In the framework of a doctoral thesis, we investigate with a digital approach, methods, practices and tools that could support the reuse process of materials, specifically timber resources. We have structured this paper around the study of a digital workflow and tool. More than supplying the thesis working tools, their role is to achieve on-site assessment of wooden structural elements, to reintegrate them into new constructions projects as new timber products from the market. The context of our research is French AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) sector, where we lead interviews and take part in construction projects (case studies). However, we lean as well on the literature review of materials reuse and timber assessment.

France's current 'wood wastes' management seems inefficient in settling on a durable reclaimed timber branch that would support reuse practices in architecture. We assume that there is a set of 'values' attached to timber members that should be revealed to estimate their market value better. Through the literature, we observe that the economy of a deconstruction project used to be considered significant, while embodied carbon is nowadays of major concern. Moreover, as Circular Economy and Cascading concept emerged, the meaning of durability has decreased in favour of reversibility that could guarantee a flow of material circulation. The problem is that these ideas involve probable rebound effects due to energy engaged in transportation and the transformation of reclaimed resources. Our reflection comes from a field study experience where we participated in the reuse process of timber members deconstructed from a textile mill. We observed that the lack of economy and the lack of 'values' identification resulted in depreciating the operation's efficiency, whose initial objective was to maximise the extraction and diffusion of reusable elements as much as feasible. Our research focuses on construction materials and massive structural timber members, which still seem challenging to reintegrate into new buildings.