Parece, S.; Rato, V.; Resende, R.; Pinto, P.; Stellacci, S. A Methodology to Qualitatively Select Upcycled Building Materials from Urban and Industrial Waste. Sustainability2022, 14, 3430.
Parece, S.; Rato, V.; Resende, R.; Pinto, P.; Stellacci, S. A Methodology to Qualitatively Select Upcycled Building Materials from Urban and Industrial Waste. Sustainability 2022, 14, 3430.
Parece, S.; Rato, V.; Resende, R.; Pinto, P.; Stellacci, S. A Methodology to Qualitatively Select Upcycled Building Materials from Urban and Industrial Waste. Sustainability2022, 14, 3430.
Parece, S.; Rato, V.; Resende, R.; Pinto, P.; Stellacci, S. A Methodology to Qualitatively Select Upcycled Building Materials from Urban and Industrial Waste. Sustainability 2022, 14, 3430.
Abstract
The growing concern about climate change and the recognition of the planet’s limits led society to look for alternatives that promote the balance between the natural and the built environment. The circular economy emerges as an alternative to the linear economic model, inspired by natural metabolisms, by circulating resources in continuous loops, where their intrinsic value is maintained and improved. This research proposes a closed-loop strategy in the built environment by studying innovative constructive solutions that aim to find use, value, and inspiration in what is considered waste. A literature review is conducted on the circular design strategies, re-use and recycle typologies, and waste transformation processes. Then, the development of a methodology for qualitative evaluation and selection of re-used and upcycled construction materials from post-consumer waste and by-products is presented and then applied to thirty-five cases of constructive solutions from plastic, wood, paper, steel, aluminium, and agricultural waste. The research reports that the developed framework is adequate. The analysed alternative materials have good environmental performance and can be used as building materials despite their functional limitations, reflecting the enormous potential of waste as a resource for the construction industry.
Keywords
Circular Economy; Built Environment; Reuse; Upcycling; Industrial Waste; Urban Waste
Subject
Engineering, Architecture, Building and Construction
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
