The potential for cascading wood from demolished buildings: potential flows and possible applications through a case study in Finland

The aim of this study was to explore potential cascading flows and the measures that could be taken to enhance cascading potential. The results reveal that the potential cascading flow needs to be considered in light of the length and condition of the wood recovered from buildings, rather than the cross-section. For instance, wood in the roof structure such as ‘1 × 4’ or ‘1 × 6’ was recovered with most of the original length intact and with minimal damage, which is suitable for direct reuse. In contrast, wood in walls, floors and ceilings such as ‘2 × 2’, ‘2 × 3’ or ‘2 × 8’ was recovered in poor condition in terms of both length and the occurrence of damage. To enhance cascading potential, the development of the jointing systems and considering the reuse of whole elements of the unit parts should be further investigated.