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Exploratory Data Analysis and Data Envelopment Analysis of Construction and Demolition Waste Management in the European Economic Area

Author

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  • Guillermo L. Taboada

    (Computer Architecture Group, CITIC, Universidade da Coruña, Campus de Elviña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain)

  • Isabel Seruca

    (Research on Economics, Management and Information Technologies (REMIT), Universidade Portucalense, Rua Dr. António Bernardino Almeida, 541 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
    ISTTOS, Centro Algoritmi, University of Minho, Campus Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal)

  • Cristina Sousa

    (Research on Economics, Management and Information Technologies (REMIT), Universidade Portucalense, Rua Dr. António Bernardino Almeida, 541 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
    Iscte-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Dinâmia’CET, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Ángeles Pereira

    (Department of Applied Economics, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain)

Abstract

This paper deals with the efficiency and sustainability of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) management in 30 Member States of the European Economic Area (EEA) (the 28 European Union countries plus Norway and Iceland) for the period 2010–2016 using Exploratory Data Analytics (EDA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The first stage of the proposed methodology is EDA with already available (the CDW recovery rate) and suggested indicators (e.g., building stock characterization, dwelling occupancy ratio, macroeconomic ratios and CDW breakdown) to characterize the efficiency and sustainability of CDW management. The second stage is to assess the efficiency of countries using DEA through two original CDW production models, one for sustainability, measuring the efficiency of the construction sector for reducing its CDW, and the second a model to score the efficiency of maximizing the CDW recovery rate. The main outcome of the paper is the proposed methodology, which is a candidate for replacing current indicators in order to evaluate the performance of CDW policy, due to is adaptive nature, promoting the continuous improvement and overcoming the limitations of the poor quality of metrics, data and parametric indicators. The methodology has been experimentally validated using Eurostat data for 30 Member States of EEA, ranking them according to the two DEA model scores, to point out the countries considered efficient among those of their scale, as a reference for sustainable and efficient practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Guillermo L. Taboada & Isabel Seruca & Cristina Sousa & Ángeles Pereira, 2020. "Exploratory Data Analysis and Data Envelopment Analysis of Construction and Demolition Waste Management in the European Economic Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-25, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:12:p:4995-:d:373335
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Simone Rusci & Diego Altafini & Valerio Di Pinto, 2021. "Urban Demolition: Application of Blight Elimination Programs and Flood Buyout Programs to the Italian Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-21, August.
    2. Georgios F. Banias & Christos Karkanias & Maria Batsioula & Lefteris D. Melas & Apostolos E. Malamakis & Dimitris Geroliolios & Stamatia Skoutida & Xenofon Spiliotis, 2022. "Environmental Assessment of Alternative Strategies for the Management of Construction and Demolition Waste: A Life Cycle Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-12, August.
    3. Chunhong Chen & Ronggui Liu & Pinghua Zhu & Hui Liu & Xinjie Wang, 2020. "Carbonization Durability of Two Generations of Recycled Coarse Aggregate Concrete with Effect of Chloride Ion Corrosion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Jianying Lai & Runnan Wan & Heap-Yih Chong & Xiaofeng Liao, 2025. "Digital Intelligence in Building Lifecycle Management: A Mixed-Methods Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-24, June.
    5. Carlos D. A. Loureiro & Caroline F. N. Moura & Mafalda Rodrigues & Fernando C. G. Martinho & Hugo M. R. D. Silva & Joel R. M. Oliveira, 2022. "Steel Slag and Recycled Concrete Aggregates: Replacing Quarries to Supply Sustainable Materials for the Asphalt Paving Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-31, April.
    6. Caroline Santana Rangel & Mayara Amario & Marco Pepe & Enzo Martinelli & Romildo Dias Toledo Filho, 2020. "Durability of Structural Recycled Aggregate Concrete Subjected to Freeze-Thaw Cycles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-21, August.

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