Project

Circular [Re]Design to Enable Disassembly and Reuse of Mid-Rise Timber Buildings

Project Description

This project aims to develop a roadmap for implementing Design for Disassembly and Reuse (DfDR) strategies for mid-rise mass timber buildings (MTBs) in Australia, focusing on the redesign of a case study building for maintenance and repair, adaptability, and disassembly and reuse. The project expects to generate new knowledge in timber construction by addressing practical challenges in DfDR from both designers’ and disassembly contractors’ views, and by utilising innovative assessment techniques for evaluating circularity and environmental impacts. Expected outcomes include the development of a comprehensive DfDR implementation framework, design guidelines, and assessment tools for validation of strategies and metrics through case studies. This will provide evidence of DFDR’s beneficial impacts and enhance the capacity for sustainable timber construction practices.

Objectives

  1. Database of best DfDR strategies:
    To analyse current (a) Design for Disassembly (DfD) strategies and (b) deconstruction/reuse practices in conventional and MTBs – nationally and globally – to identify challenges and opportunities, ultimately informing a database of best DfDR design strategies aimed at extending the mid-rise MBTs lifespan through spatial adaptability and maintenance, while encouraging component reuse at the end-of-life.
  2. DfDR implementation roadmap:
    To develop a roadmap for implementation of best DfDR strategies to md-rise MTBs in Australia – defining barriers, actions and actors involved – and test it through the re-design (spatial, structural and envelope) of mid-rise MTB pilot projects (in collaboration with Project 3.2 and 3.3).
  3. Assessment of circularity potential:
    To quantify and compare the circularity potential (adaptability, maintenance and reuse) of a mid-rise MTB pilot project in Australia employing alternative DfDR strategies against a BAU baseline.
  4. Assessment of environmental impacts:
    To quantify the environmental impact of alternative DfDR strategies used for the re-design of a mid-rise MTB pilot project in Australia against a BAU baseline.

Targeted industry focused outcomes

  • Database of best DfDR strategies
  • DfDR implementation roadmap (barriers, goals, actions & actors)
  • Exemplar redesigned pilot project buildings
  • Design guide to extend building life of mid-rise MTBs
  • Circularity potential assessment tool (implemented on BAU and pilot project)
  • LCA tool for DfDR scenarios (implemented on BAU and pilot project)

 

Industry impact statement:
The project outcomes will support designers to make informed choices about spatial configuration, structure and connection selection, service systems and façade solutions at early design stages to allow for future maintenance, repair, adaptation, and end-of-life disassembly and reuse of timber components. It will also support designers to advocate for DfDR approaches by providing evidence of environmental and economic (through Node 5) benefits of circular design.

Impact:
Industry uptake of tool and design guide through survey and interviews (qualitative).
Number of downloads of design guide and roadmap for the Hub website (or other platforms if made available, e.g. by industry partners)

Image courtesy of AJ_MOLLER


Objectives/Deliverables

  • Database of best DfDR strategies.
  • DfDR implementation roadmap.
  • Assessment of circularity potential.
  • Assessment of environmental impacts.

Project Leader/s

Paola Leardini

Node Leader - Design for Extended Building Life; Project Leader

The University of Queensland


Project Staff

PhD Candidate

PhD Scholarship Opportunity

HDR Candidate

Higher Degrees by Research Scholarship Opportunity


Project Investigators

Paola Leardini

Node Leader - Design for Extended Building Life; Project Leader

The University of Queensland

Paul Matthew

Chief Investigator

The University of Queensland

Danette McLean

Affiliate Investigator

Aurecon

Dayne Davis

Partner Investigator

BG&E Pty Ltd

Neil Logan

Partner Investigator

BVN Architecture

Simon Dorries

Partner Investigator

Responsible wood

Johann Gruber

Partner Investigator

SIHGA GmbH

Lily Tandeani

Partner Investigator

Tzannes Associates

Marc Micuta

Affiliate Investigator

Tzannes

Rafael Passarelli

Partner Investigator

Hasselt University


Lead Project Partner Organisation


Project Partners