Re-use of structural elements

The definition of re-use includes building parts deconstructed especially for this purpose and the elements recovered from the demolition waste. The basic materials in the book are divided into three groups: Timber, Steel and Concrete.

In my opinion, the most interesting chapter is “Design for deconstruction and re-use“.  < … Design for deconstruction (DfD) refers to the design of the building so that the parts are easily dismantled and separated from each other for re-use or recycling. Good design solutions promote further use of components and materials. Today, easy and effective constructability is the most common starting point for design, but in the future the designer will increasingly be able to judge how building parts can reasonably be repaired or dismantled without breaking them, and how the remaining lifetime of the dismantled parts can be utilized in new applications. Dismantling should be taken into account in design, and it should be a part of lifecycle assessment of building parts and structures. Good design takes into account future needs, making it easy to repair the components or recycle the demolition materials…>

(If buildings are designed for deconstruction (DfD), the components can easily be separated for further re-use and recycling)

Net-zero energy building (NZEB), it is the topic in which we are working in Building Technology Workshops with students, and where we need to improve on the design with the responsibility for building waste and CO2 reduction.

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