- Joining forces with the Veditum India Foundation, pioneering voice in sustainable construction, Kesarjan Building Centre Private Limited, is pushing the boundaries of what we discard.
- Construction and demolition (C&D) waste—a gritty underdog in the building materials world—is stepping into the spotlight.
We’ve been scooping the bottom of our rivers like they’re infinite sandpits. But while our cities rise taller and wider, our rivers face an unprecedented strain and are left gasping for breath. Sand mining in India has gone from necessary to downright destructive, eroding riverbanks, draining aquifers, and bulldozing biodiversity along the way. And the irony? We’re doing this all in the name of building a “sustainable” future.
That’s the intriguing shift explored in the latest edition of Sediment Stories, a dialogue series hosted by Veditum India Foundation. Instead of mining riverbeds, what if we mined our construction waste—those broken bricks, concrete chunks, and leftover tiles that usually get dumped and forgotten?
The Potential of Construction and Demolition Waste
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Material Composition | Includes bricks, concrete, tiles, and other building materials |
| Availability | Often segregated at construction sites |
| Recyclability | Can be crushed and remixed to create lean concrete |
Enter construction and demolition (C&D) waste—a gritty underdog in the building materials world that’s suddenly stepping into the spotlight. The conversation featured a pioneering voice in sustainable construction who is proving that what we discard can actually build us a better, greener tomorrow.
Turns out, we don’t have to wreck rivers to raise walls. By replacing sand with recycled aggregates and industrial leftovers like fly ash, we can cut down on environmental damage while keeping buildings strong and stylish. So maybe it’s time we looked beyond the riverbed—and into the debris pile—because the future of construction might just be hiding in yesterday’s demolition.
A Journey into Sustainable Construction
“Engineering and environmental consciousness brought me here,” he said. “What we’ve built today is the result of years of collaboration with family, engineers, and professionals.”
— Kesar Sarda, Founder, Kesarjan Building Centre Private Limited
Kesar Sarda, an alumnus of CEPT University, Ahmedabad, recounted his journey into sustainable construction and explained how his facility processes construction and demolition waste.
He says that construction and demolition waste is often segregated at construction sites, making it an ideal source of raw material. “We receive the waste, crush it, and sort it by size. Instead of washing the aggregate, which is costly, we keep the process simple—remixing segregated components to create lean concrete for bricks and blocks. This low-energy approach retains valuable silt, reducing waste and enhancing the product’s quality.”
Innovative Materials and Techniques
Beyond construction and demolition waste, Kesarjan Pvt. Ltd. also incorporates other pozzolanic materials like finely crushed bricks (surkhi) and ceramic tiles. “These materials react well with lime, forming strong, durable bricks and blocks. The mix of different waste components also results in unique colours, making our products visually appealing,” he explains.
These bricks have been used for load-bearing walls, paving blocks, and even domes. “Our bricks test at around 7.5 MPa—nearly double the strength of conventional bricks in Gujarat,” he said. Despite challenges in cost and policy, his team has produced M30-grade self-compacting concrete using 100% recycled aggregates. He says, “Research supports replacing up to 30% of traditional aggregate without compromising quality. The IS codes are beginning to reflect this potential.”
The Challenges and Opportunities
- Sand mining poses a significant challenge for sustainable construction.
- Recycled aggregates can serve as an alternative to river sand, which is often over-exploited.
- However, recycling C&D waste is more expensive, especially without subsidies for waste disposal or collection.
- The government can play a crucial role in encouraging entrepreneurship in this sector by offering free or low-cost delivery of C&D waste.
River sand remains cheap—around Rs. 800 per tonne in Ahmedabad—but its environmental cost is immense. Recycling C&D waste is more expensive, especially without subsidies for waste disposal or collection. “If the government offered free or low-cost delivery of C&D waste, recycled products could become more affordable, and we could compete with river sand,” Sarda pointed out.
The Future of Sustainable Construction
No special expertise is required to use recycled bricks in cavity wall construction for improved insulation. Cavity walls can enhance thermal mass, but proper drainage and ventilation are crucial to prevent moisture condensation. This is a highly effective technique in areas with extreme temperatures.
“We’ve come a long way since the early days of sustainable construction. What we’ve built today is the result of years of collaboration with family, engineers, and professionals,” Sarda reflected. “When we started, people doubted whether recycled bricks could match conventional ones. Now, major projects use them confidently. The shift in mindset has been significant.”
The Importance of Innovation and Collaboration
The session reinforced the importance of innovative solutions in addressing construction waste, sand mining, and sustainable development. It underscored that addressing sediment overextraction, construction waste, and urban expansion demands more than policy—it calls for innovation, collaboration, and courage to build differently.
The conversation with Kesarjan Building Centre Private Limited highlighted the potential of recycled construction materials in revolutionizing the building industry.