What are some ways to incorporate recycled materials into a building's design?
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Recycling is not only good for the environment, but also for the creativity and functionality of a building's design. By using recycled materials, you can reduce waste, save energy, and create unique aesthetic features. In this article, we will explore some ways to incorporate recycled materials into a building's design, from structural elements to furniture and accessories.
One of the most common and versatile recycled materials is concrete. Concrete can be crushed and reused as aggregate for new concrete, or as a base layer for roads and pavements. It can also be used to create blocks, bricks, tiles, and pavers for walls, floors, and landscaping. Recycled concrete can reduce the need for mining natural resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and improve the durability and strength of the new concrete.
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Rohit Krishan Gulati
Instead of recycling materials, we should be looking at adaptive re-use of entire buildings while invloving local communities!
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Cara Bagley
Renewable Energy Innovation | Uncovering Problems to Solve | Engineer at W. L. Gore & Associates
Companies like CarbonCure are using captured CO2 to make concrete. This represents a permanent sequestration of CO2 which eliminates CO2 from the environment. Our world is in need of various solutions to capture and permanently sequester CO2 in order to reduce the amount of this greenhouse gas that is in the environment.
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Olufunmbi Lasebikan
Sustainable Energy | Construction | Healthcare | Data
Consider using reclaimed wood for various building elements, including flooring, beams, doors, and paneling. Reclaimed wood adds character to a building while reducing the demand for new wood. Recycled metal, such as aluminum, steel, etc., can be used for cladding, structural elements, and decorative features. Crushed concrete can be used as a base material for pathways, and driveways, or as a subbase. It reduces the need for new aggregates and diverts concrete waste from landfills. Recycled ceramic tiles can be used in kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas to add a touch of sustainability to your design. Use carpets and flooring made from recycled materials, like recycled nylon or polyester.
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Steel is another material that can be easily recycled and reused in a building's design. Steel can be melted and reshaped into beams, columns, bars, rods, and wires for structural and reinforcing purposes. It can also be cut and welded into various shapes and forms for decorative and functional elements, such as railings, stairs, furniture, lighting, and art. Recycled steel can save energy, reduce air and water pollution, and conserve iron ore and coal.
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Marina Skocic
Corporate Sustainability Partner @ Sims Metal ♻️Metal Recycling🌏 Sustainable Finance 🌱 Circular Economy 🌿 Carbon Accounting 💡 Renewable Energy
Recycled steel plays a pivotal role in advancing sustainability in the construction industry. Take Sims Limited, for example, a company specializing in the recycling and repurposing of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. They're contributing significantly to circularity and sustainability. Recycling steel not only conserves precious resources like iron ore and coal but also reduces energy consumption and the environmental footprint associated with the production of new steel. In the construction of sustainable buildings, using recycled steel not only enhances structural integrity but also aligns with the broader goal of reducing waste and promoting eco-friendly practices. It's a win-win for both the construction industry and the environment.
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Glass is a material that can be recycled endlessly without losing its quality or clarity. Glass can be broken and melted into new glass products, such as windows, doors, panels, and skylights. It can also be crushed and mixed with other materials, such as concrete, resin, or metal, to create composite materials with different colors, textures, and properties. Recycled glass can enhance the natural light, insulation, and aesthetics of a building.
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Richard Hawkes
Director of Hawkes Architecture Ltd
We like to use crushed glass bottle “eco sand” as an alternative to sharp sand in lime mortar for brickwork as it brings a joyful aesthetic to brickwork. We also use it generally in place of sharp sand. No aggregate tax so it’s also cheaper than the raw material. Buildings should absorb waste rather than create it. A win win.
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Oliver Shelton Agar
Precast manufacturer of architectural concrete. Technology provider for high performance, low carbon concrete solutions.
Incorporating recycled concrete can be an effective way to promote sustainability while reducing waste. 1. **Aggregate**: It can replace a portion of the fresh aggregate used in concrete production, reducing the demand for natural resources. 2. **Decorative Elements**: Recycled crushed concrete can be polished and used as a flooring material, similarly, larger pieces can be used as part of a feature Palladiana effect. 3. **Foundation Material**: Recycled concrete can be used as a subbase layer. This reduces the need for gravel or other natural materials, helping to conserve these resources. 4. **Green Roofs and Walls**: Recycled concrete can be used as a drainage layer or as a growing medium for plants on these green roofs and walls.
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Wood is a natural and renewable material that can be recycled and reused in many ways. Wood can be salvaged from old buildings, furniture, pallets, crates, and barrels, and repurposed as flooring, cladding, decking, furniture, and accessories. It can also be chipped and compressed into engineered wood products, such as plywood, particleboard, and fiberboard. Recycled wood can add warmth, character, and history to a building's design.
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Seth Beard, MBA
Championing Change: Transforming Ocean Plastic into Sustainable Solutions
I recently stayed at Canopy by Hilton Toronto Yorkville and they have replaced their plastic key cards with a material made from recycled wood. It's extremely light, yet durable. Another win for sustainability!
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Jill Vickers, BFA, MA.
Graphic and Marketing Designer
As a creative using wood as an accent and decorative material to create a mural from a variety of stained reclaimed wood is a great addition to any entry of a building.
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Richard Hawkes
Director of Hawkes Architecture Ltd
We use recycled newspaper (cellulose) insulation in all our highly insulated houses. The paper is mixed with borax to make it fire retardant and to keep it free from vermin & bugs infestations. Recycled newspaper insulation has an extremely low embodied energy too. A great product to use, especially in place of hydrocarbon insulations.
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Plastic is a synthetic material that can be recycled and transformed into new products. Plastic can be sorted, cleaned, shredded, and melted into pellets or flakes, which can then be molded or extruded into various shapes and forms. Plastic can be used to make pipes, fittings, insulation, roofing, siding, flooring, furniture, and accessories. Recycled plastic can reduce landfill waste, save oil and gas, and offer durability and resistance to moisture and pests.
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Richard Hawkes
Director of Hawkes Architecture Ltd
We like to use recycled plastic damp proof membrane. Recycled polythene performs just as well as the raw material but without consuming high embodied energy raw material but instead sequestering another non biodegradable waste stream to do a really good job preventing moisture ingress in buildings.
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Seth Beard, MBA
Championing Change: Transforming Ocean Plastic into Sustainable Solutions
Companies like Oceanworks are helping brands reduce their plastic footprint through their experience and network of reclaimed plastic suppliers and manufacturers. Quality, reliability, and traceability at scale are backed by the Oceanworks® Guarantee and Track & Trace technology.
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Textiles are fabrics that can be recycled and reused in a building's design. Textiles can be collected from old clothes, curtains, carpets, and linens, and sorted by color, type, and quality. They can then be cut, shredded, or spun into new yarns or fibers, which can then be woven or knitted into new fabrics. Textiles can be used to make curtains, cushions, rugs, upholstery, and wall art. Recycled textiles can provide comfort, color, and style to a building.
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Seth Beard, MBA
Championing Change: Transforming Ocean Plastic into Sustainable Solutions
United Airlines is using recycled textiles in their new blankets and bedding as well as reclaimed materials in their amenity kits.
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Bethany Bauman
Founder + Creative Director at Embody Design Co.
I LOVE Fabrick! They specialize in recycling textiles reworked directly into architectural materials. https://www.fab-brick.com
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Abdul Azeem
ARCHITECTURE,ENVIRONMENT & BEYOND
One thing which we've done is we used used ice cream cups to design a ceiling of an ice cream store.It looks like an art installation and people are attracted to it.We used wood from a 120 year old barn to make doors,ceilings of a villa.And roof tiles from old houses can also be used as a design element for the projects.It depends on the views and creativity of the designer to see how effectively one can incorporate recycled materials into the spaces.
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Dr. Vidhi Vora
Circular Economy Coach, Strategist & Consultant | Founder at Green Phoenix Circular Solutions | Helping businesses go circular with a #holisticapproach | Nature Based Solutions & Regenerative design advocate | MoC at AIM
The incorporation of recycled materials in the built environment requires the constructional structures to be designed for recyclability. This would help extract these materials at the time of demolition which could either be reused, remanufactured, repurposed or recycled. Dependency on other sources for recycled materials puts a pressure on that industry without reducing demand for virgin sources. Eg: Recycling plastic from PET bottles for construction usage is not a sustainable technique. Lastly, care must be taken that the recycling doesn't contribute to additional problems to the environment & society at large.
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Hui Ling Teo, Partner, Reed Smith
Solutions driven lawyer. Leads new frontiers in transportation and finance. Committed to compassion and excellence.
Apart from recycled materials that go into the building, buildings can also be adapted to support recycling activities of its users, for example waste collection technology for both residential and commercial use. One such example is the the creation of aggregation facilities for waste are built into the building’s design which simplifies or optimises the ability of waste aggregators to comply with certification requirements for the deployment of such waste into their respective second lives.