Life Cycle Of 'Circular Buildings'

Life Cycle Of 'Circular Buildings'

WHAT IS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

We currently use the equivalent of 1.5 earths to meet our resource needs and absorb the resulting waste. This is projected to rise to the equivalent of 2 earths by 2030, meaning it will take 2 years to regenerate the resources we use in 1 year. The traditional linear economy which has a ‘take, make, dispose of’ model is not sustainable and needs to be replaced by the regenerative circular economy embracing reuse, repair, remanufacturing and closed recycling loops. The practical application of the circular economy has been popularised by the “Cradle to Cradle” design philosophy by Braungart and McDonough whereby closed-loop natural systems are imitated to solve human problems. Life cycle assessment is at the core of this concept whereby the overall impact of a product or service is assessed at the onset to minimize its environmental impact.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

The circular economy looks at all the options across the supply chain to use as few resources as possible in the first place, keep resources in circulation for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them while in use, then recover and regenerate products at the end of service life. This means designing products for longevity with repairability in mind so that materials can be easily dismantled and recycled. This approach to product development and use will bring a myriad of benefits across the triple bottom line of sustainability as follows:

• Alleviate global warming