Bio-based and Natural Materials: Executive Summary
An introduction to material categories and Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
Matrices of materials at currently available and early adoption stages, with application and substitution recommendati
Bio-based and Natural Materials: Context and Applications
A call to action, outlining how the built environment has become one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion.
Guidance for evaluating and so
Madaster is the online platform that facilitates a circular built environment, drastically reducing the amount of waste produced, reducing CO2 emissions and taking better care of our planet. The platform enables the registration, documentation, and exchange of material data related to buildings and infrastructure and collates information to create material passports. Materials, components, and products are provided with an identity, transforming them into a valuable resource that enables reuse and promotes the sustainable management of our built environment. In addition, by leveraging the large amounts of data connected to each building or infrastructure object Madaster can produce a wide range of environmental and financial insights including circularity, detachability, whole life carbon, toxicity and residual value.
Every second, more than 500 kilograms of construction waste are generated throughout Switzerland. Which buildings are demolished and how much resources are lost through this process? What motivates building owners to demolish? What roles do laws and standards play? And what does this mean for our environment and our future?
Material Emissions Benchmark Report for Part 9 Homes in Vancouver
Magwood, C. and Trottier, M. Material Emissions Benchmark Report for
Part 9 Homes in Vancouver. Builders for Climate Action (2022).
https://www.buildersforclimateaction.org/our-work.html
The AIA-CLF Embodied Carbon Toolkit for Architects serves to provide architects an overview and the necessary steps to be taken to reduce embodied carbon in their projects. This resource is divided into three parts, introducing the necessary steps and resources to take in reducing embodied carbon. This resource intends to empower building designers by:
introducing embodied carbon and discussing its significance in furthering architects’ influence in decarbonizing the building industry.
providing an understanding of measuring embodied carbon through the methodology of a life cycle assessment.
equipping them with strategies to reduce embodied carbon in their own projects.
incorporating additional resources for implemented strategies and tools that this resource examines.
Extending the Cycle in Switzerland – Project Overview
A building repurposing and extension in Winterthur exemplifies how design processes can be turned upside-down in favor of circular construction and compelling residential architecture.
Flat House review – a home made from hemp that will blow your mind
Practice Architecture’s house is built from the plant growing in the fields around it. The project addresses a vital issue – the energy consumed and carbon emitted during construction
Knowing where our materials come from, what’s in them, how they were made, and how long they’ll persist in the environment beyond the life of a building gives us greater control over our projects and product decisions. This knowledge allows architects to set priorities and identify opportunities for innovation.
"Green buildings" that slash energy use and carbon emissions are all the rage, but they aren't enough. The hidden culprit is embodied carbon — the carbon emitted when materials are mined, manufactured, and transported — comprising some 10% of …
BAMB - Buildings As Materials Banks (BAMB2020) - wants to increase the value of building materials, reduce waste and the use of fewer virgin resources. Dynamically and flexibly designed buildings can be incorporated into a circular economy – where materials sustain their value.
