Fundamentals of Building Deconstruction as a Circular Economy Strategy for the Reuse of Construction Materials
The construction industry is one of the most environmentally detrimental industries in the world, impacting directly the use of raw materials, their determination of use involving the whole lifecycle, as well as all their surrounding environment. However, within the building sector, the transition f...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/3/939 |
| _version_ | 1797409124637474816 |
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| author | Gaetano Bertino Johannes Kisser Julia Zeilinger Guenter Langergraber Tatjana Fischer Doris Österreicher |
| author_facet | Gaetano Bertino Johannes Kisser Julia Zeilinger Guenter Langergraber Tatjana Fischer Doris Österreicher |
| author_sort | Gaetano Bertino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The construction industry is one of the most environmentally detrimental industries in the world, impacting directly the use of raw materials, their determination of use involving the whole lifecycle, as well as all their surrounding environment. However, within the building sector, the transition from a linear to a circular economy is still at an early stage. Business models need to be reconsidered to include new and improved methods and innovative services that could lead to a net reduction in the use of resources and minimizing the waste disposed on landfills. In this context, an important role in buildings’ circularity is “deconstruction”, which is understood as a well-considered selective dismantlement of building components, in prevision of a future reuse, repurposing, or recycling. It represents a sustainable alternative to common demolition, which tends to be an arbitrary and destructive process, and although faster and cheaper, it typically creates a substantial amount of waste. The purpose of this article is to analyze the deconstruction potential of buildings and the strategies to apply in order to keep the impacts on the urban environment low. The article aims to facilitate the implementation of circular economy strategies for buildings by proposing common principles for deconstruction as a sustainable alternative to demolition and defining the key points to be applied during the design and planning process regardless of the type of construction system or material used. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:08:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-89b3e65767ee475e89262c85ef78e3fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:08:49Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-89b3e65767ee475e89262c85ef78e3fb2023-12-03T14:02:56ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172021-01-0111393910.3390/app11030939Fundamentals of Building Deconstruction as a Circular Economy Strategy for the Reuse of Construction MaterialsGaetano Bertino0Johannes Kisser1Julia Zeilinger2Guenter Langergraber3Tatjana Fischer4Doris Österreicher5Alchemia-Nova GmbH, Institute for Innovative Phytochemistry & Closed Loop Processes, A-1140 Vienna, AustriaAlchemia-Nova GmbH, Institute for Innovative Phytochemistry & Closed Loop Processes, A-1140 Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Waste Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), A-1190 Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), A-1190 Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences, Institute of Spatial Planning, Environmental Planning and Land Rearrangement, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), A-1190 Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences, Institute of Spatial Planning, Environmental Planning and Land Rearrangement, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), A-1190 Vienna, AustriaThe construction industry is one of the most environmentally detrimental industries in the world, impacting directly the use of raw materials, their determination of use involving the whole lifecycle, as well as all their surrounding environment. However, within the building sector, the transition from a linear to a circular economy is still at an early stage. Business models need to be reconsidered to include new and improved methods and innovative services that could lead to a net reduction in the use of resources and minimizing the waste disposed on landfills. In this context, an important role in buildings’ circularity is “deconstruction”, which is understood as a well-considered selective dismantlement of building components, in prevision of a future reuse, repurposing, or recycling. It represents a sustainable alternative to common demolition, which tends to be an arbitrary and destructive process, and although faster and cheaper, it typically creates a substantial amount of waste. The purpose of this article is to analyze the deconstruction potential of buildings and the strategies to apply in order to keep the impacts on the urban environment low. The article aims to facilitate the implementation of circular economy strategies for buildings by proposing common principles for deconstruction as a sustainable alternative to demolition and defining the key points to be applied during the design and planning process regardless of the type of construction system or material used.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/3/939building deconstructionbuilding deconstructabilitydesign for deconstructionend-of-life material recoverymaterial reusesustainable construction |
| spellingShingle | Gaetano Bertino Johannes Kisser Julia Zeilinger Guenter Langergraber Tatjana Fischer Doris Österreicher Fundamentals of Building Deconstruction as a Circular Economy Strategy for the Reuse of Construction Materials Applied Sciences building deconstruction building deconstructability design for deconstruction end-of-life material recovery material reuse sustainable construction |
| title | Fundamentals of Building Deconstruction as a Circular Economy Strategy for the Reuse of Construction Materials |
| title_full | Fundamentals of Building Deconstruction as a Circular Economy Strategy for the Reuse of Construction Materials |
| title_fullStr | Fundamentals of Building Deconstruction as a Circular Economy Strategy for the Reuse of Construction Materials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fundamentals of Building Deconstruction as a Circular Economy Strategy for the Reuse of Construction Materials |
| title_short | Fundamentals of Building Deconstruction as a Circular Economy Strategy for the Reuse of Construction Materials |
| title_sort | fundamentals of building deconstruction as a circular economy strategy for the reuse of construction materials |
| topic | building deconstruction building deconstructability design for deconstruction end-of-life material recovery material reuse sustainable construction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/3/939 |
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