Modular Building in a Circular Economy

An exploratory research

Master thesis (2017)

Authors

A. Potemans Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

A. Straub (supervisor 1)
M. Prins (supervisor 1)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2017 Astrid Potemans
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Published Date

06-07-2017

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

A circular economy has gained attention as a potential solution to the tension between the increasing demand for and the limited supply of materials. The construction industry consumes a great amount of global resources and generates a great amount of waste, and can contribute to the shift towards a circular economy by means of a more circular building stock. In theory, modular building can contribute to a circular building stock, by securing the future utility of the stock. Multi-configuration modular building allows for adjustment and relocation of the building and deconstruction and reuse of its piece parts. Based on a collective cases study of five suppliers of modular building, the degree to which modular building can contribute to a circular economy depend on the reason for, the interpretation of and the operationalisation of modular building.