A Scout for opportunities of industrially produced high-rises in a Dutch circular economy.
The availability of technical knowledge to reuse and recycle building products and materials seems abundant, though practical examples are limited. This is related to the economical and organizational feasibility of the technologies. This research aims to identify the opportunities for prefabricated high-rise buildings in a circular economy, using a holistic perspective to assess their commercial feasibilities ánd environmental performances.
Byldis Prefab, a Dutch industrial producer of high-rise buildings, recognizes the importance of the transition to a circular economy. Similarly, they emphasize the complexity of the challenge. By comparing achievable alternatives and their feasibility, this research takes on the practical character that generates immediately deployable results. The combination of loadbearing sandwich elements and other components used to construct the high rises, is the core of this study. Starting from a broad investigation and qualitative assessment of technical circular principles and business models, advancing towards a quantitative assessment, using LCA and MFA, on a limited amount of circular business models.
The results of the research will offer insight in the opportunities for circular high rise, that will prove to be truly realistic innovations for industrial construction in circular business models. An essential step to cover the gap between circular theory and practice.
Biography Charlotte is a researcher specialising in sustainable application of building materials and products, by using sustainability data in the decision process of design, use and end of life and the definition of circular business models in construction.
Expertise Circular business models for construction materials and products, sustainability assessment.
About the research
Facts Project duration: January 2019 – January 2021 TU Delft researchers: Charlotte Heesbeen and Prof. Dr.-Ing. U. Knaack
