Design
Circular materials and products
Choose materials according to the life cycle duration, their potential reuse or recycling possiblities, and its impact on the environment.
When to take action?
Who can take action?
Design team, contractors, manufacturers
Beginner expertise needed
Take action
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Avoid inseparable or difficult to separate composites.
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Opt for degradable raw materials (compostable, biodegradable, soluble...).
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Opt for non-toxic alternative materials
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Opt for inexhaustible raw materials (biobased, fast-growing...).
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Reuse building components.
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Use recycled material (= processed residual flows).
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Make sure that the lifetime of the product or material is compatible with the lifetime of the functional layer in which it is located.
Input
Conceptual design of the building project.
Outcome
Buildings with lower impact and a high(er) circular potential through the choice of materials.
More information and sources
NIBE Environmental Classifications
Reuse toolkit material sheets by FCRBE
TOTEM: to measure the environmental impact when selecting materials
16 design qualities for a circular economy - VUB Architectural Engineering
Smart material choices - Circular Design Guide
Catalogus van secundaire en gerecycleerde granulaten
