Circular adaptable industrialised façade system for building renovations
R.T. Daverveld (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
T. Konstantinou – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
S. Brancart – Mentor (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
The built environment is undergoing a critical transformation as it strives to meet ambitious climate targets, including the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. One key area of focus is the renovation of the existing building stock, where envelope upgrades can drastically improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. However, current renovation methods often follow a linear approach, neglecting circular principles. This project explores the development of a circular, adaptable and industrialised façade system as a scalable solution for sustainable renovation. Using a research-through-design methodology, the study analyses design criteria for a façade system that enables disassembly, reuse and adaptability to various façade layouts.
A design framework was created that ranks materials and connections by embodied carbon, end-of-life, service life, disassembly ease, cost, adaptability and reuse potential. Two case study row houses were used to test the designs: one using a traditional prefabricated timber structure and the other using a new, modular design approach. Evaluation combined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI), and the 3DR method (disassemblability, deconstructability, resilience) to quantify environmental impact and circular performance.
The results showed that each façade configuration suits a different need, such as cost, ease of disassembly, use of regenerative or less materials and so on. However, one overall best option stood out: a timber-frame structure combined with ClickBrick cladding. This solution achieved the highest cumulative score in circularity, adaptability and long-term reusability.
The report concludes that circularity must be built into the design process from the start. Key strategies include breaking façades into layers, reducing material use, choosing recycled or bio-based materials and using dry, reversible connections. Following these steps will help design a façade system that is reusable, adaptable and maintainable over multiple cycles of use, thereby supporting a more sustainable and circular building sector