flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Mass timber is a natural choice for building recycling through deconstruction

Codes and Standards

Mass timber is a natural choice for building recycling through deconstruction

Designing wood buildings to optimize recovery of materials for disassembly aids carbon sequestration.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | August 4, 2021

Courtesy Pixabay

Mass timber is an ideal material for structures designed for deconstruction and offers continued carbon storage after the expiration of the building’s lifespan, as well as removing material from the waste stream.

Advocates for this strategy point out that the wood not only sequesters carbon while the building is in use, but also continues to do so after it is disassembled and the wood is reused. A broader concept, Design for Disassembly and Adaptability, aims to extend the life cycle of buildings and their components, allowing the building to be updated, maintained, and modified more easily. And at the end of its useful life, disassembly allows for more efficient collection and reuse of materials and components.

Designing for disassembly requires professionals to rethink the way buildings are put together so that the materials can be disassembled and reused. This can be a complex undertaking that bucks existing common practices.

Demolitions are usually carried out quickly, making it difficult to reuse a large part of the materials. To counteract that impulse, the project should seek methods, solutions, and products that lend themselves to easier disassembly. In addition, specifying good quality materials that do not contain harmful and polluting chemicals make the parts more attractive for reuse.

Related Stories

Codes and Standards | Jan 16, 2018

Engage code officials early for better building performance, predictable enforcement expectations

White paper says code officials should be collaborators and facilitators.

Codes and Standards | Jan 12, 2018

Arlington County, Va., earns first LEED for Communities Platinum Certification

Honor recognizes efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, manage stormwater.

Codes and Standards | Jan 11, 2018

TRUE Zero Waste provides roadmap to divert waste away from landfills

USGBC program signs on more than 130 companies or facilities for certification.

Codes and Standards | Jan 10, 2018

Sliding-scale proposal for civil damages resulting from construction fatalities, injuries draws ire of trades

New York City Council proposal puts limits on penalties for safety violations leading to death, serious injury.

Codes and Standards | Jan 9, 2018

Federal appeals court orders EPA to revise lead standard within a year

Current exposure levels for lead in paint and dust have been in place for 17 years.

Codes and Standards | Jan 5, 2018

Building code officials should vet building product evaluation methods

Evaluation service providers should be properly accredited.

Codes and Standards | Jan 4, 2018

U.S. military needs to do more to address climate change risk for facility design

GAO report cites hundreds of overseas facilities in peril.

Codes and Standards | Jan 3, 2018

China Construction America faces billions of dollars in liability in lawsuit

Court filing alleges massive fraud and breaches of contract in Baha Mar Resort Project.

Codes and Standards | Jan 2, 2018

Smart building tech can reap utility savings of 8% to 18% in commercial buildings

Potential for increased deployment of smart building technology is great beyond early adopters.

Reconstruction & Renovation | Dec 21, 2017

Interactive map includes detailed information on historic New York City buildings

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission launched a new, enhanced version of its interactive map, Discover NYC Landmarks.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Sustainability

Grimshaw launches free online tool to help accelerate decarbonization of buildings

Minoro, an online platform to help accelerate the decarbonization of buildings, was recently launched by architecture firm Grimshaw, in collaboration with more than 20 supporting organizations including World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), RIBA, Architecture 2030, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and several national Green Building Councils from across the globe.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021