Design for the future - Recycling of wooden houses in a circular economy

Purpose and goal

The aim of the pre-studie is to identify important problem areas when it comes to re-use of wooden houses and wooden components and to propose parameters that lead to a circularity factor. The long-term goal is to be able to re-use wooden components that are built into new wooden houses (Design for Deconstruction).

Expected results and effects

The result is a report with a plan for future work and application. The effect is that identified problems that hinder the circular economy of wood construction have been analyzed in order to be solved. Possible business models have been compiled but need further investigation because reuse means new flows of materials and also new business partners on the market. The wooden house industry has participated actively and contributed with knowledge from today´s construction and manufacturing and is interested in developing the possibilities for re-use of wooden houses.

Planned approach and implementation

The project partners have worked together to invite stakeholders in the construction industry to discussions, eg architects, designers, contractors, property owners, with the aim of discussing opportunities and obstacles and finding more committed partners to participate in future development projects. Experiences of demolitions today of old wooden houses have also been collected. We also have an international network within the area that has been engaged. Through contacts with many actors, different ideas have been captured as a basis for continued work.