#108 Project Circle Design Phase 1
Project Circle is an exploratory applied research collaboration between industry, academia and government. It will explore how circular systems design can be applied to building and service design. The aim is to build a working circular systems demonstrator – specifically a pair of small pavilions – that focuses on the building and construction sector’s biggest challenge: the embodied energy, material resource use and biodiversity degradation associated with construction.
The design for each pavilion will demonstrate how they fit within climate science-derived emissions limits for Australian housing, and each design will exemplify different approaches to circularity:
- First, via circular biomaterials from regenerative sources ‘grown’ as building materials
- Second, through reclaimed, reconditioned and reused materials salvaged from demolition.
Each building will embody a particular ‘useful archetype’ e.g. free-standing single-storey house versus apartment/townhouse.
Via new and existing research, the project will:
- Identify systemic blockers and enablers, and challenges and opportunities
- Explore the authorising environment for building, such as regulations, policy, business models, investment and value models, public perceptions
- Consider international comparators that contrast and complement Australian approaches.
The final report will inform the pavilions’ concept and system design, including approaches to material sourcing, fabrication, construction, program, portability and operations. It will address issues such as material stocks, resources and infrastructures, agricultural/manufacturing capacity, environmental constraints and opportunities, skills and capabilities, financing and value models, technologies, business models, policy and governance. It will also explore how to communicate and mobilise change.
Project Steering Group: Dr Chris Jensen, Andrew Chappell, Kevin Brake
Project team: Bohemia Hookham, Tim Butler, Prof. Rob Crawford, Dr James Helal, Katie Skillington, Dr Djordje Stojanovic, A/Prof. Christhina Candido, Prof. Tuan Ngo, Dr Alice Kesminas, Brendon McNiven, Dr Andre Stephan, Dr Xavier Cadorel, Dr Reza Hosseini
Project partner: Lendlease Development
Lead researcher
Sustainability
Energy
Theme coordinator
Dr Victor Bunster
Projects
#108 Project Circle Design Phase 1
#58 The Retrofit Housing Atlas
#76 Thermally active floor panels for cost effective space cooling
#105 Blockchain-powered peer-to-peer energy trading: Advancing sustainability and affordability in smart residential communities
#50 Development of Artificial Neural Network and Automated Life Cycle Assessments for Cloud Based Residential Energy Estimations
Sustainable Materials & Products
Theme coordinator
Dr Philip Christopher
Projects
#108 Project Circle Design Phase 1
#58 The Retrofit Housing Atlas
#70 Building Circularity 4.0: First Steps to Adoption
#76 Thermally active floor panels for cost effective space cooling
#104 Development of a solution for high-rise mass timber residences through a Post & Plate system – Phase 2 Numerical and experimental investigation