Documentation
Handbook for reuse off site
How can reusable materials be extracted from public buildings?
The handbook is a tool that helps public sector contractors organise the recovery of building elements from their sites. It details several methods to:
- ensure that the high-quality materials identified on the site find a new use
- support the development of the reuse sector
- reduce the environmental impact of construction and renovation projects.
Depending on the situation of each building, the public sector contractor can opt for (1) a public service contract, (2) a sale, (3) a donation, or (4) a best efforts obligation on the general contractor or demolition company under the terms of the public works contract.
Document templates are attached to the handbook for the rapid implementation of each step of the strategy employed.
This document was prepared by Rotor asbl, with the support of the Brussels-Capital Region.
Een paar nuttige links
- SalvoWeb bcontains an online directory that lists several thousand companies in the reuse sector and largely covers the territory of the United Kingdom.
- The Platform of operators for the reuse of building elements in the Brussels-Capital Region is a point of contact for actors on the ground, harmonising reuse initiatives and raising awareness on the subject.
- The Building Material Reuse Association (BMRA) is the American federation of reuse operators. It oversees a network of members active in the deconstruction and sale of building elements. It also develops training programmes and issues certificates.
- Design for Reuse Primer: 15 Successful Reuse Projects within Different Sectors Explored In-depth, by Public Architecture, 2010. A compilation presenting details of 15 successful experiences of reuse in the North American context.
- Reuse and Recycling on the London 2012 Olympic Park, by Bioregional, October 2011. This report recounts a large-scale case study carried out in the context of works preceding the Olympic Games. In this operation, the efforts mainly concerned the implementation of elements recovered by demolitions. This is a high-quality document presenting illuminating conclusions.
- Reclaimed building products guide, WRAP, 2008. This British guide for the attention of architects is a little gem produced by WRAP, from a time when the reuse of building elements was high on the agency’s list of priorities.
- Objectif Réemploi by Rotor asbl, August 2017. This brochure paints an inspiring picture of the place that could be occupied by reuse practices in the building sector. It is the result of work undertaken as part of a research project named Brussels Building, Source of New Materials (BBSM) (BBSM).
- Circular Construction. Towards a circular economy in construction, 2017. This innovative paper on circular construction prepared by the Scientific and Technical Construction Centre (CSTC) presents a report on the debates and experiments on the subject of the circular economy in buildings.
- Strategy for the reuse of building materials in the Brussels-Capital Region, Reuse Working Group, May 2015. This document outlines the steps for the development of the reuse of building materials in Brussels between now and 2025. It is the result of collaboration between different stakeholders.