Recycling

If a holistic assessment of a building structure’s performance in terms of sustainability is to be conducted, it is necessary to evaluate its adequacy for a final recycling at the end of its service life. An important goal in this context is to try to reuse, if not he whole building, at least parts of the highest constructional complexity possible. At the lowest available level of complexity, materials are recycled, or downcycled for subordinate purposes as the case may be. In this respect, different building materials behave in vastly diverging manners. An important contribution of the designer is to provide the most conducive circumstances possible for a future recycling of a building structure. This entails a proper constructional design as well as the adequate choice of detachable connections.