Whether you work for a waste management company, a planning authority, a waste disposal authority or are a professional engaged in the procurement or development of waste facilities this guide is for you. This guide:
■ outlines the key design principles for waste facilities
■ references and signposts relevant existing design documentation
■ explains how good design is central to the delivery processes, highlighting key design considerations, the stakeholders involved and their respective roles.
The waste management industry is learning from good design practice being applied successfully in other development sectors and there are many examples of good design that the waste industry can already be proud of. Research for this guide included extensive discussions with waste management professionals, consultation with organisations that play a role in the procurement and delivery of new waste facilities, a programme of waste facility visits and a review of a wide range of published design literature. Much of the existing literature has been produced for non-waste industry audiences but most aspects of good design are common to all development types.
Good design is not a simple case of replicating approaches adopted elsewhere. It cannot be used as a 'shopping list' to achieve a pastiche of a model facility or indeed a tick box way of achieving a successful planning outcome. Good design needs to be bespoke; tailored to the needs of each site, its setting, the specific demands of the project and the local environment. It is about much more than whether facilities look good. Design embraces various themes including scale, mass, layout, materials, energy efficiency as well as the more intangible aspects of aesthetics and good place making.
Technology will also play a big part in decisions. Many authorities are looking to the future and exploring reductions in carbon emissions through combined heat and power (CHP), composting and anaerobic digestion (AD). Each technology type may need a different design response. All will need to respond appropriately to the site and its context.