Sustainability is to become the
guiding principle of social action and economic activity. At the same
time, its ways and means are far from clear. As a holistic praxis,
sustainability must combine technical and material as well as social,
economic, ecological and also ethical strategies, which have multiple
complex interactions and all too often also conflicting goals and
priorities. In no other field can these be better observed, addressed
and influenced than in architecture and building.
Each volume
of "Building Better - Less - Different" details two fundamental areas of
sustainability and explores their specific dynamics and interactions.
After introductory overviews, innovative methods and current
developments are described and analysed in in-depth essays,
international case studies and pointed commentaries. The sustainability
criteria of efficiency ("better"), sufficiency ("less") and consistency
("different") form the framework for each book.
The first
volume presents concepts, methods and examples of circularity in
construction and the economy. Urban mining and circular construction are
two approaches to the challenges that architecture and urban design are
facing, using techniques such as mono-material construction and design
for disassembly, and tools such as materials passports and databases.
The circular economy is not solely about recycling but encompasses a
wide range of strategies from local community projects to new ownership
and service models and steering mechanisms such as carbon fees and
dividends.
Related Subjects
Architecture