Circular Economy: Sustainable Built Environment

This module introduces the concept of circularity in the built environment. It covers the principles of Circular Economy and how they apply to various systemic levels in construction. Students will learn about new building technologies and design strategies to address the challenges of existing building stock and increasing housing demand.

This module focuses on the materials and components used in construction. It covers the life-cycle of building products and their impact on the overall performance of buildings. Students will explore design for disassembly and strategies to extend the useful life of built products or reintegrate them into the circular economy.

This module examines how Circular Economy principles influence building design. It covers the concept of building layers and their life-cycles. Students will analyze case studies of circular buildings and discuss the role of business models in the design and development process.

This module explores circularity at the neighborhood and city level. It focuses on the three main resource flows in urban environments: water, energy, and waste. Students will learn how circular solutions vary depending on scale and organization methods, from individual to collective to centralized approaches.

This module centers on a comprehensive assignment exploring the impacts of thinking through different scales. It focuses on the geographical value chains of building products and their environmental impacts across various life-cycle stages. Students will analyze and map the stages of building materials at the regional level.

This final module discusses the implementation of circular building principles and their impacts. It aims to provide an integrated view of a future circular built environment, synthesizing the knowledge gained throughout the course. Students will reflect on practical approaches to transitioning towards a more circular built environment.