Brief Analysis No. 26: Deconstruction in Building Construction – Current Practice and Potential for Resource Conservation

More than half of the total German waste volume is accounted for by construction and demolition waste from the building industry. This is reason enough to include the demolition and dismantling of buildings in the planning of a building from the very beginning, in order to reduce the volume of waste and conserve natural resources. The brief analysis shows the current practice of demolishing buildings and describes the potential for resource conservation in the construction industry.

  • Brief Analysis
The picture shows a construction site where the shell of a house is being built.© Angelika Mettke

Studies

Ecological and economic Assessment of Resource Use: Water-miscible cooling Lubricants

Cooling lubricants (coolants) are of great importance in metal cutting and forming. They increase the productivity and cost-effectiveness of the processes. In companies in the metalworking industry, water-miscible cooling lubricants are used in around 90 % of machining processes. They consist of a mostly mineral oil-based base oil and an additive package.

  • Studies
Das Bild zeigt die Anwendung eines Kühlschmierstoffs an einer Produktionsmaschine.© Kadmy/Fotolia.com

Resource Efficiency through Industry 4.0 – Potential for SMEs in the Manufacturing Sector

The digital transformation in industrial production offers considerable potential for increasing material and energy efficiency in companies. At the same time, the digitisation technologies used also require resources themselves: materials, including critical raw material, are used in the production of ICT components. Furthermore, the digital transformation can lead to higher energy consumption. The study "Resource efficiency through industry 4.0 - Potentials for SMEs in the manufacturing sector" focuses on this conflict between opportunities and challenges.

  • Studies
Das Bild zeigt eine Mindmap, in deren Mitte 4.0 zu lesen ist. An den Enden der Arme sind verschiedene Icons zu sehen, die für industrielle Produktion stehen.© VDI ZRE

Ecological and economical Assessment of Resource Use: Stationary Energy Storage Systems in industrial Production

Stationary energy storage systems are a necessary component of a future power supply system with high shares of renewable energies. Used in decentralized industrial applications, they help to increase resource efficiency while minimizing the costs of power supply. Storage solutions for the short to medium-term storage of electrical energy are therefore seen as a contribution to the success of the energy transition being driven forward in Germany.

  • Studies
The image shows a blue glowing battery sticking out of a sea of battery heads.© Cybrain/Fotolia.com

Ecological and economic Assessment of Resource Use: Additive Manufacturing Processes in industrial Production

Additive processes as a key technology of digitisation are considered to be faster and more cost-effective. Among other things, because less scrap is produced and less waste is generated during manufacturing. Using a specific case study, the study compares the resource consumption of an additive manufacturing process with a conventional manufacturing process.

  • Studies
The picture shows a part of an industrial production machine.© PantherMedia / moreno.soppelsa