mindful MATERIALS: Circular Economy
A linear economy goes in one direction: take → make → waste. Circularity requires a radical mindset shift: it’s a holistic approach that designs for disassembly and reuse, and creates the conditions and infrastructure to ensure reuse happens. Our resources help you identify approaches and materials that can be part of this new, urgently needed economy. A circular economy demands that we reuse and improve buildings and design for resilience, adaptability, disassembly, and reuse, aspiring to a zero-waste goal for global construction activities.
mindful MATERIALS: Circular Economy
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
-
What Makes a Product Green Today?
Feature Article
Lots of manufacturers call their products "green," but are they? Here's our guide to the high-performance attributes that matter.
-
LEED and WELL Product Labels: A Guide and Analysis
Feature Article
LEED and WELL encourage a lot of different programs for green products. Learn the essentials—plus what’s behind the labels.
-
Existing Buildings Are Architecture’s Future
Feature Article
Take a plain old building and turn it into something remarkable, and you’ll also help save the planet.
-
Waste Not, Want Not: Case Studies of Building Material Reuse
Feature Article
Reclamation and reuse of building materials can be a tough sell and hard to design for, but many project teams have learned to make it work. Here’s how.
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
-
The 12 Product Rules
Infographic
These 12 product rules provide a simple approach to selecting better, healthier, and more environmentally responsible building products and materials.
-
Product as a Service: Buying the Lumen, Not the Lightbulb
Explainer
Proponents of the circular economy point to PaaS as one of the strongest tools we have to take control of our energy and material waste.
-
Circular Economy: Better Design from Start to … Start
Explainer
“Circularity” is about more than just recycling. It means building and buying things only when necessary—and without wasting anything.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
-
Resilient Flooring
Product Guide
PVC-free and recycled-tire-free flooring, including linoleum and composites with low or no indoor emissions
-
Tile
Product Guide
Porcelain tiles that meet third-party environmental standards, and BPA-free adhesives
-
Ceiling Systems
Product Guide
Low-emitting acoustical and specialty ceiling systems made from sustainably sourced materials
-
Interior Paints
Product Guide
These coatings meet the highest industry standards for both indoor emissions and durability.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
AIA Adopts Materials Pledge: Spec, and You Shall Receive
News Analysis
The AIA Materials Pledge, inspired by the 2030 commitment, looks at issues from carbon to social justice.
-
Justice, Circularity Overhauled in Cradle to Cradle v4
News Analysis
The latest version of the Cradle to Cradle product standard also expands embodied carbon requirements and replaces the controversial “banned list” with a new approach.
-
Grounding the AIA Materials Pledge in Data
News Analysis
With a Common Materials Framework, mindful Materials is mapping product labels to industry commitments.
-
A Platform for Sharing Product Circularity Data
News Brief
The Product Circularity Data Sheet is a new way to track product ingredients and other circular design features, and is now available through Toxnot.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
-
Google Goes Public with Ambitious Carpet Tile Standard
Blog Post
With a new procurement program, Google adopted comprehensive sustainability requirements for modular carpet tile that raise the bar for major manufacturers.
-
Press Release: Major Green Building Orgs Team Up on Material Education
Blog Post
Mindful MATERIALS has partnered with BuildingGreen to expand knowledge of the Common Materials Framework across the building product manufacturing and AEC industries.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
-
LEED and WELL Product Labels: A Guide and Analysis
Feature Article
LEED and WELL encourage a lot of different programs for green products. Learn the essentials—plus what’s behind the labels.
-
LEED and WELL Product Labels: A Guide and Analysis
Spotlight Report
What’s up with all the programs encouraged by LEED and WELL? Learn the essentials—plus what’s behind the labels.
-
Waste Not, Want Not: Case Studies of Building Material Reuse
Feature Article
Reclamation and reuse of building materials can be a tough sell and hard to design for, but many project teams have learned to make it work. Here’s how.
-
Waste Not, Want Not: Case Studies of Building Material Reuse
Spotlight Report
