Enablers for reusing building components: A case-study of integrating disassembly and design

Reuse of building components can significantly reduce raw material usage, waste production and greenhouse gas emissions. Although this strategy aligns with circular economy objectives and its application is increasing, matching supply and demand of reusable components remains a considerable challenge. Little is known about how disassembly and design companies collaboratively enable such matches. Therefore, this study seeks to explore how disassembly and design actors can collaborate to enable reuse of building components. To that end, we conducted a case-study of a pioneering circularity initiative in The Netherlands. This initiative concerned a disassembly company and design company co-developing a new building from a so-called donor building. Through conducting interviews, analysing project documentation, and observing this process for over a year, four essential enablers for reuse were uncovered. The results show how the two companies attempted to: match disassembly and design projects with comparable building volumes; overlap disassembly and design phases; share information early in the process; and approach uncertainties with a flexible attitude. These enablers for building component reuse offer new opportunities to realise circularity objectives across disassembly and design projects.