Pro-Environmental Solutions in Architecture—The Problem of Decommissioned Wind Blades

Aleksandra Śledzik and Marzena Banach ()
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Aleksandra Śledzik: Institute of Building Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, 61-131 Poznan, Poland
Marzena Banach: Institute of Architecture and Physical Planning, Poznan University of Technology, 61-131 Poznan, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: Since the 1990s, Polish energy companies have been using new technologies to build wind farms, consisting of large devices. Over the years, the power and the size of installations have increased, and it continues to do so. In Poland, as well as in other countries, a problem with the post-use management of wind turbine blades has appeared. The recycling of wind turbine blades has remained challenging hitherto. The utilization of many different materials and changes in the dimensions cause multi-material waste. Since there are no economically viable recycling technologies available for such large-scale composite products, other treatment strategies for disposed WTBs have to be considered. This study explores the repurposing of WTBs as a pro-environmental alternative approach from a technological and architectural point of view. For this purpose, the study is guided by an analysis of wind turbine locations in reference to the impending need for waste management of wind blades in Poland. Well-profiled blades help transfer a large portion of wind energy to turbine rotors, which is why their construction is a challenge when it comes to designing new objects or elements thereof from decommissioned blades. They have a continuous curvature, where both the cross-section and thickness change, which is why, in the design of architectural or engineering objects, they are cut into smaller parts. This solution makes it possible to optimize the load-bearing properties of individual segments, ensuring a more stable system. Smaller elements also provide greater freedom in shaping architectural forms, which is associated with better control of the final effect from the aesthetic side. The potential of repurposing WTBs is shown, for example, in the design concept for the Archery Centre in Poznan (Poland).

Keywords: sustainable architecture; design; wind turbine blades; reuse; recycling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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