A contextual and spatial approach towards resource cycles

Multiple system-based concepts exist to analyse and manage urban throughput of resource flows, examples are Urban Metabolism, Industrial Ecology and Energy Potential Mapping. Common threads in these propositions are fundamental principles valid in nature, notably homeostasis and thermodynamics. Those and likeminded concepts are valuable links in...

Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy

The transition within business from a linear to a circular economy brings with it a range of practical challenges for companies. The following question is addressed: What are the product design and business model strategies for<br/>companies that want to move to a circular economy model? This paper develops a framework of strategies to guide...

Design for deconstruction: Or why aluminium and glass is better than wood?

The first law of thermodynamics defines: Energy can neither be produced nor destroyed, but only converted into other types of energy [1]. From this it follows for us and our topic of circularity in the building industry that we must deal with the energy that the earth receives or has received, the solar radiation, and can feed our requirements...

Beyond Oil: Designing the Transition

Earth has experienced a number of major energy transitions, each resulting in extensive systemic changes. The introduction of fire in the Paleolithic, the emergence of farming in the Neolithic, and later the industrial Revolution all changed the ways that humans lived, worked, and travelled and the materials they used.

Circulariteit: Op weg naar 2050?

Dit boek is geschreven naar aanleiding van de ministeriële publicatie ‘Rijksbreed programma Circulaire Economie ’ uit september 2016, waarin de ambitieuze doelstelling wordt uitgesproken dat Nederland zich voor 2050 moet ontwikkelen naar een volledig circulaire economie.

Nederland circulair in 2050: Wat betekent dat en kan het ueberhaupt?

In september 2016 is in het kader van een Rijksbreed programma Circulaire<br/>Economie1 een publicatie verschenen getiteld: ‘Nederland circulair in 2050’.<br/>Het is een gemeenschappelijke publicatie van – destijds – het Ministerie van<br/>Infrastructuur en Milieu, het Ministerie van Economische Zaken, mede namens<br/>het Ministerie van...

Lessons learned from using a donor skeleton in a 3 storey office building

During the last decade a lot of attention has been paid to sustainability of structures. Reuse of existing buildings, limiting environmental impact and reuse of elements were applied in practice. In general, reuse of elements, with for instance the use of a donor skeleton, was applied on a very limited scale, as this reuse often comes at a price...

State of the Art and Potentials of Additive Manufactured Earth (AME)

Additive production techniques such as 3D printing and robotics enable new production methods and possible uses for earth, as one of the most ancient building materials in the building industry. This study examines the potential of different building elements and components and their possible combinations made of or containing earthen building...

The Potential of Mass Timber Building for Future-proof Cities

The latest generation of timber products enable complete multi storey neighbourhoods to be built from sustainably sourced softwood.<br/>This chapter explores how a large-scale transition to timber building in urban environments could contribute to solving the three major global crises we are currently facing with climate, natural resources, and...

Architectural Education in Times of Uncertainty: Book of Summaries

Architecture and, by extension, architectural education are severely challenged by the scale and magnitude as well as the complexity of current criticalities. The climate breakdown, the loss of biodiversity, and the impending resource depletion call for a radical rethinking of what is inherent to architecture, but also of how architecture...

Lean Co-Acting With Circularity?: An Investigation in Product-Service Systems in Rental Housing

Circularity is positioned as an alternative model to achieve sustainable prosperity. Lean construction highlights not only building delivery with less but also contributing to sustainable development. However, lean is criticized for reducing waste only within organizational boundaries while neglecting the impact of waste beyond the boundaries....

Overcoming barriers to circularity for internal ICT management in organizations: A change management approach

Circularity-conscious management of information and communications technology (ICT) owned by organizations is important to achieving a circular economy. However, changes in organizational management toward circularity has been met with multiple challenges. This study uses 11 semi-structured interviews with on-the-ground ICT decision-makers in...