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
| Oct 8, 2013
ConsensusDocs offers online prequalification management application to boost industry efficiency
In collaboration with ConsensusDocs, iSqFt has launched a new online platform designed to make the prequalification process for contractors and subcontractors seeking new work more efficient.
| Oct 8, 2013
Government shutdown closes E-Verify, could hamper construction hiring
E-Verify, the online federal program used to check the immigration status of prospective hires, has been closed due to the federal government shutdown.
| Oct 3, 2013
Florida contractors worry that regulations will hamper their ability to hire
Regulations such as the E-Verify rule and the Affordable Care Act could hinder contractors from hiring additional workers, according to some Florida contractors.
| Oct 3, 2013
Fall protection violations top OSHA citations list
Violations of fall-protection standards in fiscal 2013 are again the most frequent source of citations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to its top 10 list.
| Oct 3, 2013
Arizona utility pushes for change in building codes to boost efficiency on all commercial projects
Many large construction projects in Arizona are going green by paying attention to energy efficiency, but smaller buildings that are often rented out haven't yet jumped on the bandwagon.
| Oct 3, 2013
Bipartisan energy efficiency bill stalled; may not be revived this year
The Senate spent the first two weeks of September trying to pass bipartisan energy efficiency legislation, commonly known as Shaheen-Portman (S. 1392) that would have impacted building codes.
| Oct 3, 2013
LEED credential exams will feature LEED v4 material beginning next spring
The LEED Professional Credential exams for the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP with specialty designations will feature LEED v4 material beginning in late spring 2014.
| Sep 26, 2013
Ballot period on National CAD Standards open until Oct. 13
The Ballot Comment Period to update the nation’s leading computer-aided design (CAD) standard is now open.
| Sep 26, 2013
OSHA encourages comments on respirable crystalline silica rules
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed rulemaking for respirable crystalline silica has been published in the Federal Register.
| Sep 26, 2013
EPA’s final rule on updated ASTM standard likely to be withdrawn
The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to withdraw a direct final ruleissued in Augustregarding an ASTM standard for Phase I Environmental Site.
