Kayla Wade
MIT Department: Architecture
Faculty Mentor: Prof. John Ochsendorf
Research Supervisor: Juliana Berglund-Brown
Undergraduate Institution: Tuskegee University
Website:
Biography
Kayla Wade is a fourth-year architecture student at Tuskegee University, concentrating in construction and design. Originally from Indiana, she is passionate about sustainable, community-centered design that addresses social equity. This summer, she is conducting research in the Building Technology department through MIT’s MSRP program, where she is studying demolished buildings in the Boston/Cambridge area and exploring methods of material reuse. Kayla previously interned with McKissack & McKissack in Chicago, contributing to architectural plans, digital modeling, and client presentations. She also designed the Inner Peace Center, a tiny house community for young women in transition. Through leadership roles as AIAS treasurer and Indiana Club senator, she continues to advocate for purposeful and inclusive design. Her experiences reflect a deep commitment to sustainability, innovation, and service. Kayla aims to reimagine the built environment as a tool for healing and transformation in under-resourced communities.
Abstract
Investigating Demolition Trends to Enable Structural Material Reuse in Boston and Cambridge
Kayla Wade1, Juliana Berglund-Brown2, and John Ochsendorf2
1Department of Architecture and Construction Science, Tuskegee University
2Department of Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
About 39% of carbon emissions worldwide are caused by the construction sector, with the extraction and disposal of building materials accounting for a large portion of these emissions.In the United States, approximately 90% of the 600 million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) waste produced each year is used for demolition. To spot patterns and calculate the potential for reusing structural materials, this study examines demolition activity in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Boston, Massachusetts.
We investigated patterns pertaining to building type, age, square footage, and demolition frequency using seven years' worth of city demolition records and building metadata. Data visualizations created in RStudio highlight which structures are most frequently demolished and when. To estimate recoverable materials such as steel, concrete, wood, and masonry, we applied a simplified structural material quantity (SMQ) method:SMQ (kg) = SMQ rate (kg/m²) × building area (m²).
We also developed 3D digital models of selected demolished buildings in Cambridge to visualize material mass, scale, and typology. Grounded in circular economy and life cycle analysis principles, this research supports more sustainable deconstruction practices. The results provide a reproducible method for determining recyclable materials, lowering embodied carbon, and guiding waste reduction plans for urban-scale construction.