This is necessary because the advantages of reusing materials in construction are saving costs for waste material treatment, reducing harmful impacts on the natural environment, reducing construction waste, and making full use of resources... and is supported by the government with investment policies to develop technology for recycling and reusing materials in construction (Van Hao, 2020). In particular, exploiting and using recycled materials in construction will promote creative design ideas and new styles in architecture and interior design.
With that meaning, the article wishes to introduce solutions and evaluate the effectiveness of using recycled materials in construction and interior architectural spaces, especially focusing on residential projects with modern designs.
Practical basis and research methods
To better understand the methods of researching and applying recycled materials in interior spaces, Bagnato (2014) suggested using recycled materials in interior design in a modern residential style. It is important to plan and determine the appropriate location for applying recycled materials in the overall design of the interior space. Wood is reused for the baseboard; recycled tiles are used for the wall at the sink location; and the hanging lamp uses recycled glass (Figure 2).
On the one hand, old materials are said to emit less toxic gases or substances that affect users and the environment (Le Vu Cuong, 2015). In short, the use of recycled materials brings great value in the design of living spaces as well as contributes to environmental protection. The sustainability of housing projects will be assessed through the positive effects of interior space on users, similar to the project on the surrounding environment.
Through the study of documents related to the use of recycled materials, using a survey method based on design samples and the application of interior styles, techniques, local materials... suitable for space and culture in Vietnam. The research's sample designs will describe the application of recycled materials and the effectiveness of those materials in promoting sustainability in a space.
The authors conducted research on housing projects using indigenous materials and identified economic issues and material usage costs. The research team sent out survey questionnaires (living room, bedroom, kitchen) and interviewed experts to study design ideas and experiences through data synthesis and comparison.
Research results
The survey results of 67 samples show that the types of recycled materials in interior spaces are mainly used for cladding the house structure such as floors, walls, and ceilings. Specifically, recycled bricks account for 67% (ceramic tiles, patterned tiles, and granite tiles, etc.), constructions using wood for flooring account for nearly 24%, and stone for flooring account for 6%.
Regarding wall cladding or construction materials, the survey results show that the two most common types are bricks with a ratio of 40.3% and concrete with a ratio of 41.8%. Many projects leave the wall surface rough and apply water-based paint or still leave the construction materials rough. In addition to the two materials of bricks and concrete, there are still projects that use natural materials to build walls such as wood or stone (ratio of 7.5%).
In terms of the lifespan of walls in modern residential buildings, most will start to deteriorate after 6 to 10 years (34.3%). However, if the walls are heavily affected by nature such as seepage or mold, the durability will decrease, ranging from 3 to 5 years (32.8%).
Next is the survey result of ceiling cladding materials, plaster is the material with the highest proportion at 46.3%. With the advantage of easy construction and decoration and reasonable price, almost all housing projects today use plaster ceilings. There are a few civil works using wood and metal in ceiling cladding, with the purpose of enhancing the aesthetic value of the interior space. Not to mention the works with roofing materials.
Finally, with the survey results of door system materials, metal door frames and glass doors are the most used in current housing projects with a rate of 39.4%. The advantages of this type of door system can be known as diverse designs, luxury, reasonable price, and easy replacement of components.
In addition, wooden doors are still widely used at 24.2%. With the tradition of using wood materials and high durability, wooden doors are still suitable for civil works in Vietnam. In addition, there are still plastic door systems, but they are less commonly used because of their lower durability compared to metal or wooden doors in tropical climates.
The survey results show that recycled materials are also commonly used in current housing projects at a rate of 71.2%. The assessment of the popularity of recycled materials in construction projects was first surveyed through research on local construction material trading. Unlike old materials that are reused, the results show that the most commonly used and traded recycled material is plastic at 64.2%.
Next is recycled wood with a rate of 61.2%. In the current market, the two types of plastic and recycled wood materials not only have diverse product designs (including finishing materials and furniture), but are also easy to construct, disassemble or replace. In particular, the price of the two types of recycled materials above is also suitable for all levels of civil works. For other types of recycled materials such as steel, glass, and bricks, the results show that their popularity is lower with a rate ranging from 20 to 30%.
Through a survey of experts (with over 10 years of experience in design practice), the groups of questions focused on clarifying the content: Recycled materials, application of materials in space finishing, application of materials in furniture processing, and sustainable design with recycled materials and received survey responses. Along with studying reference documents to analyze problems when using recycled materials.
This shows that recycled materials have a faster loss of strength and lower strength than new materials. Because in the recycling process, some materials are mixed with impurities (such as bricks, steel), additives must be added (wood), or some of their original properties (plastic) are lost. And the effects from the natural environment as well as during use, lead to warping, shrinkage, expansion, termites, brittleness, or rust.
In addition to the damage caused by shrinkage (due to heat) or warping (due to moisture), the aesthetic value of recycled wood products also gradually fades with the damage. The texture, color or wood grain on recycled products will fade over time. If these textures are exposed to direct sunlight, the fading time will react more quickly. In addition, two types of recycled materials, plastic and brick, also have problems under the impact of the natural environment.
Recycled plastics can easily turn yellow, fade and become brittle if exposed to direct sunlight or high temperatures for a long time. The patterns of recycled bricks also have a similar condition in high temperatures. Some feedback states that recycled plastics will have negative impacts on the natural environment and the health of users, due to the thermal reaction of microplastic particles.
Therefore, along with identifying the problem of recycled materials, it is necessary to consider the relevant factors affecting the product, which will simplify the application of appropriate treatment or maintenance methods.
For problems arising on furniture products, they are usually handled in two cases: detailed damage and serious damage. Handling minor damage in furniture made from recycled materials will be simple with a few methods such as: Adding additives or braces to reinforce the problem area. Disassembly methods can be applied to replace damaged parts, if you have a good understanding of the product structure and have furniture processing techniques.
This method can also be applied to severely damaged furniture. However, this solution is only applicable to products made from replaceable recycled materials such as wood and metal. For recycled materials such as plastic or glass, it is almost always necessary to completely replace them, because replacing small details will make it difficult to maintain the aesthetics of the product.
In short, applying maintenance methods not only helps to limit problems that appear on recycled material products, but also makes problem handling easier.
Application and analysis of results
The results of the online survey and expert interviews can be summarized with the following items: (1) Old wood and steel from construction works are reused and recycled a lot in Da Lat; recycled glass, plastic, and bricks are not widely used; although recycled products are diverse, they have shortcomings in quality and durability. (2) Recycled wood and brick materials are mainly used for flooring or wall cladding, recycled wood or plastic is often used in furniture manufacturing.
Steel, bricks, and glass are widely used in room decoration. (3) The majority of responses stated that the application of recycled materials is suitable for modern interior design; suggested prioritizing the maintenance and care of materials during use; promoting the effectiveness of sustainability in civil works is still limited and (4)
Source: https://diaoc.nld.com.vn/su-dung-vat-lieu-tai-che-trong-noi-that-nha-o-196240827155252578.htm
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