Life Cycle Analysis of the Deconstruction of Military Barracks: Ft. McClellan, Anniston, AL

Nearly 2.5 million ft² of barracks must be removed from military facilities throughout the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4. While integration of manual deconstruction with traditional mechanical demolition methods has been shown to be comparable to traditional demolition methods in terms of cost and time requirements, the life cycle impacts of manual deconstruction on the environment and public health are unknown. To this end, life cycle assessment was applied to extend previous deconstruction studies of barracks at Ft. McClellan in Anniston, Alabama. Four scenarios were compared with varying degrees of time required for manual deconstruction of the barracks—100% Manual, 44% Manual, 26% Manual, and 100% Mechanical. Data were collected directly from the site and applied using SimaPro modeling software (Pré Associates, The Netherlands), considering two post-deconstruction options. Materials salvaged using either 100% or 44% Manual deconstruction and reused within a 20-mile radius of the deconstruction site yielded the most favorable environmental and health impacts. The significant impacts involved in the life cycle of diesel fuel required for transportation emphasize the need for developing reuse strategies for deconstructed materials at the regional level.