News in Domicology

Urban Wood Utilization & Carbon | Dr. George Berghorn PhD, LEED AP BD+C, CGP | TEDxUrbanWoodNetwork


Risks in Michigan’s urban environment - Great Lakes Echo Podcast w/ Dr. Rex LaMore

Listen to Dr. Rex LaMore discuss the degredation of urban structures and their affect on the public's health.

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Congratulations to 18 Newly Certified Domicologists!

About Domicology

Domicology is the study of the economic, social, and environmental characteristics relating to the life cycle of the built environment.

Domicologists

  1. Recognize that manmade structures have a life cycle

  2. Examine the life cycle continuum of the built environment and plan, design, construct, and deconstruct in order to maximize the reuse of materials and minimize the negative impacts of a structure's end of useful life

  3. Identify innovative tools, models, policies, practices, and programs that can sustainably address a structural life cycle

  4. Conduct research on the technical, economic, and policy challenges present in a structure's life cycle and seek to reduce the negative social, economic, and environmental impacts associated with structural abandonment

Emerging Research

 

Transforming the 21st Century Built Environment: Selected Student Papers in Domicology, Volume IV

Domicology Graphic

2 Case Studies in Material Salvage and Reuse

Pathways in Domicology: Deconstruction Workforce Development

Deconstruction Insurance Policy: An Innovative Proposal to End Property Abandonment

Have you conducted research related to the topic of structural abandonment? Please share your findings with us here!

Major Grant Awarded to Advance Reuse Sector

September 2019

The Domicology team at the CCED has been awarded a $600,000 state grant by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE).

The project has two primary objectives:

  1. Conduct pioneering research on value added reuses of salvaged wood (organic) products present in abandoned structures to bring that material back into the marketplace, and to,
  2. Create a statewide salvage/reuse business accelerator that will provide strategic training, technical assistance and networking to improve the viability of this nascent industry sector and expand businesses’ recycling markets for salvaged materials.

This generous state funding will enable the Domicology team to lead the effort to divert organic material (wood) from the landfill stream and create a viable circular economic sector that can salvage and effectively reuse materials generated from the estimated 226,000 blighted and abandoned residential structures in Michigan.

Apply for a Student-Led, Faculty guided project related to this project! Academic applicants apply here. Industry applicants apply here.

Domicological White Papers

The Domicology team has started a series of white papers to help expand the written work on Domicology. The four completed papers are attached below.

In addition, we would like to encourage our fellow Domicologists to write their own 1-2 page white paper on a topic related to Domicology! 

If you have questions regarding our Domicology White Paper Series or would like to write one of your own, please contact Dr. LaMore at lamore@msu.edu