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Hamburg
Klassenhäuser: façade

Location

Hamburg

Comparing wooden and brickwork facades of identical buildings

Innovative solution

Otto Wulff / Ehoch3 / Hamburg University of Technology

Partners Involved

School buildings

Building type

(Prefabricated) Concrete, steel

Structural material

Structural system

Curtain wall system

In this demonstrator, different façade elements are to be compared with each other. The aim is to investigate how reusable the façade elements are and what effort is required to dismantle the façades without destroying them.

Two buildings with identical construction methods but different façades will serve as the basis for this study. It is part of CIRCuIT because it identifies possible obstacles to the reuse of façade elements that are not normally recycled.

Aim of the demonstration

  • In this demonstrator, different façade elements are to be compared with each other.

  • The aim is to investigate how reusable the façade elements are and what effort is required to dismantle the façades without destroying them.

  • Two buildings with identical construction methods but different façades will serve as the basis for this study.

  • It is part of CIRCuIT because it identifies possible obstacles to the reuse of façade elements that are not normally recycled.

The expected impacts
By identifying façade elements that are suitable for reuse or easier recycling, it is easier to separate these building elements by type. The better separation of materials makes them easier to recycle.

Activities done

  • Different façade elements were examined on two different but identically constructed buildings. The façade elements investigated consisted of brickwork and wooden elements.

  • A complete BIM model of all 3 construction methods was created to investigate the effects and quantity changes of the building materials.

  • The digital model was analysed with BIM quantity takeoffs and can be used for visualisation and representation of the differences and used building materials.

  • The building components were evaluated according to the possibility of dismantling and reusability. Possible constructive improvements to increase the demountability and the associated possible reusability were identified.

Demonstrated results

  • Compared to clinker facades, pre-hung wood and metal facades can be easily removed due to their screwed construction and can therefore be reused to a greater extent.

  • Wooden façade elements can be completely reassembled.

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