Wood Has an Important Story to Tell in the Circular Economy
Following the principles of a circular economy, a team of students from the University of British Columbia designed and built a near-zero embodied carbon building using acetylated Accoya® Wood, hempcrete, and lightwood framing as primary materials.
A circular economy is a system that preserves resources by reusing and repurposing existing products and the materials used in making them rather than manufacturing and consuming new ones. In a circular economy, value is placed on the "embodied carbon" in products, which encompasses the mining, extraction, processing and transportation of building materials. The aim of this process is to be regenerative, to eliminate waste, and to proactively reduce the ecological and environmental impact of industries at the outset, rather than addressing the consequences of their practices.
The defining principles of a circular economy are:
- Designing out waste and pollution
- Maintaining products in service as long as possible
- Regenerating natural systems
Frequently asked questions
What is a circular economy?+
A circular economy is a system that preserves resources by reusing and repurposing existing products and the materials used in making them, rather than manufacturing and consuming new ones. It aims to be regenerative, eliminate waste, and proactively reduce the ecological and environmental impact of industries.
What is embodied carbon in building materials?+
Embodied carbon refers to the environmental impact associated with the mining, extraction, processing, and transportation of building materials. In a circular economy, value is placed on this embodied carbon when evaluating products.
What are the defining principles of a circular economy?+
The three defining principles are designing out waste and pollution, maintaining products in service as long as possible, and regenerating natural systems.
How does a circular economy address environmental impact differently than traditional industry?+
Rather than addressing the consequences of industrial practices after the fact, a circular economy proactively reduces ecological and environmental impact at the outset through regenerative design and waste elimination.