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Revolution in construction: circular economy as the key to the future!
Scientists at KIT and TUM are researching sustainable component reuse. New guide for green building.
Revolution in construction: circular economy as the key to the future!
The construction industry is faced with the challenge of rethinking its practices to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Architectural and civil engineers must develop new strategies to conserve resources and reduce energy consumption. Scientist of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have launched a project that aims to focus on reusable components and redesign the traditional demolition of buildings. Professor Thomas Ummenhofer from KIT emphasizes that the usual methods of demolishing buildings, in which wooden components are burned and steel is melted with high energy expenditure, urgently need to be overhauled.
The project is developing a final report that will serve as a guide for authorities and the construction industry. A key aspect is the so-called second-life approach, in which materials such as steel beams and wooden beams from demolished buildings are reused. In order to ensure effective dismantling, a rethink is required: construction activities should be approached sensitively, planned and strategically. These changes are not only necessary from an environmental perspective, but also provide economic benefits by reducing material costs and waste generation.
Circular economy as key
As part of this transformation, the wins Circular economy becoming more and more important. The aim is to keep materials and resources in a closed cycle to minimize waste and extend the life of building materials. Recycling processes such as mechanical, thermal and chemical recycling play a crucial role here. For example, mechanical recycling can create new applications by shredding building materials such as concrete or bricks.
Innovative approaches to the circular economy include reusing materials from demolished buildings, such as windows and doors. The advantage of these concepts is not only the saving of material costs, but also the improvement of the working atmosphere in the construction industry. Legal frameworks and regulations to promote recycled materials support this change.
Challenges and future prospects
Despite the promising approaches, the industry is faced with challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is liability issues regarding load-bearing components and the high requirements of building law. In order to address these issues, a proposal for new business models is being developed that enable legally secured reuse. This would allow companies to provide a warranty for tested and repaired components.
The Commission for Sustainable Building (KNBau) of the Federal Environment Agency presents a vision for a circular construction industry that ties in with the National Circular Economy Strategy. According to their recommendations, evaluations and labels on the circularity of construction products should be revised in order to prevent greenwashing and create transparency.
Overall, the transformation to circularity in construction is not only a technical challenge, but also a contribution to sustainable development. Only through clear guidelines and innovative approaches can awareness of the need and benefits of such change in the construction industry be created.