The environmental benefits of relocating buildings

As the climate on earth deteriorates, actions are carried out within Europe to limit the amount of hazardous emissions to lower the environmental consequences due to greenhouse gases. A significant proportion of the emissions can be linked to the construction sector and its use of virgin resources....

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lidström, Harald, Söderström, Anders
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:English
Published: Lunds universitet/Avdelningen för Energi och byggnadsdesign 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9142073
Description
Summary:As the climate on earth deteriorates, actions are carried out within Europe to limit the amount of hazardous emissions to lower the environmental consequences due to greenhouse gases. A significant proportion of the emissions can be linked to the construction sector and its use of virgin resources. An area with great development potential within the construction sector is linked to its management and generating waste from demolition work. The Waste Hierarchy taken on by the EU states that to achieve sustainable use of resources, waste should primarily be avoided, and further materials should be reused. One strategy to avoid waste and prevent buildings from being demolished is to relocate buildings and thus extend their lifespans. One way to decrease the climate impact of the building industry is to reuse buildings. They can be relocated if they are not situated in the right location. Today in Kiruna, Sweden, there is a major urban transformation where buildings in the city are being relocated to new sites requiring considerable effort and associated procedures. The primary objective of the relocation initiative is to conserve the cultural significance associated with the city. The present study aims to examine the climate impact that may arise from the relocation of a building (Case A) and to compare this impact to that of demolishing and constructing a new structure of comparable size (Case B). This investigation will be conducted through a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. As a base for this study, a case building in Åre, Sweden, was assessed using LCA, where the relocation processes were based on interviews with a relocation company. The data collected from the conducted interview formed the scope of Case A. The relocation process was compared to a case study building that was demolished, and replaced by a newly constructed building that will represent Case B. Furthermore, an analysis of various factors, including different energy uses for Case A, calculation approaches for transportation of the ...