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The building industry is among the most environmentally relevant, considering the resources consumed and waste generated. As such, with the growing interest in sustainability, a new concept called the «circular economy» in construction is just starting to gain momentum. In other words, it is planning and designing buildings with materials whose end-of-life will have them either reutilized, recycled, or repurposed, with the aim of achieving less demand for new raw materials and a minimum generation of wastes.
The approach of the Circular Economy to architecture covers the changes in designing, constructing, and deconstructing buildings. Contrary to a linear «take, make, dispose» approach, circular construction thinks about recyclability and reuse, thus contributing to making more sustainable, greener cities.
A circular economy designs building materials to be kept in use for as long as possible, and their design is borrowed from nature: thinking of buildings that can be more easily disassembled, repurposed, or recycled other than sent to landfills.
In construction, for example, it encourages recyclable materials, a modular design system, and adaptive reuse. It does this through the extension of a material life cycle, further reducing the environmental impact on buildings. With the integration of circular practices in projects, architects and developers can reduce the carbon footprint while building flexible, adaptable, and sustainable structures.
The circular economy in construction is based on a few core underlying principles:
Design for Disassembly: Buildings are designed to be easily taken apart at the end of the life cycle, whose components can be reused or recycled. This necessitates that the architects should anticipate, choose materials, and methods of construction to allow easy disassembly.
Material Reuse: Circular Construction reuses materials from previously existing buildings rather than using new ones on each project. Salvaged woods, bricks, and steel can find a new life in new structures rather than increase demand for new raw materials.
Modular design implies the adaption of the ability to reconfigure or expand at a later time within a modular building system. Such designs ensure that elements are prefabricated and, if necessary, may be easily replaced or even recycled so that a building can adapt to future needs without its complete destruction.
Reduction in Waste: Material waste throughout the life of the building, from procurement to construction to deconstruction, is minimized as much as possible by the circular type of construction. All materials not used will be able to be reutilized, recycled, or composted and will not be sent to landfill sites.
One of the key ways architecture is embracing the circular economy is by making use of sustainable materials. Recycled steel, reclaimed wood, and other repurposed materials are increasingly finding their way into new construction projects. These materials reduce demand on new resources while also contributing to waste reduction.
Besides using recycled materials, architects are experimenting in biodegradable ones, amongst which are hempcrete-bamboo-mycelium. This has helped in a faster process or breakdown of waste naturally-once it reaches the end of life cycle-further decreasing the overall waste produced in this industry.
Main benefits arising from the adoption of a circular economy within the construction industry:
Environmental Impact Reduction: Circular construction reduces the need for extracting new resources by reusing materials and designing buildings for their disassembly. This leads to less energy consumption and Carbon emissions.
One of the major goals considered to be imparted by circular construction is less waste accruing. The buildings designed to be recyclable mean that there will be less waste at the level of construction and demolition.
Economies of Scale: Reusing materials results in a reduced cost to the developers as there is easy availability of salvaged materials in abundance. The modular design also makes the processes of repair and upgrade easier, thereby reducing the need for renovation and costly modification.
Adaptability: Circularity in buildings is adapted to changes over time. It also means that it can easily adapt to different functions or be extended if there is a need for it. This elongates the lives of the building, making new constructions less necessary.
Despite the benefits, the transition to a circular economy in construction still confronts some challenges. The major challenge that faces construction is the lack of infrastructure for recycling and reusing building materials at large scale at the end of their life.
In addition, the design for disassembly requires a change in mentality since there is an expectation among architects to start thinking about the end of service life right from the design. But as more cities and companies recognize both ecological and economic advantages of circular construction, this model is surely going to be more welcome by the industry. With innovations in materials and designs, a future in construction could have buildings that are fully recyclable, adaptable, and truly sustainable.
