Photo by Ron Lach : https://www.pexels.com/photo/wooden-construction-of-a-house-8830259/

Discover projects and practices for circular construction

The construction sector is responsible for large amounts of waste and emissions. Buildings are massive raw materials and energy guzzlers. The construction and operation of buildings accounts for 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions currently. To make matters worse, around 95% of the value of construction materials is lost as buildings decay into obsolescence and then demolition. This is largely due to the ‘take, make, dispose’ model that is currently at the heart of the real estate and construction sectors.

Bringing materials into a closed loop

What about an idea of architecture that brings materials into a closed loop?

Circular Material systems focus on practices – materials, design, and processes beyond architecture. Bringing together academia and practitioners creates an overview about what is already possible in a growing field.

This website is an ongoing project creating an atlas of best-practice examples to learn from and to get inspired by.

Learn from projects

Circular Material Systems contains a repository of completed circular building projects across Europe that implemented diverse circular economy practices.
You can also share your own circular building case by contacting us.

Learn from practices

This platform collects circular practices that contribute to keep materials in the value chain. The practices are groups along material and design related as well as systemic enablers that inevitable part of the construction ecosystem. They should serve as a practical support for the architects, project developers and material developers.