Long Life, Low Energy demonstrates how the principles of the circular economy can help create more sustainable, net zero architecture for the future.
RIBA’s Built for the Environment report shows that 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to buildings and construction, consuming about 50% of all raw materials worldwide in the process. In addition, over 50,000 buildings are demolished each year across the UK, many of which could have been repurposed.
The circular economy offers ways to reduce these unsustainable figures, seeking to eliminating waste by reusing buildings and their material components wherever possible.
This exhibition was presented with RIBA Collections material on show and discussed the culture of demolition, presented recent examples of best practice retrofit and reuse, and gave a glimpse into the near future with research and ideas into a circular economy of architecture, where buildings would no longer be linear in terms of lifespan.
