#insights

In the current construction context, reducing environmental impact is crucial to achieving a sustainable and circular economy model, which has driven the reuse and recycling of materials. A central concept in this transformation is Design for Disassembly (DfD), a philosophy that allows for the efficient recovery of products, parts and materials when a building is dismantled or renovated. This approach aims to minimise waste and carbon emissions, promoting more sustainable construction.

Wood is one of the materials that best suits DfD due to its natural properties, such as modularity and prefabrication. In addition, wooden structures can be dismantled without losing much of their structural value, according to various studies, which makes it easier to reuse them in new projects. This process not only reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, but also retains the carbon stored in the wood for longer, reducing emissions from the sector.

Building dismantling represents a radical change from traditional demolition. While demolition generates a large amount of non-reusable waste, dismantling allows for the recovery of materials that can be reincorporated into the construction of new buildings, reducing the need for new natural resources, as recovered materials maintain their useful life.

Among the most important principles of the DfD model are detailed documentation of the materials and methods used, design of the constructive and deconstructive process, standardization and independence of structural elements, design of accessible and standardized connections that allow dismantling without damaging the components, low exposure to wood-degrading agents, and mechanical rather than chemical bonds.

Despite advances in the research and development of dismantled structures, one of the main obstacles to the reuse of wood is the lack of regulations governing this process. Currently, only one third of wood waste from construction and demolition is recycled into new products, which significantly limits the potential for circularity in the industry. Developing new regulations to certify reclaimed wood and standardise its reuse is essential to unlock its true potential and move towards more sustainable construction.

Finally, the DfD concept not only has environmental benefits, but also economic ones. By facilitating the reuse of materials and reducing the costs associated with the acquisition of new raw materials, opportunities are opened for a circular economy in construction. This represents one of the most promising solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of the sector and encourage more responsible and sustainable practices in the long term.

This article is adapted from the original, available in the Journal of Building Engineering.