Collective Reuse: Facilitating the Reuse of Building Materials Across the Social, Industrial and Scientific Realms
...a Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of the School of Architecture and Planning Of The Catholic University of America In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree Master of Architecture and Master of Science in Sustainable Design
By Brandon Moore Washington, D.C. 2012
a special Thank You to: My Family, Mom, Dad, Ashley and Steve
My Advisory Committee, Michelle Rinehart, Ed.D.
Ann Cederna, RA, AIA
Luis Boza RA, Assoc. AIA, NCARB
Bradley Guy, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Those Who Helped Out,
Mary D’Errico
Mike Egnor
Ryan George
Scott Gillespie
Sara Gordon
Andrew Metzler
Erin Tumey
Matthew Simeone
Table of Contents
“the key to their [green building] success is education and informational marketing. They buying public will select for resource-efficiency if they know the right questions to ask and features to demand. The greatest promise for more innovative C&D waste management is in its integration into the larger context of resource-efficient construction and demolition practices and marketing.”
-ReshapingtheBuiltEnvironment,Peter Yost
the Main Points 13 don’t forget the Geographical Statistics 15 how to rethink the Process of Materials 19
1
Construction & Demolition Industry
• Mainly Recycling & Architectural Salvaged Items
• Separation Techniques: Easier to Grind and Recycle
• Direct Reuse of Building Materials is not as Common
• Commonly Thought: “It’s Harder to Deconstruct.”
• Benefits: Employment, Cost & Energy Savings
2
Existing Problems
• Limited Space on Job-Sites
• Source Separation: Requires more containers on site
• Cleaner Job Site
• Multiple Destinations and Haulers
• Commingling (single-stream):
• Easier Logistics: One Destination and Hauler
• Less Labor and Containers on the Job Site
• More Labor Costs Off-Site to Handle Waste
• Recycling Facilities and Companies that
• Accept Materials are Located Outside of the City
• Alot of Construction Projects are located inside the city
• Result: Unnecessary transportation
3
Baltimore & Washington, D.C. Region
• Resources & Opportunities from Two Major Metropolitan Areas
• Maryland & Virginia have doubled the amount of Recovered
• Material Since 2006
• Federal Government Sets Stage for Nationwide Initiatives
• Baltimore: 5 Reuse Centers in City Limits
4
Supporting Elements and Infrastructure
Within Context of Washington, DC
• Vacant & Blighted Properties as Potential Source of Materials
• Wash. DC - Highest per Capita LEED Certified Buildings
• LEED 2012 - New Credits Addressing C&D Materials
• Green Building Act of 2006
• Sustainable DC Initiative Plan
• Community Engagement Activities: Urban Farms, Farmers
• Markets, Parks & Recreation
5
A Critical Connection is Needed Between:
• Job-sites & Separation and Processing Facilities
• Processing Facilities & Recycling and Reuse Centers
• Community & Reuse Centers and Reclaimed Materials
• Reclaimed Resources & Job-sites
Amount of Construction & Demolition Waste (tons)
Total Handled In-State Generated Imported into State Exported by State Disposed of In-State Recovered New York 5,530,655 3,407,817 320,557 1,299,113 2,343,726 1,452,670
Total Handled In-State Generated Imported into State Exported by State Disposed of In-State Recovered Virginia 4,355,356 3,302,422 1,052,933 883,512 3,299,573 152,286
Total Handled In-State Generated Imported into State Exported by State Disposed of In-State Recovered Massachusettes 1,858,151 926,059 109,761 635,671 387,503 79,537
Total Handled In-State Generated Imported into State Exported by State Disposed of In-State Recovered Connecticut 1,466,371 1,414,676 57,426 1,210,601 1,139,723 71,062
Total Handled In-State Generated Imported into State Exported by State Disposed of In-State Recovered New Jersey 1,877,257 948,892 25,998 614,900 503,217 -
Total Handled In-State Generated Imported into State Exported by State Disposed of In-State Recovered Mar yland 2,260,402 2,000,000 255,599 673,781 898,584 181,722
Major Construction & Demolition Facilities
Rethinking the Waste Stream for C&D Materials
New Const. Renovation Demolition
New Const. Renovation Demolition
New Const. Renovation Demolition
New Const. Renovation Demolition
Design Narrative
This thesis explores the re-use of building materials at multiple scales and through a mixture of user groups. More specifically, the building is defined by multiple functions, bringing together scientists, the general public and members of the building industry to research new possibilities for reusing materials, learn how materials can be repurposed and to provide direct access to the materials themselves.
Preserving raw materials, minimizing the disposal of materials in landfills, increasing efficiency on job-sites, and restoring of one of a kind items and buildings can all be benefits of salvaging and reclaiming building materials. All too often it becomes difficult to process waste materials for reuse or recycling because of untrained workers or limited space, time, and money, which add to the already high pressure of achieving a deadline. On the other hand, clients will most likely not be aware of the environmental, aesthetic and qualitative benefits that can be gained in reusing materials. To reduce these negative effects, it becomes necessary for encouragement and education of both public citizens and industry-related professionals on
the topics of reclaiming, reusing, and recycling building materials.
To elevate the level of knowledge among the different user(s), increasing awareness and accessibility is critical, and can be achieved through an integration of multiple functions that are associated with each of the different types of users. These different types of users can be defined in three categories: social ‒ local neighborhood residents, homeowners, and school children; industrial ‒contractors, subcontractors, builders, and remodelers; and scientific ‒ research, testing and development, scientists, technicians, and fabricators. The interactions among the different user groups will cause unique adjacencies to develop within the programmatic and spatial conditions of the project.
Initially, to understand how these elements will work together, it is necessary to develop a system that outlines an efficient process of the building material(s) from the sources of waste generation through processing and handling, and on to the repurposed function, collectively addressing how the different users’ capabilities can be
applied to the reuse process. Community-related activities, which are focused on increasing the knowledge and abilities of homeowners and the non-building industry community, will increase awareness of the value in salvaged materials and provide an outlet for artistic expression and Do-It-Yourself (D.I.Y.) resourcefulness. In terms of the building industry, contractors can benefit from a locally available resource of salvaged building materials, while unskilled laborers can receive training for skills related to deconstruction, reclaiming and salvaging, and construction techniques. The third level of the program’s criteria involves a scientific exploration of materials consisting of research and development to find new products, uses or purposes for reclaimed building materials.
Collectively, the main goal is to cohesively link the multiple functions in a way that will promote efficient means in which to reclaim building materials; allow easier access to salvaged building materials ‒ as a resource for local contractors and homeowners; and provide education and training of the knowledge, skills and techniques related to salvaging and building with re-claimed components.
Encourage Educate
v. to inspire, persuade or give help to Increase the likelihood for people to become involved by simplifying the process of reclaiming materials - making it easier and better understood.
v. to train by formal instruction and supervised practice
Provide workshops, as well as building and learning spaces for public citizens and industry professionals to learn about techniques, methods and materials in order to increase their knowledge of reusing building materials.
