Domicology aims to change the construction management paradigm by focusing on community and economic development through the deconstruction and reuse of materials from abandoned homes. The document discusses how domicology shifts the focus from new construction to maximizing the value of existing building materials in the supply chain. It notes that the upper Great Lakes region has an abundance of lower-value materials available from the estimated 264,660 vacant homes that could provide over 1.5 billion board feet of lumber and $3.45 billion worth of reclaimed materials. The document also examines the need for further research on markets for difficult to reuse materials and optimal transportation and shipping methods to facilitate reuse under the new domicology paradigm.

1. Domicology: Changing
the CEM Paradigm
George H. Berghorn, PhD, LEED AP BD+C, CGP
Assistant Professor of Construction Management
School of Planning, Design & Construction

2. Shifting the CM Paradigm
• Domicology changes the role of construction management in
community and economic development
$$ Investment
Construction Activity
Community
and Economic
Development
Traditional Concept Model
Deconstruction
Construction Activity
Economic
Decline and
Abandonment
New Concept Model
Eventually the
cycle is broken
New
Markets

3. Materials and Supply Chain
• Materials and markets are at the core of this
paradigm shift
• Material quality and quantity varies by “skim”
• 1st Skim – fixtures, copper, commodities
• 2nd Skim – More difficult to remove commodities
• 3rd Skim – High volume, low value materials

4. Materials and Supply Chain
• Upper Great Lakes has an abundance of such “3rd Skim”
material
o ‘Other vacant’ = 264,660 homes
o Potentially-available lumber ~1.5 billion BF
o Estimated value ~$3.45 billion
• Other high-value materials include bricks/blocks,
flooring, steel scrap etc. Concrete had additional costs
for processing before reuse or sale as aggregate

5. Materials and Supply Chain
• Mixed picture on markets
oHighly location and public policy- dependent
oRetail vs. industrial; material-specific and limited
oTransportation modes
• Research needed
oLocation of markets for difficult materials
oShipping modes and costs

6. Shifting the CEM Paradigm - Revisited
• How do we shift our paradigm “norms” in CEM and related fields?
• Potential research areas
oPredictive cost models
oTime studies/scheduling concerns
oSafety practices and models
oImpact of DFD on (de)construction
oAssembly construction and performance
oPost-occupancy surveys
oSpillover effect
oLife cycle costs
Satisfaction
Time
Safety
Sustainability
Cost
Quality
Satisfaction

7. Thank You!
George H. Berghorn, PhD, LEED AP BD+C, CGP
berghorn@msu.edu

8. Questions?
George H. Berghorn, PhD, LEED AP BD+C, CGP
berghorn@msu.edu