Schermi avanzati: il riuso di pareti in mattoni dall’esistente

Preventing resource consumption and wastage is one of the European Union’s priority challenges, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal. Policies and actions for pursuing sustainability require moving beyond linear production and consumption models (take-make-use-dispose) towards circular models, eco-design strategies and "Design for X", where materials and products have multiple useful life cycles. In this context, the construction sector plays a significant role in European development plans, as the high intensity of resource consumption and waste production characterizes it. Among the different building materials, brick already responds to some circularity requirements: it is not only recyclable but also has gripping reuse potential. This contribution explores an innovative system for reusing portions of brick masonry units at the end of their useful life cycle – taken from disused existing buildings – employed to manufacture a mechanically-assembled ventilated external wall cladding. The brick reuse technology is described by illustrating a case study designed by Lendager Group and built in Copenhagen. The solution applied in the layered construction system demonstrates the characteristics of durability and versatility as well as the material culture’s potential as an added “value” of brick.