From reclamation to reuse, a long journey / PART 1
The current practices of how we manage waste in industries related to construction have long been a cause for concern. However, the tide is slowly turning as a transition towards more sustainable practices and materials are being adopted. There is not one answer alone to achieving sustainability in industry but many methods that should be explored. In this case the reuse of materials left over from the stone industry has not only proven to be sustainable but the designs are unique to each situation providing interesting and original solutions.
By using offcuts of natural stone instead of new materials, we actively reduce the demand for new quarrying, minimising environmental damage and preserving natural landscapes. This not only conserves virgin stone but also reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with the extraction, processing and logistics of new materials. The economic benefits are also meaningful as reuse is a powerful tool for economic empowerment and community development. By focusing on local processing, up-cycling, and skilled labor, we can create a virtuous cycle that benefits both the environment and the people who call these communities home.
These photos show how over 4 decades of business Alvaro De Torre saved and stored all the leftover materials that were normally discarded and thrown away on a monthly basis. The cuttings from the sink are a clear representation of the amount of material that is normally thrown away, and which we are reusing for different purposes.
The process of Reuse
The reuse of natural stone offcuts in design and architecture comes with even more of the complexities involved when designing with reclaimed materials at every level of the process from sourcing and allocation, cleaning and processing, adaptation and flexibility, logistics and transport, installation and maintenance.
Cleaning and processing
Unlike the use of virgin stone, reclaimed materials aren't readily available, ‘off the shelf’. The process of selection and allocation is specific to each aspect of the design and requires a high level of quality control to maintain consistency. Unforeseen problems like hidden fissures, variance in thickness or tonality add to the complexity of assessing their suitability and need for additional treatment, cleaning and finishing.
Storage of the materials outside in the elements has meant that signs of nature have left their mark on the majority of the materials, especially the white marbles. In the case of the 35m2 of Carrara already installed in the bathrooms of the project in Gothic in Barcelona ( see Amargos project here ), extensive cleaning was required before installation. In order to ascertain the most efficient method of processing we ran tests on samples with a stone mason local to the stoneyard. Due to the significant quantity needed we identified a system of cutting pieces to one of two consistent dimensions before deep cleaning and polishing in batches. By this method we managed to keep the cost of processing per square meter low enough to justify reuse. On reflection this intensive processing would not be effective for smaller allocations of this particular material.
