RECYCLED BUILDINGS FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING
By Kota Sriraj
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Driven by economic and environmental forces as well as
aesthetic considerations, builders across the world are
experimenting with a wide variety of reclaimed material
in construction
Recycling demolished building waste materials for use in
new buildings is not just about sustainability but it is
also about savvy innovation and stylish adaptation.
Today, driven by economic and environmental forces as
well as aesthetic considerations, builders worldwide are
experimenting with a wide variety of recycled and
reclaimed materials � wood used in previous buildings,
concrete reclaimed from demolished structures and so on.
Advocates of recycled materials are also promoting an
approach called �deconstruction�. Rather than demolishing
a building, architects and builders dismantle it so that
elements such as wood beams, flooring, and fixtures can
be used again. This approach offers dual environmental
benefits: It keeps the demolished building out of a
landfill and it reduces the carbon footprint of new
structures.
In the United States too, residential deconstruction and
reuse is seen as a practical and sustainable alternative
to demolition. Organisations in the US such as The
ReBuilding Center, one of the largest deconstruction and
reuse organisations, strives for and attains nearly 85
per cent of a building�s major components that typically
end up in landfills during demolition and diverts it for
reuse. The overall cost of deconstruction is often
comparable to, if not lower than, the standard demolition
costs, after tax benefits are factored in.
Continues at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/oped/recycled-buildings-for-sustainable-living.html
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
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