The circular economy is one of the most strategic and important topics of the coming years that opens up scenarios to discover and draw. It’s a holistic approach that may be an answer to the challenges the current linear economy is facing. It has to represents a transition from a necessity to an opportunity. Despite it is being a phenomenon growing more and more, the actual implementation, in particular in the complex and fragmented sector of construction industry, is practically unknown to most. It is a conservative industry in nature that demands over half of humanity resources and contributes to a third of the global waste. Then, the circular economy is the key for relaunch the future of the construction sector, and this research wants to contribute to this development providing a comprehensive map that helps to navigate within this area. Circular construction is still fairly unchartered territory and there are many questions and hypotheses that needs to be tested and answered. In order to address this problem, the second part of this study is aspiring to transfer the concept from circular economy to circular building, discussing the possibilities and tracing the trend lines by creating a taxonomy of different approaches widespread around the world. By applying the latter to a various collection of case studies, it can serve as inspirations by activating virtuous circles and as a foundation upon which future research can be built. Interviews with experts and frontrunners, desk research, presentations and topics treated and stressed during the participation at international meetings, were an essential part that guided the investigation, that due to the novelty of this topic shows still a literature at an embryonic stage. Moving towards a truly circular economy will not be achieved in one step. This requires a change of mindset. However, this study shows the tangible progress for a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient future.
L’economia circolare è uno dei temi più rilevanti dei prossimi anni che sta aprendo sempre più scenari da scoprire e disegnare. È un approccio olistico in risposta alle sfide che l'attuale economia lineare sta affrontando. Questo dovrà rappresentare una transizione da necessità ad opportunità. Nonostante sia un fenomeno sempre più noto, la sua applicazione effettiva è praticamente sconosciuta, particolarmente nel complesso e frammentato settore dell’industria delle costruzioni. È un'industria di natura conservatrice, che assorbe più della metà delle risorse umane e contribuisce a un terzo dello spreco globale. L’economia circolare rappresenta la chiave per il rilancio del futuro stesso delle costruzioni e questa ricerca vuole contribuire alla diffusione del suo sviluppo, provvedendo ad una chiara mappa conoscitiva per poter navigare all’interno di questo ambito. Il “costruire circolare” è ancora un territorio abbastanza inesplorato e ci sono molte domande e ipotesi che attendono una risposta. Per affrontare questo problema, la seconda parte di questo studio aspira a trasferire il concetto dall'economia circolare all’ edificio, tracciando le linee di tendenza e discutendo le varie possibilità con la creazione di una tassonomia dei diversi approcci diffusi in tutto il mondo. Questa verrà applicata a una vasta collezione di casistiche e potrà poi servire come ispirazione, attivando circoli virtuosi e le basi su cui costruire delle ricerche future. Interviste con esperti e innovatori del settore, ricerche esplorative, temi e presentazioni discusse e trattate durante la partecipazione a meeting internazionali, sono stati una parte indispensabile di tutto il processo di apprendimento, che, a causa della novità di questo argomento, ha mostrato scarsità di letteratura a riguardo. L’attuazione di un’economia veramente circolare non potrà essere conseguita in un solo passo, ma richiederà un radicale cambio di mentalità. In attesa, questo studio mostra progressi tangibili per il raggiungimento di un futuro più sostenibile, resiliente ed efficiente.
Framework and opportunities of circular economy in the construction industry : the circular building atlas
SETTEMBRINI, GRAZIA
2016/2017
Abstract
The circular economy is one of the most strategic and important topics of the coming years that opens up scenarios to discover and draw. It’s a holistic approach that may be an answer to the challenges the current linear economy is facing. It has to represents a transition from a necessity to an opportunity. Despite it is being a phenomenon growing more and more, the actual implementation, in particular in the complex and fragmented sector of construction industry, is practically unknown to most. It is a conservative industry in nature that demands over half of humanity resources and contributes to a third of the global waste. Then, the circular economy is the key for relaunch the future of the construction sector, and this research wants to contribute to this development providing a comprehensive map that helps to navigate within this area. Circular construction is still fairly unchartered territory and there are many questions and hypotheses that needs to be tested and answered. In order to address this problem, the second part of this study is aspiring to transfer the concept from circular economy to circular building, discussing the possibilities and tracing the trend lines by creating a taxonomy of different approaches widespread around the world. By applying the latter to a various collection of case studies, it can serve as inspirations by activating virtuous circles and as a foundation upon which future research can be built. Interviews with experts and frontrunners, desk research, presentations and topics treated and stressed during the participation at international meetings, were an essential part that guided the investigation, that due to the novelty of this topic shows still a literature at an embryonic stage. Moving towards a truly circular economy will not be achieved in one step. This requires a change of mindset. However, this study shows the tangible progress for a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient future.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
---|---|---|---|
THESIS G.S..pdf
non accessibile
Descrizione: Thesis text and case studies
Dimensione
59.43 MB
Formato
Adobe PDF
|
59.43 MB | Adobe PDF | Visualizza/Apri |
I documenti in POLITesi sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
https://hdl.handle.net/10589/138567