Perhaps the most important factor in the construction of the first recycled skyscraper in the world is the exorbitant costs of demolishing tall and tall buildings, whether material costs or environmental costs, in addition to the high cost of demolishing such buildings, as their demolition produces huge waste and causes heavy emissions of gas dioxide. The carbon that results from heavy machinery used in demolition, and given the importance of this topic in the world of construction and contracting, in our article we will talk about the first recycled skyscraper.
The first recycled skyscraper
AMP Capital launched a competition in architecture for the construction of a new skyscraper, without demolishing the old structure. Not only that, but this idea succeeded in replacing the tower with another more beautiful, larger, and more energy-efficient building.
The recycled building was also called the Quay Quarter, and it became the first skyscraper to be recycled. It reached a height of 676 feet and now includes 49 floors, while retaining about 95% of its original essence and more than two-thirds of its old structure, which qualified the building to win the title The best in the world in 2022 AD.
Efficiency – how long it takes
The process of developing the Quay Quarter Tower began in 2018 and ended in 2021, meaning that the time it took to construct the first recycled skyscraper extended to about four years , and during this period the tower was updated in terms of design and shape, and it was officially opened in early 2018. 2022 AD, to be an important starting point in the design of sustainable buildings, and an important addition that can be relied upon to open new horizons in the future for the field of civil and architectural engineering.
At a time when the beauty and efficiency of the Quay Quarter Tower can be distinguished with the naked eye, and with the engineering designs that made it retain about 65% of the old floor slabs, and about 98% of the structural walls as well, which contributed to saving about 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide, as well. With this recycling, the engineers were able to give the tower, which was nearing its end, an additional life spanning many years.
How was the first recycled skyscraper built?
The engineers who recycled the Quay Quarter tower in Sydney, Australia, relied on many engineering methods in order to make the tower recycling process a success, and below we review the most important of what they did:
- Closely assessing the condition of the old building, and knowing the structural load that can support it, its amount and location, through testing concrete samples.
- Engineers installed hundreds of sensors to monitor the tiniest of movements and ensure old structures as well as new ones did not deflect.
- The engineers directed the workers to leave a gap of up to four meters between the old and new buildings, and work continued with this mechanism until the last stages of construction, giving the concrete enough time to settle.
How much did it cost to recycle the tallest tower in the world?
The cost of a recycled skyscraper in the world has reached one billion Australian dollars, equivalent to 670 million US dollars, and AMP Capital has been able to save about 150 million Australian dollars, equivalent to 102 million dollars, by relying on recycling the tower instead of demolishing it completely And rebuilding it again, at a time when the building was distinguished by the amazing 3 XN design that gave it a wonderful shape, and it constituted a very important case study for civil engineers, architects, and owners of companies and buildings, being the first recycled skyscraper.
Community returns from building recycled buildings
There are many positive returns that society benefits from relying on sustainable architecture, and the following are the most prominent of these returns:
- Preserving resources: the use of old materials helps reduce the percentage of raw materials used in construction, which means preserving natural resources.
- Reducing costs: Relying on recycled materials requires a lower cost than relying on new original materials.
- Reducing harmful emissions: Recycling materials has an important role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases, which result from the use and production of raw materials.
- Raising air quality: Adopting the first model of a recycled skyscraper and applying recycling to other buildings contributes to improving and raising air quality, especially in urban areas that are densely populated, as this contributes to reducing the flow of more hot air during the summer.
- Encouraging sustainable design: Recycling and using materials in the construction process stimulates engineering innovations and increases reliance on sustainable design.
- Encouraging sustainable development: This is done by constantly recycling materials, which contributes to reducing pollution, and leads to reducing the impact of construction on the environment, especially in the long term.
At the conclusion of our article, we will have known the first recycled skyscraper, and reviewed important information about it.
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