A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Circular transformation of vacant office buildings
Circular building is a radically different approach to the construction and demolition sector, since it applies the assumptions of circular economy, that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design, instead of the currently dominating linear one. This is different to earlier efforts on trying to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment, that have mainly focused on the energy use and energy efficiency of buildings, ergo on the use phase of buildings. Circular building takes a larger, system point of view, includes the end-of-life phase in the design and applies different ownership models. Management of resources and their quality, both materials and energy, is in the very core of circular building, where all products are part of a circular model. Hence, they can be either reused or recycled in different reuse loops or brought safely back to the nature. All energy that is needed to fuel the cycles of a circular economy is produced with renewable energy. Circular building also promotes flexibility, since it allows buildings to change over time, without wasting valuable materials that are invested in them. There is already a number of executed pilot projects that are done according circular building, as well as examples of flexible buildings. While the built environment represents a great stock of used natural resources, there are buildings that become obsolete far before their technical lifespan come to an end. This is the case especially with office buildings. Adapting obsolete office buildings to serve currently needed functions such as housing, instead of demolishing them, not only saves the environment, but also requires less capital than constructing new. With the perspective of circular building, this thesis analyses an existing obsolete office building and designs its circular transformation.
Circular transformation of vacant office buildings
Circular building is a radically different approach to the construction and demolition sector, since it applies the assumptions of circular economy, that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design, instead of the currently dominating linear one. This is different to earlier efforts on trying to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment, that have mainly focused on the energy use and energy efficiency of buildings, ergo on the use phase of buildings. Circular building takes a larger, system point of view, includes the end-of-life phase in the design and applies different ownership models. Management of resources and their quality, both materials and energy, is in the very core of circular building, where all products are part of a circular model. Hence, they can be either reused or recycled in different reuse loops or brought safely back to the nature. All energy that is needed to fuel the cycles of a circular economy is produced with renewable energy. Circular building also promotes flexibility, since it allows buildings to change over time, without wasting valuable materials that are invested in them. There is already a number of executed pilot projects that are done according circular building, as well as examples of flexible buildings. While the built environment represents a great stock of used natural resources, there are buildings that become obsolete far before their technical lifespan come to an end. This is the case especially with office buildings. Adapting obsolete office buildings to serve currently needed functions such as housing, instead of demolishing them, not only saves the environment, but also requires less capital than constructing new. With the perspective of circular building, this thesis analyses an existing obsolete office building and designs its circular transformation.
Circular transformation of vacant office buildings
Raatesalmi, Hanna (author)
2018-01-01
Miscellaneous
Electronic Resource
English
A new life: conversion of vacant office buildings into housing
| Emerald Group Publishing | 2007
A new life: conversion of vacant office buildings into housing
| Online Contents | 2007
A new life: conversion of vacant office buildings into housing
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2007
METHODS AND TOOLS FOR THE PROJECT OF ADAPTIVE REUSE OF VACANT OFFICE BUILDINGS
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2016
Hotel fills long-vacant office space
British Library Online Contents | 2000