REVIEW : The Built Environment industry could benefit from new ideas and practices.

In any industry, transforming traditional building practices and materials presents challenges due to ingrained habits and expectations. However, the need for change is pressing. The materials we extract from the Earth, harvest from the living world, and release into the environment, as well as the vital resources that surround us daily, are all part of a closed system shared by humans and all living creatures.

The built environment sector faces a significant challenge in addressing the stark statistics on emissions from buildings. The construction industry consumes approximately one-third of all materials, and this demand is driven by population growth, urbanization, and preferences for new buildings. To address this challenge, the industry can benefit from adopting new ideas and practices.

Circular Thinking:

For decades, the concept of a circular economy has offered great promise. The basic principle is to design products and materials in a way that maximizes their reusability and value. While some sectors like consumer electronics have successfully adopted circular principles, the built environment industry has yet to widely embrace this approach.

Recover, Reuse, Reimagine:

One major obstacle to sustainable building practices is the loss of materials during demolition. The approach of recovering, reuse and reimagine materials ensures that developers can maintain desired quality and performance levels with reused materials.

Seeing the Potential:

Investigations into practical methods for recycling architectural glass, is an area with promising potential but still in its early stages. The widespread use of glass significantly contributes to buildings' carbon emissions.

Data-driven Precision:

Data-driven construction methods, such as additive ('printing'), subtractive (cutting), and forming/placing operations, offer another promising way to reduce waste. These techniques leverage digital design precision to create custom components with greater efficiency and minimal waste.

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