黑料福利网

ReCreate is an EU Horizon 2020 project that received 鈧�12.5 million in funding to investigate the feasibility of deconstructing and reusing precast concrete elements instead of demolishing them. ReCreate pushes the boundaries towards a more circular construction industry by focusing on all stages of the value chain. By choosing reuse instead of demolition and producing new elements for each new structure, the CO2 footprint can be reduced significantly 鈥� in some cases, up to 75%!
The project is comprised of a consortium of universities and industry partners across four countries: Finland (project leader Tampere University), Sweden (KTH), Germany (Brandenburg University of Technology), and the Netherlands (黑料福利网). In each country, a pilot project will performed. This will involve deconstructing a building and then reconstructing a new building using the harvested elements.

• Material use: Concrete is the most widely used construction material globally and in the EU, yet it is highly carbon鈥慽ntensive. 

• Emissions: Cement production alone contributes 5鈥�8% of annual global carbon emissions. 

• Reuse benefits: Reusing precast concrete elements can cut the energy use and carbon footprint by 93鈥�98% for single components. 

• Waste challenge: Construction and demolition waste is the largest waste stream in the EU and is subject to a 70% recovery target under the Waste Framework Directive. 

ReCreate project accelerates the transition to circular construction by investigating the systemic changes required across the full construction/demolition ecosystem. 

ReCreate touches on every aspect of the value chain for precast concrete elements, ranging from deconstruction, architectural design, structural design, sustainability, economics, business models, logistics, policy and social acceptance. The 黑料福利网 team is specifically made up of structural engineers researching several exciting different topics, including design software applications, new connections and demountability, structural reliability and reassembly. The 黑料福利网 team is mainly responsible for the work packages WP2 (deconstruction) and WP5 (design) as the leader, but is also involved in the other WPs.

Deconstruction: Dutch Donor Building

For the Dutch pilot, the nine-story Prinsenhof office complex in Arnhem (over 8,000 m虏 of floor area) was deconstructed in 2023 by Dutch industry partner Lagemaat. The Prinsenhof office building, one of several provincial offices in Arnhem, was slated for demolition. Seeking an environmentally responsible approach, the Province joined the ReCreate initiative to pursue selective deconstruction and high鈥憊alue reuse instead of conventional demolition. Over 450 floor slabs and 350 load-bearing wall elements were successfully recovered and are ready for a second application.  

Why Prinsenhof was suitable 

• Simple, repetitive structural system with identical floor layouts across all levels. 

• Limited range of precast types, improving handling and traceability:  

• load-bearing fa莽ade elements, 

• floor slabs, 

• precast concrete inner walls (鈥渃ore elements鈥�). 

• Two identical wings forming an L-shaped plan, with a concrete core at the corner. 

• Open floor plates in the wings; vertical circulation and amenities (staircase, lift, restrooms, pantries, storage) concentrated in the core, simplifying separation and removal. 

These characteristics enabled a systematic deconstruction sequence and a high yield of reusable components, ready to be reintroduced as load-bearing elements in new construction. 

Most of the recovered precast concrete components, hollow-core slabs and the complete precast concrete fa莽ade were transported to the Lagemaat site in Heerde.  

The refurbishment plan involves uncovering external finishes and insulation to maintain structural integrity. An in-site tool will facilitate the processing and sawing of elements. Fa莽ade elements were cut, and the front parapets were removed from the structural elements with the saw wire. The parapets are then stored separately and stacked for clear and efficient organisation. Hollow-core slabs will be shortened using specialised equipment. These reclaimed elements will be incorporated into a new design built mainly from reused components, with the Prinsenhof pieces forming a central part of the structure.

Circular Centre Netherlands (CCN): Proving Reuse in Practice

With the construction starting in 2026, CCN will demonstrate how circular use of building components works in real projects. Ahead of construction, we鈥檙e building a full-scale mock-up to validate the structural concept. 

This prototype will deliver hands-on evidence on dimensional tolerances and the reconnection of reclaimed elements, helping turn reuse into a reliable, repeatable construction method. 

What the prototype tests: 

• Structural behaviour and stability of reused components 

• Tolerance mapping and fit-up in real assembly conditions 

• Connection details and methods for reclaimed elements 

• Practical workflows that reduce uncertainty around reuse for project teams 

ReCreate Studio

ReCreate鈥檚 Element Database is a digital 鈥減assport鈥� system for reclaimed precast concrete elements. It brings together key information from across the entire value chain needed to safely and efficiently reuse components 鈥� where they come from, their dimensions, materials, conditions, test results, structural strength, and environmental impact. Storing all this information in a single central place allows reusable elements to be searched, compared, and selected for new projects with confidence, transparency, and traceability. 

Built on lessons learned from real deconstruction projects across the four main European ReCreate pilot countries, the database is designed to support the entire reuse journey: planning and dismantling, quality checks and storage, redesign and reconstruction. It can store both simple descriptions and complex geometries, and it is structured so that data can be transferred into modern digital design tools. Prototype workflows have already demonstrated a connection between the database and BIM environments, helping designers quickly find suitable elements, place them in early layouts, and run basic checks. By turning scattered documents and site information into digital, shareable records, the Element Database helps reduce waste and carbon emissions, and makes whole-element structural reuse a more practical option for circular construction at scale. 

Fred Mudge EngD project

Master鈥檚 students Graduation projects

• Lucian Petrici芒 -  - 2023
• Jilke Donkervoort -  - 2024
• Femke Heuver - - 2024
• Mike Veenhuis - - 2024
• Savan Narain - - 2025
• Veerle van Oss - - 2025
• Matthijs J.D. van Mierlo - - 2025
• Cagri Altinor - - 2025