By now, many successful projects have proven that reuse works, makes a positive ecological contribution and can be applied on a broad scale. However, until recently, reuse, as an emerging branch of the building industry, was necessarily occupied with concerns of professionalisation and scaling, leaving many relevant issues under the radar or solved only on a project-project basis. These issues are now rightly receiving better attention. One example is contaminants found in reuse components, and the problematic grey zone they inhabit between limiting existing standards.
Neither do the current waste management requirements and specifications, historically geared only towards complete disposal of dangerous materials, nor do the demands for new construction and raw material benchmarks reflect the reality of reuse components as already existing and often safe. The unique physical qualities of reuse components simply are not fully addressed by current and accepted legal definitions and norms, leaving their practical implantation in question.
In order to close this gap, Zirkular is working with FRIEDLIPARTNER AG, a company specializing in the environment, sustainability and hazardous contaminants in the construction industry, to develop a practical guide on behalf of the FOEN (Federal Office for the Environment).
The guide, made in coordination with relevant stakeholders, will provide material diagnosticians, planners, architects and other interested parties with guidelines for dealing with contaminants in reusable building components.
Basil Rudolf
