Circular Renovation of Urban Infrastructures: A Multi-Project Perspective
Shahab Ashrafi (TU Delft - Design & Construction Management)
Hans Wamelink (TU Delft - Design & Construction Management)
R. Vrijhoef (TU Delft - Design & Construction Management)
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Abstract
The construction sector is a significant contributor to global waste. With growing concerns about sustainability, adopting circularity in construction projects has become increasingly important. The urban infrastructure sector has characteristics that present valuable opportunities for circularity. This research explores these opportunities by focusing on the renovation of urban infrastructure components through a multi-project perspective. This innovative approach in the field of circular economy reveals new possibilities for material reuse by integrating material flows across multiple projects. By identifying the supply and demand of secondary materials, designers can incorporate them during the redesign phase. Additionally, the synchronization of project phases can be optimized in advance, as material donors and receivers are pre-determined. This research contributes to the field of circular renovation in construction. Project planners, municipalities, designers, contractors, and other stakeholders involved in the renovation process can leverage this novel approach to enhance the circularity and sustainability of their projects. The outcomes of this research can therefore contribute to the goal 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 9 (industries, innovation and infrastructure) of sustainable development goals. This paper presents the initial results and outcomes of a PhD journey. The methods and results will be demonstrated in later studies.