Circular construction: Rethinking construction processes and energy consumption in construction and buildability transformation

📐 Methodology

Circular construction prioritises sustainability and minimises environmental impacts. The City of Medellin has implemented a series of technical criteria for the transition between current construction systems and energy consumption in buildings, towards their evolution as efficient and low-carbon circular construction systems. In this paper, Carlos Bohorquez, who works at the Medellin City Hall Planning Office, offers an all encompassing explanation of circular construction principles, strategies and innovative technologies. This model is an example of good practice for other local governments looking to implement circular construction models.

🔎 Key Takeaways

This paper outlines the basic criteria that needs to be included in circular construction, and then explains different aspects of the implementation of these criteria, from supply chains to construction, with an accent on rationality. The criteria include:

To implement new construction processes that use less land, lower volumes of structural elements, include renewable components, and optimize energy use.
To optimise the construction processes in the design and conversion of buildings. This implies trying to reduce future demolition as much as possible and promoting reconversion, by planning right from the design stage.
To avoid as much as possible, the total and partial demolition of buildings, tending to their preservation and reconversion, taking into accoun the embodied carbon in the materials.
To introduce new materials for the construction sector and the use of circular material with low embedded carbon content, making the best use of advances in techonology and prioristing recycled materials.
To prevent over-design and over-sizing of buildings or construction structures, staying in line with principles of rationality and sufficiency.