Återbruk av bärande betongelement : Tekniska, logistiska och regulatoriska utmaningar: En fallstudie av PM12-projektet

Sammanfattning

The reuse of construction materials has in recent years become an import topic in the construction industry due to climate goals related to the Paris Agreement and Agenda 2030. However, reuse of load-bearing concrete elements is currently limited by unclear regulations, standards and methods that are used for quality assurance. This creates uncertainty among actors that work in demolition and construction projects and greatly impacts the implementation of reuse in practice. The purpose of this study is to examine the challenges associated with the reuse project of the PM12 building along with how current and future regulations affect the reuse possibilities of load-bearing concrete elements. This study focuses on technical, logistical and regulatory aspects related to reuse of prefabricated concrete elements. The research is based on a combination of literature and document studies together with interviews with representatives from companies that participate in the PM12- project, as well as other authorities and organizations. Results show that the lack of standardized methods and clear regulations that actors can use for quality assurance represents a major obstacle to make reuse a more common practice. The study also indicates that the New Building Regulations may both enable and complicate reuse by increasing the need for competence for actors within the industry regarding performance-based requirements, without stating how requirements are supposed to be accomplished. The study also highlights that access to documentation regarding production and previous use of concrete elements serves as an essential tool for verifying technical properties. Furthermore, the study shows that limited possibilities for intermediate storage also increases the importance of involving contractors and various actors early in the planning process and efficient logistics. The conclusions of the study states that the reuse of load-bearing concrete elements is technically possible but is highly dependent on organizational and logistical conditions. Increased coordination between demolition and new construction projects, together with methods that grant clearer quality assurance, will be essential för enabling circular material flows and reduce the long-term climate impact of the construction industry.