Building Better - Less - Different: Circular Construction and Circular Economy

Sustainability is becoming the guiding principle of social action and economic activity. However, its methods and means are still unclear. As a holistic practice, sustainability must integrate technical and material aspects along with social, economic, ecological, and ethical strategies, which often have complex interactions and conflicting goals and priorities. This is particularly evident 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 analyzed 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 face, utilizing techniques such as mono-material construction and design for disassembly, along with tools like materials passports and databases. The circular economy is not solely about recycling; it encompasses a wide range of strategies from local community projects to new ownership and service models, as well as steering mechanisms such as carbon fees and dividends.