Barriers to reusing and recycling office fit-out: An exploratory analysis of demolition processes and product features

Fini, AAF; Forsythe, P

Barriers to reusing and recycling office fit-out: An exploratory analysis of demolition processes and product features

Fini, AAF Forsythe, P

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Publisher:: University of Technology, Sydney (UTS)
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Construction Economics and Building, 2020, 20, (4), pp. 42-62
Issue Date:: 2020-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Fini, AAF
dc.contributor.author	Forsythe, P https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0997-9118
dc.date.accessioned	2020-12-30T22:41:36Z
dc.date.available	2020-12-30T22:41:36Z
dc.date.issued	2020-12-01
dc.identifier.citation	Construction Economics and Building, 2020, 20, (4), pp. 42-62
dc.identifier.issn	2204-9029
dc.identifier.issn	2204-9029
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/145004
dc.description.abstract	© 2020 by the author(s). Within the highly waste-generative context of Australia, waste from demolition of office fit-out significantly contributes to unsustainable landfilling. The extant literature is, however, slim on scrutiny of the situation. Therefore, this study aims to uncover office fit-out demolition processes and product features that drive high ratio of landfilling fit-out elements. The research used ten case projects and fourteen interviews to document visible and latent parameters of office fit-out waste. Waste-stream mapping and decision-tree techniques, in conjunction with basic descriptive statistics, were used to model and visualize the extent and drivers of unsustainable fit-out demolition. Further, an exemplar product features analysis was conducted to validate the identified drivers. The findings show that 78% of fit-out waste from the studied cases is landfilled. This high rate is attributed to both latent and visible factors. The main latent factor is high lease price of premium or high-quality offices which favours expeditious demolition with low consideration for reuse and recycling. Key technically visible barriers are volumetric furniture, heterogeneous fit-out assemblies, and insufficient critical mass. To move away from landfilling, production of office fit-out should be transformed for sustainable material adequacy, product re-configurability and de-constructability, and easy handling in the use phase.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	University of Technology, Sydney (UTS)
dc.relation.ispartof	Construction Economics and Building
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.5130/AJCEB.v20i4.7061
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0905 Civil Engineering, 1202 Building, 1402 Applied Economics
dc.title	Barriers to reusing and recycling office fit-out: An exploratory analysis of demolition processes and product features
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	20
utslib.for	0905 Civil Engineering
utslib.for	1202 Building
utslib.for	1402 Applied Economics
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CCDP - Contemporary Design Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Built Environment
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2020-12-30T22:41:12Z
pubs.issue	4
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	20
utslib.citation.issue	4

Abstract:

© 2020 by the author(s). Within the highly waste-generative context of Australia, waste from demolition of office fit-out significantly contributes to unsustainable landfilling. The extant literature is, however, slim on scrutiny of the situation. Therefore, this study aims to uncover office fit-out demolition processes and product features that drive high ratio of landfilling fit-out elements. The research used ten case projects and fourteen interviews to document visible and latent parameters of office fit-out waste. Waste-stream mapping and decision-tree techniques, in conjunction with basic descriptive statistics, were used to model and visualize the extent and drivers of unsustainable fit-out demolition. Further, an exemplar product features analysis was conducted to validate the identified drivers. The findings show that 78% of fit-out waste from the studied cases is landfilled. This high rate is attributed to both latent and visible factors. The main latent factor is high lease price of premium or high-quality offices which favours expeditious demolition with low consideration for reuse and recycling. Key technically visible barriers are volumetric furniture, heterogeneous fit-out assemblies, and insufficient critical mass. To move away from landfilling, production of office fit-out should be transformed for sustainable material adequacy, product re-configurability and de-constructability, and easy handling in the use phase.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/145004