Reuse of wood learning about the benefits and challenges of high-and low-Tech diagnostic methods through action research in norway

Abstract

Digital technologies for the diagnosis of underused timber construction and the reclamation and reuse of wood in timber construction have not been widely deployed. One of the reasons is the need for diagnosis processes with large amounts of data. This paper is a product of the learning process in the Norwegian project SirkTRE, and specifically, the sub-project SirkLave (Circular Barns), which aims to address the problem of underused and vacant barns and other agricultural buildings in Norway. Moreover, this multiple-case project aims at understanding the feasibility, costs, and benefits of circularity strategies, such as deconstruction and reuse of wood in new projects or renovations. The learning processes draw upon explorative desktop-based research, interviews with key informants, and our own experiments and experiences with various cases of barns. The scope of this paper is the reuse of wood from barns that is deemed ineligible for renovation. This paper describes low-and high-Tech methods for surveying redundant buildings to applying extracted components in new designs. This multiple-case study reflects on the preconditions of the context in which these best practices may succeed, as well as on the benefits and the challenges.