Deconstruction of a prefabricated concrete building designed for disassembly–cost comparison of deconstruction and demolition

Abstract Design for disassembly (DfD) is a suggested concept for enhancing circular economy in the construction sector. To expand the usage of the DfD concept, and especially promote the markets for DfD components, more detailed cost analysis is required of each life-cycle phase. This study estimates the deconstruction and demolition costs of a two-floor day care building, built with prefabricated concrete components. Three alternative scenarios are compared: (1) deconstruction of a building designed for disassembly; (2) deconstruction of a built-as-usual (BAU) building; and (3) demolition of a BAU building. The calculation data is based on data gathered by interviews; the results of a pilot project; and software providing wide cost data of real projects. The results indicate that the deconstruction profitability primarily depends on the number of floors, as both the intermediate floors and interior walls are suitable for reuse, whereas the foundation is typically crushed and disposed. Hence, roughly, the lower the building is, the less profitable the deconstruction is. Despite the advantageous solutions facilitating the deconstruction of DfD buildings, demolition is still a more appealing strategy with its lower cost and shorter duration. This study offers novel information of the deconstruction cost of DfD building, as these expenses have not been previously carefully studied. Here we compare the costs of deconstruction of a DfD building and a BAU building, as well as the demolition option. These results can be utilized for evolving inducement for DfD implementation.