Dismantling and disposal
Systematically planning and designing dismantling processes with the aim of closing material cycles, with special care for the protection of health and the environment
What do we mean by this?
When buildings or building components reach the end of their life cycle they are dismantled, the residual materials are recycled, and demolition wastes are dumped. Dismantling and disposal processes are carried out.
The type of dismantling and disposal is already influenced during the planning phase. For example, the creation of preconditions for a sort-pure separation of the resulting residual materials decides whether recycling in the sense of material and thermal recovery can take place or whether there is a corresponding need for landfill volume. The recycling of building components and materials not only leads to savings in landfill space, raw materials, and production energy, but also to associated cost reductions in dismantling and disposal. The execution of demolition work has an impact on employees, the neighbourhood (e.g. dust, noise, vibrations in connection with work and transport) and the local environment.
Tasks in the field of dismantling and disposal include the preparation and supervision of dismantling work. This includes, among other things:
- Adherence to the principle of "further use before recycling before disposal"
- Examination of variants for conversions as well as possibilities for the conversion of existing buildings
- Examination of possibilities for the reuse and further use of building parts
- Development and implementation of recycling and dismantling concepts
- Professional dismantling work with regard to environmental and health protection
How could a research organisation implement this?
- Take dismantling and recycling options, long-lived constructions with high flexibility as well as adaptability and reusability into consideration already in the planning stage
- Separate construction waste fractions according to type
- Analyse available technical processes for the recyclability of construction waste fractions, selection, and application of appropriate processes
- Examine recyclability and reusability in the case of dismantling measures
- Consistently separate materials by type during demolition/selective dismantling
- Conduct preliminary building diagnostics to inspect buildings for contamination
- Renature vacated areas