Course Project SCH 261 · Spring 2026
EcoBuild Bricks
Recycled Plastic Construction Materials
A sustainable R&D initiative that converts used plastic bottles and packaging waste into lightweight smart bricks, pavement tiles, garden blocks, and outdoor construction products.
Project Vision
Turn plastic waste into useful, affordable, and durable construction products for real urban projects.
Brief Idea
What is EcoBuild Bricks?
EcoBuild Bricks is a new project for a multinational research and development company. The project collects used plastic such as water bottles and plastic packaging, sorts and cleans it, then processes it with safe additives to manufacture recycled plastic bricks and tiles. These products can be used in pavements, gardens, schools, campus areas, non-load-bearing walls, benches, and small outdoor structures.
Plastic BottlesPavement TilesInterlocking BlocksGarden BlocksOutdoor FurnitureSmart QR TrackingSustainability
Company Capacity
Available Capital
230M
EGP total project capital
Employees
155
Total company workforce
Researchers
54
Assumed from 35% of 155
Duration
21
Months to expand scope
Requirement 01
Background & Business Opportunity
Plastic waste is a problem. Construction demand is an opportunity.
Current Problem
- Large amounts of plastic waste are thrown into streets, landfills, canals, and coastal areas.
- Traditional disposal wastes material value and increases environmental pressure.
- Construction projects need affordable, lightweight, and durable materials.
- Companies and institutions need visible sustainability projects that can be measured.
Business Opportunity
- Use plastic waste as a raw material instead of treating it as garbage.
- Sell recycled construction materials to municipalities, schools, campuses, contractors, gardens, and real-estate developers.
- Build a new revenue stream while improving the company’s environmental image.
- Expand company scope from R&D into sustainable manufacturing.
Value Proposition
EcoBuild Bricks provides construction products that are lighter than traditional bricks, resistant to water, cheaper to transport, and linked to measurable recycling impact. Each batch can include a QR code showing source material, recycled plastic quantity, production date, and quality-test status.
For Customers
Affordable, clean-looking, and durable blocks for pavements, gardens, schools, and outdoor projects.
For Environment
Less plastic sent to landfills and more waste converted into long-life products.
For Company
A scalable product line that expands the company’s size, image, and market scope within 21 months.
Requirement 02
Objectives of the Project
Specific targets for the 21-month implementation period.
01
Build pilot production line
02
Recycle plastic into usable bricks
03
Pass strength and durability tests
04
Launch commercial sales
05
Scale production and partnerships
Main Objectives
- Develop a tested recycled plastic brick and tile formula within the first 6 months.
- Set up a pilot manufacturing line capable of producing at least 500,000 units during the project period.
- Recycle at least 2,000 tons of plastic waste by month 21.
- Reduce production waste by reusing defective pieces in the manufacturing cycle.
- Sign at least 8 institutional customers such as campuses, schools, landscaping companies, or municipalities.
- Reach commercial readiness with quality certificates and documented testing results.
Expected Product Portfolio
Recycled Bricks
Used for non-load-bearing partitions, landscape walls, small outdoor structures, and demonstration buildings.
Pavement Tiles
Used in campus walkways, public parks, sidewalks, gardens, and outdoor pedestrian paths.
Outdoor Products
Benches, garden blocks, school seating areas, and customized recycled-plastic urban furniture.
Requirement 03
Project Constraints & Resources
Scope, risks, communication plan, and resources.
Project Scope
- Included: collection partnerships, R&D formula, pilot factory setup, production, testing, branding, sales, and reporting.
- Not included: load-bearing structural building systems, full national expansion, or replacing all traditional brick markets in the first 21 months.
- Target applications: pavements, gardens, non-load-bearing walls, campus areas, schools, and outdoor furniture.
Major Constraints
- Time: 21 months only from planning to measurable expansion.
- Budget: total capital limit of 230M EGP.
- Quality: products must pass strength, water, heat, and durability tests.
- Supply: stable access to sorted plastic waste is required.
- Regulation: product must meet safety and environmental requirements.
Resources Allocation
| Resource | Allocation | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| R&D Team | 24 researchers | Material formulation, testing, quality improvement, smart QR traceability system. |
| Production Team | 48 employees | Sorting, cleaning, extrusion/molding, maintenance, packaging. |
| Operations & Supply | 28 employees | Waste collection contracts, logistics, supplier management, inventory. |
| Sales & Partnerships | 18 employees | Institutional customers, municipalities, contractors, schools, campuses. |
| Finance, HR, Legal, Admin | 17 employees | Contracts, cost control, compliance, recruitment, reporting. |
| Quality & HSE | 20 employees | Safety, testing, product inspection, environmental performance. |
Communication Plan
| Stakeholder | Method | Frequency | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Board | Dashboard + meeting | Monthly | Budget, milestones, risks, KPI progress. |
| Project Team | Stand-up meeting | Weekly | Tasks, blockers, safety issues, next actions. |
| Suppliers & Collectors | Contract review call | Biweekly | Plastic quantity, contamination rate, delivery schedule. |
| Customers | Email, proposals, visits | As needed | Samples, prices, delivery terms, warranty. |
| Regulators / Labs | Formal reports | Per test phase | Certificates, compliance documents, lab results. |
Requirement 04
Risk Management
How the project risks will be managed.
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Management Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unstable plastic supply | Medium | High | Sign contracts with multiple collectors, schools, supermarkets, and waste companies; keep one-month raw-material buffer. |
| Product fails strength tests | Medium | High | Run iterative lab tests, use safe additives, cooperate with certified material-testing labs, and start with non-load-bearing applications. |
| Customer acceptance is slow | Medium | Medium | Provide samples, pilot installations, warranty, before/after visuals, and sustainability certificates. |
| Cost overrun | Low-Med | High | Use phased purchasing, 10% contingency, monthly cost control, and approval gates before large equipment payments. |
| Safety issue in production | Low | High | Apply HSE training, PPE, machine guards, fire safety systems, and regular safety audits. |
| Competitor imitation | Medium | Medium | Protect formula, build brand, secure early partnerships, and use smart QR impact tracking as differentiation. |
Risk Control Process
01
Identify risk
02
Rate probability and impact
03
Assign risk owner
04
Apply response plan
05
Review monthly
Requirement 05
Project Cost Management
Plan cost management, cost estimation, budget determination, and cost control.
Total Capital
230M
EGP
Planned Spending
207M
EGP direct project budget
Contingency
23M
10% reserve
| Cost Category | Estimated Cost | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Land, facility preparation & utilities | 35M EGP | Factory area, electrical setup, water, safety systems, storage areas. |
| Machinery & production line | 72M EGP | Sorting, washing, shredding, melting/extrusion, molding, cooling, packaging. |
| R&D and testing | 22M EGP | Formula trials, lab testing, certifications, quality improvement. |
| Raw-material collection & logistics | 18M EGP | Collection contracts, trucks, storage, supplier payments. |
| Salaries and training | 31M EGP | Staff salaries, training, safety workshops, technical specialists. |
| Marketing and sales | 11M EGP | Branding, website, samples, exhibitions, customer visits. |
| IT and smart tracking system | 8M EGP | QR traceability, production dashboard, inventory software. |
| Legal, permits, insurance | 5M EGP | Licenses, contracts, insurance, compliance. |
| Operations and maintenance | 5M EGP | Spare parts, repairs, consumables, utilities during pilot. |
| Subtotal | 207M EGP | Planned project spending before reserve. |
| Contingency Reserve | 23M EGP | Reserved for unexpected costs. |
Cost Control
- Monthly budget variance reports.
- Purchase approval for any expense above 1M EGP.
- Competitive quotations for equipment and suppliers.
- Earned value tracking for schedule and budget performance.
- Separate contingency account controlled by project sponsor.
Budget Determination
The budget is determined using bottom-up estimation: each work package is estimated, then combined into the full project budget. A 10% reserve is added because equipment, testing, and raw-material logistics can change during implementation.
Requirement 06
Network Diagram
A clean activity-on-node graph showing the full process from waste collection to market scale.
This graph contains 25 activities, shows the correct project logic, and makes the process easy to explain in the report or presentation.
01 — Project initiation and control
A01
Project charter
approve project
→
A02
Assign PM
project control
→
A03
Feasibility
market + technical
→
A04
Budget baseline
cost plan
→
A05
Risk register
main risks
02 — Parallel work streams after approval
R&D
A06
Product specs
brick requirements
→
A07
Plastic formula
mix + additives
→
A08
Prototype mold
sample design
→
A09
Make samples
trial bricks
→
A10
Lab testing
strength + water
Supply
A11
Waste partners
collection contracts
→
A12
Sorting system
plastic separation
→
A13
Wash & shred
clean input
→
A14
Raw storage
ready material
↘
READY
Clean feedstock
supports pilot run
Facility
A15
Select facility
factory space
→
A16
Buy machines
production line
→
A17
Install line
ready to operate
→
A18
Train operators
safety + quality
↗
READY
Factory ready
supports pilot run
Convergence point: R&D output, clean plastic feedstock, and ready production line meet before the pilot run starts.
03 — Pilot production, quality control, and certification
A19
Pilot run
small batch
→
A20
Quality control
reject defects
→
A21
Certification
external lab
→
A22
QR tracking
batch traceability
→
A23
Demo projects
real examples
04 — Market preparation, launch, and scale-up
A24
Brand package
sales materials
→
A25
Launch sales
market entry
→
FIN
Scale up
month 21 goal
→
OUT
Expanded scope
new product line
→
VALUE
Waste to value
recycling impact
Critical Path
R&D
Supply Chain
Facility Setup
Pilot / Launch
How to read it: the project begins with approval and control. Then three streams run in parallel: product R&D, plastic-waste supply, and facility setup. These streams converge before the pilot run, then the project continues to testing, certification, demo projects, launch sales, and scale-up.
Critical Path Logic
Main Critical Path
A01 → A02 → A03 → A04 → A06 → A07 → A08 → A09 → A10 → A19 → A20 → A21 → A23 → A25 → FIN.
Parallel Work
Supply-chain activities A11–A14 and facility activities A15–A18 run in parallel with R&D. This shortens the schedule and helps the company reach the 21-month target without waiting for one long sequence.
Activity List — 25 Required Activities
| Code | Activity | Main Dependency | Process Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| A01 | Approve project charter | Start | Authorize the project and define its purpose. |
| A02 | Assign project manager and core team | A01 | Create clear responsibility for execution. |
| A03 | Complete feasibility study | A02 | Check market demand, technical possibility, and expected return. |
| A04 | Approve budget baseline | A03 | Set spending limits for the 230M EGP capital. |
| A05 | Create risk register | A03 | List key risks and assign risk owners. |
| A06 | Define product specifications | A04 | Set strength, size, weight, and use requirements. |
| A07 | Develop recycled plastic formula | A06 | Choose plastic type, additives, and safe mixing ratio. |
| A08 | Design prototype mold | A07 | Prepare the first brick/tile shape. |
| A09 | Produce sample bricks | A08 | Create trial units for testing. |
| A10 | Conduct internal lab testing | A09 | Test strength, water resistance, heat behavior, and durability. |
| A11 | Sign plastic-waste supplier contracts | A04 | Secure stable raw-material supply. |
| A12 | Set sorting process | A11 | Separate suitable plastic from unsuitable waste. |
| A13 | Set washing and shredding process | A12 | Prepare clean plastic flakes for production. |
| A14 | Prepare raw-material storage | A13 | Keep clean plastic safe and ready for production. |
| A15 | Select and prepare facility | A04 | Prepare factory space, utilities, and safety areas. |
| A16 | Purchase production machines | A15 | Buy molding, extrusion, cooling, and cutting equipment. |
| A17 | Install production line | A16 | Make machines ready for operation. |
| A18 | Recruit and train operators | A17 | Train staff on safety, production, and quality control. |
| A19 | Run pilot production batch | A10, A14, A18 | Produce the first controlled batch using real inputs. |
| A20 | Perform quality-control inspection | A19 | Reject defective units and confirm stable output. |
| A21 | Obtain external certification | A20 | Use third-party testing to support market trust. |
| A22 | Set QR batch tracking system | A20 | Track production batches and recycled-content data. |
| A23 | Install demo projects | A21, A22 | Show real use in walkways, gardens, or school spaces. |
| A24 | Prepare branding and sales materials | A21 | Create catalogues, product sheets, and customer proposals. |
| A25 | Launch sales and scale production | A23, A24 | Start commercial sales and increase output. |
Requirement 07
Logical Framework
Strategy, assumptions, purpose, goals, and outcomes.
| Level | Description | Indicators | Means of Verification | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Goal | Reduce plastic waste and support sustainable construction in Egypt. | Tons of plastic recycled; number of sustainable installations. | Monthly recycling records, installation reports, customer contracts. | Customers and institutions value sustainability. |
| Purpose | Launch a profitable recycled plastic construction material product line within 21 months. | Commercial launch completed; positive sales growth; product passes quality tests. | Sales reports, lab certificates, financial statements. | Product quality remains stable at larger scale. |
| Outcomes | Pilot factory operating, tested products ready, suppliers and customers contracted. | Production capacity, signed contracts, test pass rate, customer retention. | Factory logs, signed MOUs, test records, CRM database. | Raw materials are available and machinery works efficiently. |
| Outputs | Brick formula, pilot line, trained team, smart tracking dashboard, sales materials. | Formula approved, 155 staff allocated, QR tracking active, demo sites installed. | Technical files, HR training records, dashboard reports, site photos. | Team can be trained quickly and safely. |
| Activities | R&D, sourcing, production setup, testing, marketing, sales, risk control. | Activity completion percentage and milestone dates. | Project schedule, progress reports, meeting minutes. | No major external delay blocks project approvals. |
Requirement 08
KPIs, Verification & Measurement
How project performance will be measured.
| KPI | Target by Month 21 | Measurement Parameter | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic recycled | 2,000 tons | Tons collected and processed monthly | Weighbridge reports and supplier invoices |
| Production volume | 500,000 units | Number of bricks/tiles produced | Production logs and inventory system |
| Product pass rate | ≥ 95% | Percentage passing strength/water/heat tests | Internal QC and external lab certificates |
| Cost per unit | Within approved budget | EGP/unit including materials, labor, overhead | Finance reports and cost sheets |
| Institutional customers | At least 8 customers | Signed contracts or purchase orders | Sales contracts and CRM records |
| Revenue | At least 65M EGP | Total sales from recycled products | Invoices and financial statements |
| Customer satisfaction | ≥ 85% | Survey score after installation | Customer feedback forms |
| Safety performance | Zero major accidents | Number of major safety incidents | HSE reports and incident logs |
| Budget variance | ≤ 10% | Actual cost vs planned cost | Monthly budget control dashboard |
| Delivery reliability | ≥ 90% on-time | Orders delivered on or before agreed date | Delivery notes and customer confirmation |
KPI Dashboard Example
Operational Progress
Commercial Progress
Final Section
Assumptions & Conclusion
Assume missed information and place it clearly in the project assumptions.
Project Assumptions
- 35% of 155 employees equals approximately 54 researchers; the project uses 24 of them directly.
- The company already has legal ability to operate in Egypt and can create manufacturing partnerships.
- The first products are for non-load-bearing uses only until further structural certification is obtained.
- Plastic waste can be collected through contracts with collectors, schools, supermarkets, and municipalities.
- All additives used in production are safe and compliant with environmental requirements.
- Prices and costs are planning estimates and may change after supplier quotations.
Final Conclusion
EcoBuild Bricks is a strong project because it connects recycling with a real industrial use. Instead of only collecting plastic, the company transforms waste into products that can be sold and used in construction, landscaping, and public spaces. Within 21 months, the project can expand the company’s size and scope by creating a new sustainable manufacturing line, increasing revenue, improving brand image, and reducing plastic waste.
Extra Project Strength
Innovation
The project does not only recycle plastic; it transforms waste into a measurable construction product with QR batch tracking.
Practical Use
Products can be used in walkways, garden blocks, schools, campuses, benches, and non-load-bearing outdoor areas.
Business Impact
The initiative creates a new manufacturing line, new customers, and a clear sustainability identity for the company.