Thesis defence: Anmol Billa

Abstract:

This study examines the circular potential of current aluminium curtain wall facades, primarily through strategies such as reuse, refurbishment, and remanufacture. The goal was to investigate ways to maximise the value of materials that still have utility before they reach the end of their service life. Given the significant human impact on the environment, including climate change, resource depletion, and ecosphere damage, the debate is especially appropriate for the third decade of the 21st century. Buildings are a substantial source of environmental disruption, accounting for a significant portion of energy consumption, waste generation, and carbon emissions. The construction industry is working to reduce operational carbon emissions and enhance occupant safety. However, there is little focus on embodied carbon and the retrieval of valuable materials in the early design phase, particularly in complex facade systems. Critical and vigorous action is needed to cut CO2 emissions by half by 2030, as highlighted by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The building industry must prioritise managing embodied carbon, particularly the high-carbon-intensity materials found in curtain walls, such as aluminium and glass, which account for over 50% of a building's total lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to building operations.

To address global issues, the development of Toronto's healthcare infrastructure from the 1970s onwards, with ongoing renovations, particularly focusing on its building systems, has become a potential model for studying, analysing, and applying sustainable practices. Hospitals such as SickKids, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto General Hospital, and others are currently updating their building exteriors, including their curtain wall systems, with a focus on implementing comprehensive strategies to create a more sustainable built environment. Finding alternatives for building facades, especially aluminium curtain walls, is crucial. It's crucial to incorporate end-of-life plans for new products and strategies for older ones to combat the "take makedispose" culture", especially in Toronto's healthcare sector. A forensic analysis, including a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), is being carried out to measure the quantity and quality of curtain walls and to assess the potential carbon emissions produced by facilities like the Patient Support Centre (Research site) at SickKids in Toronto. Additionally, a mixed-method approach, combining interviews with international facade and material experts and case studies, is being used to investigate the possibility of implementing circular practices through the practice of Design for Disassembly (DfD) in the future.

The DfD practice is customised and adapted to the research site (PSC building), reflecting the opportunity to reuse, refurbish, and remanufacture the unitised aluminium curtain walls and offering guidance for handling such complex facade systems. The findings of the practice present a structure for diminishing resource depletion and improving value preservation of aluminium unitised curtain walls in the facade industry. The thesis also acknowledges the relatable risks and uncertainties and highlights the necessity for incentives for manufacturers, clients, and policymakers.

The examining committee is as follows:

Supervisor: John McMinn
Committee member: Terri Meyer Boake
Internal-external reader: John Straube
External: Amr El-Bahrawy

The defence examination will take place:
Wednesday, July 31, 2024, 3:00 p.m.
In-person, ARCH 3003 - Loft.
A copy of the thesis is available for perusal in ARC 2106A.