Fast estimation of building stocks in the GTA for deconstruction assessment

There is a large stock of construction materials in existing built facilities, which when reaching their end of life, become a liability for their owners. The current practices of demolishing and disposing of these facilities when reaching their end-of-life generate considerable amounts of wastage and collectively can lead to landfill overuse; hence are not compliant with sustainable development goals. Retrieved materials can potentially be used in new construction (after refurbishment or recycling) or as inputs for other industries (after downcycling). This initially requires replacing building demolition practices with ‘deconstruction’ and ‘disassembly’. Given the higher costs and longer duration of deconstruction, feasibility studies and accurate planning are necessary when considering deconstruction as an end-of-life alternative. In a partnership between Adaptis Co. and Concordia University, this Accelerate project comprises four internship units and will develop fast (and approximate) methods to estimate the amount of valuable and recoverable materials in existing buildings without relying on detailed drawings and specifications. Since many older constructions lack such documents, the outcomes of this research project are expected to positively impact owners, builders, and demolition contractors. It will also offer a major contribution to the preservation and recovery of materials and resources in the building sector.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mazdak Nik-Bakht

Student:

Partner:

Adaptis

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Concordia University

Program: