional duties and requirements. General conclusions of research confirm that currently operating systems of waste management on site are sustainable, but nevertheless, it is still possible to make them more eco-efficient and, at the same time, more profitable. This was proved in the analysis of the “Ecocentric” scenario, which could be also called as “Economic”

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste management should be accordance with the waste management hierarchy. In practice, C&D waste are often downcycling. It is the result of many factors, including lack of awareness about the value inherent in waste. The paper presents analysis of the adaptability of non-destructive testing (NDT) methods for technical assessment of waste properties. As part of the work, non-destructive testing methods were described and classified in accordance with material and the features they enable testing. The publication presents examples of the use of NDT in the recovery of building materials during construction projects, in the field of influence of technical information of waste on the way it is managed. Finally, a scheme of waste management process during the renovation of an object with the application of NDT methods was presented.

The aim of the article is to analyze existing foreign experiences presented in the literature in the field of estimating demolition waste and their applicability in Poland condition. Using the case study method for more than a dozen objects, the authors prove the necessity to verify the suitability of the proposed models in relation to regional conditions (e.g. climatic conditions, local technologies, etc.). The amount of concrete waste from demolition of objects made in the analyzed technology is characterized by a low coefficient of variation, especially in the case of public facilities and is only 10%. However, in the case of residential buildings, the volatility was 16,7%. The calculated average index of concrete waste was compared with the two literature models. The results obtained differ from the values obtained from the models. Based on an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the selected models and their assumptions, a proposal has been formulated for the development of an effective tool for estimating demolition waste taking into account regional specific conditions together with the concept of sustainable construction. The focus was on waste from demolition of concrete objects.