Foundation 23 - Re-materializing Construction

44 Changing paradigms – Materials for a world not yet built In the workshop Changing paradigms new models for the creation of a sustainable built environment were examined. The main discussion topics included new approaches to materials, water and energy supply, waste management, and alternative construction methods – all aimed at fundamentally redefining our relationship with resources. Opening new doors Today, in the typical scenario, resources are taken from the earth to use as construction materials, and these materials are disposed of after the building has served its purpose. The resources are consumed in the most literal sense of the word. If our built envi- ronment is to become sustainable, it must also become a supplier of resources itself – through circular economy: materials from end- of-life buildings must be reclaimed and reused. Practical applica- tion of Urban Mining and Re- cycling: Dirk Hebel, Felix Heisel and Werner Sobek are experimenting at the NEST (Next Evolution in Sus- tainable Building Technologies) campus at Empa, Switzerland.