Deconstruction (building)
In the context of physical construction, deconstruction is the selective dismantlement of building components, specifically for reuse, repurposing, recycling, and waste management.
Deconstruction requires a substantially higher degree of hands-on labor than does traditional demolition, but as such provides a viable platform for unskilled or unemployed workers to receive job skills training.
[1] The process of dismantling structures is an ancient activity that has been revived by the growing fields of sustainable and green building.
Building implosions or ‘wrecking-ball’ style demolitions are relatively inexpensive and offer a quick method of clearing sites for new structures.
In addition to giving materials a new life cycle, deconstructing buildings helps to lower the need for virgin resources.
[9] Deconstruction allows for substantially higher levels of material reuse and recycling than does conventional processes of demolition.
By recycling and reusing about 90% of the building materials, such as fir, oak, and walnut boards, this project highlighted a significant reduction in waste and resource use compared to traditional demolition.
[11] In Canada, the CO2 Neutral Alliance has created a website[12] with resources for regulators and municipalities, developers and contractors, business owners and operators, and individuals and households.
At this rate, if deconstruction replaced residential demolition, the United States could generate enough recovered wood to construct 120,000 new affordable homes each year.
[13] Every year the United States buries about 33 million tons of wood-related construction and demolition debris in landfills.
As anaerobic microorganisms decompose this wood, it will release about five million tons of carbon equivalent in the form of methane gas.
Recently, the rise of environmental awareness and sustainable building has made a much wider range of materials worthy of structural deconstruction.
Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, and earthquakes often leave a vast amount of usable building materials in their wake.
The United States Green Building Council's program entitled Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) offers seven credits relating to reusing materials.
Unskilled and low-skilled workers can receive on-the-job training in use of basic carpentry tools and techniques, as well as learning teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking and good work habits.
[18] Although not done through the method of implosion, the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City's World Trade Center serve as a good reference point to the harmful effects that come along with the demolition of such large structures such as these buildings.
In many instances, the substances that are released by these practices are directly linked to numerous diseases and illnesses found in many people who have been within a certain proximity of a demolition.
[20] As a healthier alternative, deconstruction is used in many instances due to the fact that it does not share any of the same negative affects to the air quality with its counter method of demolition.
As previously stated above, this method involves carefully taking the building apart through the dismantling of each part, ultimately reducing the amount of pollutants released into the environment, as well as aiding in the processes of recycling and waste management.
Similarly, utilizing raised floor or dropped ceiling methods allows easier access to mechanical and electrical services, and can reduce the time needed to remove these components during the process of deconstruction.
Some commercial buildings that have been designed according to DfD principles use built in anchor points and other features intended to provide additional fall protection options.
Saving the shell of a building or adapting interior spaces to meet new needs can reduce the environmental impact of new structures.
