The construction industry in the UK and globally creates vast quantities of wood waste. Much of this material has qualities that are lost in normal waste management. For example, recycled timber products like chipboard are short-lived and are the final material use before incineration or disposal. Reclaimed whole members tend towards shorter usable lengths and smaller cross-sections and are sold without warranties, which makes them hard to use in mainstream construction. We are passionate about making reuse happen in practice, and in this project we demonstrate a practical way to reuse these materials. We gathered solid timber from demolition sites and used it to create mass timber products: glued-laminated secondary timber (glulamST) and cross-laminated secondary timber (CLST). The ‘CascadeUp pilot’ brings our research to life: we designed and manufactured these products and assembled them into a demountable, modular building structure. Our study highlights the potential for upcycling materials from demolition to offer a sustainable alternative to structural materials like concrete and steel. It challenges cascading use of solid timber and addresses timber supply issues. We approach the design of mass timber as a reusable ‘kit-of-parts’ to maximise lifespan. Future research will focus on scaling production, improving material performance, and establishing a reliable feedstock supply network.
Keywords: circular economy, reuse, modularity, cross-laminated timber (CLT), glulam
Authors
Jonas Breidenbach
University College London, United Kingdom
Colin M. Rose
University College London, United Kingdom
Patrick Quinn
University College London, United Kingdom
Julia A. Stegemann
University College London, United Kingdom
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