Mapping of construction materials reuse practices within large Norwegian municipalities

Abstract

An increase in the reuse of building materials is identified as crucial to fulfil the UN Sustainable Development Goals within the built environment. The ambition of this paper is to examine systems for reuse in five of Norway’s largest municipalities, to understand the barriers and drivers for their well-functioning. Through a literature review, Norwegian praxis is then compared to best practices internationally. The methodological approach was based on a two-stage process. First, a preliminary round of informal interviews (N=28), and site visits to the sites were scrutinized. This first round gave the basis for the research design of the consecutive stage. Here, a scoping literature review was carried out to map the existing literature within the field. In the second stage, in-depth interviews of key actors (N=8) were carried out, along with renewed site visits. Document studies were carried out in the second round (contracts, site descriptions, and project descriptions). Norwegian praxis within the field of reuse lags behind best practices internationally. This is particularly true when compared to other northern-European countries. The main barriers to effective reuse within Norwegian municipalities are time, costs, lack of logistics, and requirements relating to materials, construction products and building design. Of particular importance is the lack of a system for reusing when existing buildings are terminated. If reuse is to gain adherence, there is a need for an improved understanding of how to systemise the logistics of reuse. It is therefore needed to increase theoretical knowledge and initiate change among practitioners.