What is Deconstruction and How is it Different from Demolition?

Apart from reducing various health hazards at a construction site, good waste management practices can boost workers’ productivity and guarantee a focused environment for the seamless flow of building tasks.

Deconstruction vs Demolition:

While the two terms are used interchangeably quite often, they don’t mean the same thing. The main point of difference between deconstruction and demolition is recycling. Demolition involves destroying a building, whereas deconstruction is done to recycle whatever you can for future use.

The current blog is going to talk about the detailed process and difference between deconstruction and demolition in light of how eco-friendly and beneficial both methods are. 

What is Deconstruction?

Do you ever wonder ‘What is deconstruction in construction?’ Well, it is the exact opposite of construction. Building deconstruction refers to the systematic dismantling of specific building components. The goal here is to be mindful of any material that can be used for recycling later on. Deconstruction can be called a type of eco-friendly demolition. You can help not just your environment but also your community by deconstructing a building the right way.

Deconstructing & preserving salvageable building materials:

a. Preparation:

First, you need to prepare the area and protect your neighbor’s property by setting up a temporary fence around your building to contain all the debris.

b. Tools:

Next you need to acquire heavy machiney as well as safety gear. You’ll need help from professional contractors to operate the heavy machinery.

c. Dumpster renting:

You’ll need this for efficient removal of debris from your construction site. A lot of the unsalvageable waste will also need to be transported to the landfill.

d. Start removing:

After removing glass materials and the rest of your building’s interior, take off all the plywood, drywall, underlayment, and roofing shingles. 

e. Deconstruct:

Start from the roof and then gradually come down while pushing your walls inwards, disposing of the unusable material, and keeping the salvageable building materials like metal, bricks, and wood for construction material recycling.

What is Demolition?

Now that we know what deconstruction is, let’s take a look at demolition:

a. The demolition process:

The demolition process is known for being a much more aggressive method as compared to deconstruction. It involves the use of heavy equipment and machinery, for example, bulldozers and wrecking balls, for completely tearing down a building. After removing any hazardous materials from the building, contractors move toward preparing a demolition plan and discussing their plan of action for the process. Guaranteeing worker safety is one of the most crucial parts of this process.  

b. How the environment suffers:

The traditional process of demolition not only generates physical waste but also energy waste. This happens because tearing down a building requires a lot of vehicles and heavy machinery that can produce a lot of emissions. Traditional demolition, other than having zero preservation goals, also includes the additional problems of getting the required permits, labor costs, and site complications that turn it into a really expensive hassle. 

c. More waste in the landfills:

With no construction material recycling done during a demolition, a lot of potentially salvageable building materials go to the landfills instead. This results in landfills getting full of non-biodegradable waste much more quickly, and leads to contaminated water and soil in the vicinity of the landfill that, in turn, affects the plantation. 

Difference Between Deconstruction and Demolition

To help you get a detailed understanding of both processes concerning their impacts and benefits, here is a detailed analysis of deconstruction vs demolition:

Benefits of Deconstruction

In recent trends, sustainable demolition is getting a lot more attention as it boosts resource recovery and reduces environmental impact/waste. If you’re looking towards a sustainable demolition project, here are some things you can do:

a. Do energy-efficient demolition:

There are a lot of cutting-edge technologies out there that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and convert waste into valuable energy resources.

b. Using sustainable demolition practices:

By using non-toxic materials and reducing landfill waste, you can mitigate water and soil pollution risks and help promote the well-being of your ecosystem. 

c. Do a waste audit:

This helps determine which materials from your building can be repurposed. An efficiently done audit can lead to the restoration of numerous items for resale and balance the money expended on the project.

d. Only use selective demolition:

This aids in keeping the primary structure intact while only demolishing the unusable parts of the building. So, no valuable resource goes to waste.  

Success stories:

Le Cadran Solaire, an eight-month project from February 2021, included the deconstruction of a former military hospital where Tsah Yahav and his team salvaged as many resources as they could, making the project a booming success. Various deconstruction projects have led to the successful use of recycled material for new building projects. One of the success stories is that of the Chartwell School in Seaside, California. This project efficiently utilized various deconstruction methods in its development.

When is Demolition the Right Choice?

You cannot always choose deconstruction because sometimes you may lack the resources for a full-scale deconstruction project. So, here are some instances of when you should consider demolition instead:

• Lack of economic resources to fund a deconstruction/dismantling.
• Limited time for the project.  
• The building structure isn’t suitable for deconstruction and is compromised beyond repair.
• Outdated infrastructure that cannot be used for getting resources. 
• Extensive infestation of pests or contamination of hazardous materials like mold or asbestos requires immediate removal.

Conclusion

Deconstruction is the better choice here, with all its added benefits of getting resources through recycling and reuse, as well as being a strong advocate of environmental sustainability, so you should consider it the next time you are thinking about taking down a building. 

Want to know more about how you can do that? Call us today to learn about sustainable building options for your property!

FAQs

Demolition vs dismantling?

Demolishing is completely wrecking a structure, and dismantling is taking it apart in a precise and targeted way.

When a building is demolished, what happens to the construction materials?

All the unusable waste is transported to a landfill. 

Deconstruction vs demolition, which is more eco-friendly?

Go with deconstruction if you have the budget for a labor-intensive task and are looking for a sustainable option.

What are some methods for demolition?

The most common ones are machine demolition or implosive/explosive demolition.

Why is deconstruction a good option?

Not only is it eco-friendly, but it is also a source of extracting valuable resources.