Abstract
This masters thesis compares the economic, life and safety, and environmental implications associated with three seperate demolition methods: natural decomposition, traditional demolition, and deconstruction using the Empire State Building as a case study. This research aims to determine if the deconstruction and the reuse of existing building materialis is both an environmentally sound and cost effective method, versus the other two demolition methods, to mitigate the negative social effects of global climate change,