Design for adaptability, re-use and deconstruction of buildings, in line with the principles of circular economy

Expected outcome:

• Improved adaptability of buildings and building units to new uses.

• Increased reuse and recycling of building elements and products.
• Extended service life of buildings.
• Increased awareness on best practises for design for adaptability, reuse and deconstruction.

Scope:

• Validate construction and renovation soluions based on the integration of innovative tools, products, techniques, processes and methods, that facilitate deconstruction and reuse, based on life-cycle approaches across the value chain.
• Ensure the solutions validated:

• Consider the adaptability and reversability of buildings and building units to changing uses, and to other relevant factors.
• Improve the ease of reuse of construction elements and products from existing buildings, also facilitating recycling when reuse is not possible.
• Develop building elements and products that can be disassembled and reused, including those made from CO2-storing materials such as sustainability sourced long- lived bio-based materials and products and, innovative lower emission materials/aggregates.
• Address all components of buildings, including structural elements, envelopes, interior fixtures and fittings, and technical building systems.
• Are rooted in local and regional value chains, based on participative approaches for social acceptability of innovation, in particular with regard to the workforce’s practices and skills.
• Can flexibly adapt to local/regional sourcing of innovative products and materials to increase replication.
• Address climate change mitigation, minimising emissions.
• Allow to minimise any negative impacts of pollution and biodiversity loss from renovation and construction works.
  • Deliver guidance and recommendations for technology providers, regulatory authorities, certification and standardisation bodies, and define and implement ambitious dissemination actions, to promote the approaches demonstrated and support their replication.