Betonwerk Büscher GmbH & Co. KG – On the way to a circular construction industry

And so the experts began to experiment with the demolition material for houses, bridges and other structures. They managed to develop a recycled concrete in which all the natural stones and sand were 100 percent replaced by demolition waste, and to use it to create the “Büscher wall”. In mid-2021, they received the seal that is crucial in the construction industry for their invention: the “general building authority approval” (abZ) from the German Institute for Building Technology for load-bearing and non-load-bearing interior wall elements made of recycled concrete. In December, the design approval for the “Büscher blocks”, i.e. components made of recycled concrete, was added. “In the prefabricated parts, the raw materials gravel and sand are completely replaced by mixed demolition material,” explains Wolfgang Büscher, “in addition, we have a reduction in CO ₂ emissions of around 23 percent compared to conventional reinforced concrete walls.” To also show in practical terms, As far as possible, the company built a reference property in Heek, Westphalia, an apartment building in which all interior walls are made of recycled prefabricated parts.

Only the outer walls and ceilings are made of conventional concrete, but Büscher is continuing to experiment to find recycling solutions here too. “We now hope that the use of recycled materials in construction will become established and soon leave the niche,” emphasizes Büscher, “after all, this construction method makes a significant contribution to conserving scarce resources such as gravel and sand.” The company would like to issue licenses for this purpose. so that recycling walls can also be built by other companies in their respective regions. “That would have an additional positive climate effect because the precast concrete parts would then not have to be transported so far,” explains Büscher, who promotes a resource-conscious building culture.