Explainer

Circular Economy: Better Design from Start to … Start

“Circularity” is about more than just recycling. It means building and buying things only when necessary—and without wasting anything.

Ever since the invention of plastics, the global economy has become more and more linear, meaning that building products, and even whole buildings, follow a one-way trajectory: resource extraction, then use, then disposal.

This model boosts short-term profits, but it relies on fast and cheap manufacturing to do so, which can directly harm people and planetary systems. The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has criticized the linear model because it:

Published July 30, 2024

Melton, P., & Waters, E. (2024, July 15). Circular Economy: Better Design from Start to … Start. Retrieved from https://www.buildinggreen.com/explainer/circular-economy-better-design-start-start