Exploring the reuse of façade components in Belgium: emerging and shifting roles to deal with uncertainties

Abstract

In conventional façade renovation or demolition projects, the intrinsic value of the removed components is lost through processes of landfilling, incineration, downcycling or recycling. As an alternative, this paper explores Value Retention Options (ROs), i.e. to repair, reuse, refurbish, remanufacture or repurpose existing façade components, through the lens of the actors and their interactions (i.e. a value network) in the Belgian context. Combining workshops, an online survey and semi-structured interviews with pioneering actors, the perceived challenges, roles and opportunities within the value network are studied. The results show a wide thematic range of perceived challenges, highlighting technical restrictions, technical knowledge-gaps, technical uncertainties, procedural uncertainties, financial uncertainties, and high costs. To answer some of the challenges, several of these existing roles are shifting, while also new roles are emerging within the already extensive network. These include technical advisers on ROs, circularity advisors (incl. material scouts and reuse coordinators), and dealers of reclaimed components (incl. material stockists and reclaimed component processors). Moreover, new partnerships are emerging on reverse supply chains. It can be concluded that Belgian façade renovation practices are slowly starting to change to deal with uncertainties on value retention options of existing façade components.