The research investigates the Reversible Technologies of the construction sector for the definition of Buildability Conditions, validated with two Pilot Projects, for the disassembly of constructive systems and for the activation of circular solutions. The challenge is to solve the problem of the huge quantity of building components that once disassembled, at the end of their service, have still residual performances, to demonstrate that reversible technologies could optimize the construction process emissions. Considering the state of constructive systems after the disassembly, it is possible to recover them through three different circular economy strategies, reusing, remanufacturing, recycling, and the main condition is that the constructive systems are reversible. The Reversible Technologies are analyzed on two levels: Hard and Soft. The Hard Technologies are the off-site constructive technics (materials, components, assembly methods), that are designed and built to be disassembly; the Soft Technologies consist in operative – management and assessment – aspects (phases, operators and their role, tools, evaluation methods, technical documentations, and standards) that support the construction process. The research is structured in three parts: knowledge, development, and practice. The Part 1 is developed with the literature and field analysis, to investigate the State of Art of the research. At present, the topics are the subject of discussion for thirty years but there are several lacks in practice that forbid the development and diffusion of reversible technologies for the application of circular economy strategies. After the literature review, the investigation is focused on the field analysis on practical experiences: components and buildings case studies and process operators’ interviews. The goal was to understand how design and build constructive systems for reversibility, sustainability and circularity: Buildability Conditions. The previous analysis highlighted that the Buildability Conditions towards reversible processes is actualized only if there is a transition towards the reversibility, sustainability and circularity. In the Part 2 explains how the achievement of the transition is possible through the Pre-conditions, developed in the design and manufacturing fields and considered as the basis for the actualization of the Buildability Conditions. Specifically, the conditions are the Soft Actions, led by the operators involved in specific phases of the constructive process, and the Hard Characteristics of the constructive systems on different building levels (materials, elements, systems and building). The systematization of the Buildability Conditions generates the Reverso Framework, conceived as a design-support tool for the realization of reversible, sustainable and circular processes, projects and products. During the elaboration of the Framework, two Pilot Projects are elaborated to validate, adjust and apply the conditions. Considering that, the Part 3 consists in the practical phase in which are developed the Pilot Projects. The practice experimentations are realized thanks to the Field Interaction, developed in the previous phases of the research, involving stakeholders that work with prefabricated construction systems and showed interest in the research and the potential applicability of the conditions defined. The projects are the results of two collaborations with the Dutch architectural firm, RAU Architects, and the Italian manufacturing company, Cel Components. The first application consists in the design of an architectural project, from building to element scale, for the requalification of a district of Utrecht, that follows the Hard and Soft conditions for the development of three scenario proposals. The aim is to testify the advantages to design and build reversible, sustainable and circular. The second application consists in the generation of reversible and circular transition of the production of sandwich panel system, used for façade, walls, false ceiling, and floor systems, following the Reverso Conditions. The challenge was the definition of Hard and Soft improvements to obtain a reversible and circular panels system. The Pilot Projects testified the applicability of Reverso and its relevant contribution in the construction sector.
La ricerca indaga le Tecnologie Reversibili del settore delle costruzioni per la definizione delle Condizioni di Costruibilitò, validate con due Progetti Pilota, per lo smontaggio di sistemi costruttivi e per l'attivazione di soluzioni circolari. La sfida è quella di risolvere il problema dell'enorme quantità di componenti edilizi che una volta smontati, dopo il loro utilizzo, hanno ancora prestazioni residue, a dimostrazione che le tecnologie reversibili potrebbero ottimizzare le emissioni del processo di costruzione. Considerando lo stato dei sistemi costruttivi dopo lo smontaggio, è possibile recuperarli attraverso tre diverse strategie di economia circolare, riutilizzando, rigenerando, riciclando, e la condizione principale è che i sistemi costruttivi siano reversibili. Le Reversible Technologies vengono analizzate su due livelli: Hard e Soft. Le Hard Technologies sono le tecniche costruttive off-site (materiali, componenti, metodi di assemblaggio), progettate e realizzate per essere smontate; le Soft Technologies consistono in aspetti operativi - gestionali e valutativi - di gestione (fasi, operatori e loro ruolo, strumenti, metodi di valutazione, documentazione tecnica e norme) che supportano il processo di costruzione. La ricerca è strutturata in tre parti: conoscenza, sviluppo e pratica. La parte 1 è sviluppata con la letteratura e l'analisi sul campo, per indagare lo stato dell'arte della ricerca. Attualmente, i temi sono oggetto di discussione da trent'anni, ma ci sono diverse mancanze nella pratica che vietano lo sviluppo e la diffusione di tecnologie reversibili per l'applicazione di strategie di economia circolare. Dopo l'esame della letteratura, l'indagine si concentra sull'analisi sul campo sulle esperienze pratiche: casi studio di componenti ed edifici e interviste degli operatori di processo. L'obiettivo era capire come progettare e costruire sistemi costruttivi per la reversibilità, la sostenibilità e la circolarità: Condizioni di Costruibilità. La sistematizzazione delle Condizioni di Costruibilità genera il Framework Reverso, concepito come strumento di progettazione-supporto per la realizzazione di processi, progetti e prodotti reversibili, sostenibili e circolari. Durante l'elaborazione del framework, due progetti pilota sono elaborati per convalidare, adeguare e applicare le condizioni. Considerando che, la parte 3 consiste nella fase pratica in cui vengono sviluppati i progetti pilota. Le sperimentazioni pratiche sono realizzate grazie alla Field Interaction, sviluppata nelle fasi precedenti della ricerca, coinvolgere le parti interessate che lavorano con sistemi di costruzione prefabbricati e hanno mostrato interesse per la ricerca e la potenziale applicabilità delle condizioni definite. I progetti sono il risultato di due collaborazioni con lo studio di architettura olandese RAU Architects e con l'azienda manifatturiera italiana Cel Components. La prima applicazione consiste nella progettazione di un progetto architettonico, dalla costruzione alla scala degli elementi, per la riqualificazione di un distretto di Utrecht, che segue le condizioni Hard e Soft per lo sviluppo di tre proposte di scenari. L'obiettivo è quello di testimoniare i vantaggi per progettare e costruire reversibile, sostenibile e circolare. La seconda applicazione consiste nella generazione di transizione reversibile e circolare del sistema di produzione di pannelli sandwich, utilizzati per facciate, pareti, controsoffitti e sistemi a pavimento, seguendo le condizioni Reverso. La sfida è stata la definizione di miglioramenti Hard e Soft per ottenere un sistema di pannelli reversibili e circolari. I progetti pilota hanno dimostrato l'applicabilità di Reverso e il relativo contributo nel settore delle costruzioni.
REVERSO. Reversible technologies towards reusing, remanufacturing and recycling
Caroli, Tecla
2021/2022
Abstract
The research investigates the Reversible Technologies of the construction sector for the definition of Buildability Conditions, validated with two Pilot Projects, for the disassembly of constructive systems and for the activation of circular solutions. The challenge is to solve the problem of the huge quantity of building components that once disassembled, at the end of their service, have still residual performances, to demonstrate that reversible technologies could optimize the construction process emissions. Considering the state of constructive systems after the disassembly, it is possible to recover them through three different circular economy strategies, reusing, remanufacturing, recycling, and the main condition is that the constructive systems are reversible. The Reversible Technologies are analyzed on two levels: Hard and Soft. The Hard Technologies are the off-site constructive technics (materials, components, assembly methods), that are designed and built to be disassembly; the Soft Technologies consist in operative – management and assessment – aspects (phases, operators and their role, tools, evaluation methods, technical documentations, and standards) that support the construction process. The research is structured in three parts: knowledge, development, and practice. The Part 1 is developed with the literature and field analysis, to investigate the State of Art of the research. At present, the topics are the subject of discussion for thirty years but there are several lacks in practice that forbid the development and diffusion of reversible technologies for the application of circular economy strategies. After the literature review, the investigation is focused on the field analysis on practical experiences: components and buildings case studies and process operators’ interviews. The goal was to understand how design and build constructive systems for reversibility, sustainability and circularity: Buildability Conditions. The previous analysis highlighted that the Buildability Conditions towards reversible processes is actualized only if there is a transition towards the reversibility, sustainability and circularity. In the Part 2 explains how the achievement of the transition is possible through the Pre-conditions, developed in the design and manufacturing fields and considered as the basis for the actualization of the Buildability Conditions. Specifically, the conditions are the Soft Actions, led by the operators involved in specific phases of the constructive process, and the Hard Characteristics of the constructive systems on different building levels (materials, elements, systems and building). The systematization of the Buildability Conditions generates the Reverso Framework, conceived as a design-support tool for the realization of reversible, sustainable and circular processes, projects and products. During the elaboration of the Framework, two Pilot Projects are elaborated to validate, adjust and apply the conditions. Considering that, the Part 3 consists in the practical phase in which are developed the Pilot Projects. The practice experimentations are realized thanks to the Field Interaction, developed in the previous phases of the research, involving stakeholders that work with prefabricated construction systems and showed interest in the research and the potential applicability of the conditions defined. The projects are the results of two collaborations with the Dutch architectural firm, RAU Architects, and the Italian manufacturing company, Cel Components. The first application consists in the design of an architectural project, from building to element scale, for the requalification of a district of Utrecht, that follows the Hard and Soft conditions for the development of three scenario proposals. The aim is to testify the advantages to design and build reversible, sustainable and circular. The second application consists in the generation of reversible and circular transition of the production of sandwich panel system, used for façade, walls, false ceiling, and floor systems, following the Reverso Conditions. The challenge was the definition of Hard and Soft improvements to obtain a reversible and circular panels system. The Pilot Projects testified the applicability of Reverso and its relevant contribution in the construction sector.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/187013