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This paper is part of the design strategies of reassembly and reuse of buildings according to the transition to circular economy. Specifically, the paper addresses the issue of architectural envelopes made of drywall and their executive design according to a Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) approach, based on a case study of a temporary wooden housing unit for which there are several scenarios of use and end of life once the first cycle of use of the components of the envelope has come to an end. In particular, the paper, based on the collection of environmental profiles of products through Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), wants to define a balance between the environmental impacts incorporated in the used materials and the benefits related to the adoption of dry construction techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike other industrial sectors that already apply re-manufacturing, the construction sector is slow to experiment with these sustainable practices. Hence, this paper introduces key results of the Re-NetTA project, conducted at Politecnico di Milano and funded by Fondazione Cariplo (2018-0991), which intends to outline the conditions necessary to activate circular processes in the field of tertiary construction. In order to extend the life of construction products, the paper proposes three circular models based on re-manufacturing. Developed with stake-holders and experts in an inter-sectoral and multidisciplinary approach, the proposed models represent a contribution towards sustainable design and organisational practices of construction products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the façade sector, the ecological and circular transition requires the adoption of new business models that exploit the value of the material as much as possible. In this context, the Internet of Things (IoT) is identified as a potential innovation driver for the widespread use of circular approaches. The aim of the paper is to clarify the role of IoT in enabling five circular business models in the façade sector. The potential benefits of an IoT-based façade system are highlighted through a matrix underscoring the relationship between information produced and key actions to achieve the innovative business models. The research discussion and findings open the debate on the perspective of digitally integrated building components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enabling Technologies have the potential to transform both the physical flow of materials and resources (production and construction methods), and the intangible organisational and managerial relationships (exchange and monitoring of data and relationships along the entire chain of value). They should, therefore, be considered important in supporting change processes aimed at the circular use of resources. This paper presents some research and experiments, at European and Italian level, aimed at developing and applying Enabling Technologies for circular economy, and at aligning them with the needs and challenges of society, by directly involving actors of the building sector ecosystem in moments of discussion and co-creation to define potential strategies and operational actions for innovation in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By 2050, more than 80% of the world’s population will live in metropolitan conurbations. From a holistic and circular economy perspective, strategies for urban resilience that include universal access to food and alimentary security will be essential. This paper investigates the integration of existing traditional urban farming systems with new vertical farming techniques. The proposal is for an infrastructural strategy that improves human-environment interaction through the development of agricultural production on an intermediate scale and through architectural elements – such as urban vertical farms – configured as modular landmarks that respond to the technological complexity of the agro-industrial chain and can be adapted to different contexts, thus defining an inclusive and sustainable urban landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a research activity focused on the development of a range of membranes based on distilled bitumen and polymers, specifically designed for high levels of noise insulation from airborne noise. These membranes can be used in multiple layers products, made by the overlapping of materials both organic and synthetic, and can be integrated into the most widespread construction building systems, and in nautical and manufacturing sectors. The newly developed membranes incorporate recycled materials, placing the research in the context of the European Union Circular Economy Package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Green Deal places at the centre of its policies the need to act in order to achieve climate neutrality goals by 2050. In this context, the role of cities and, in particular, of already existing buildings is relevant. Although they are responsible for 40% of energy consumption, only 1% are involved in major restructuring processes. In the context of smart city strategies and to improve their performances, Europe proposes various approaches such as Positive Energy Districts and Industry 4.0. This paper analyses case studies and innovative European projects with the aim of identifying the most relevant strategic actions. Eventually, it presents a real case in the city of Bologna as a basepoint for the reflection proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1970s, in Europe the industrial decommissioning phenomenon has led to the generation of an obsolescent and widespread building stock, located in highly strategic areas. This paper, aiming to make abandoned industrial buildings re-enter the market, focused on the development of prefabricated housing modules, according to the nested-building renovation approach. The project started from the constraint's typological analysis (architectural, functional and structural) of 900 reinforced concrete industrial buildings in view of the intervention replicability. Finally, to validate the design and technological choices, the analysed system was applied to a real case study in Verona: the Greggi Warehouse (1960) in the "ex-Manifattura Tabacchi" factory area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of the research activity carried out within the framework of the European project H2020 REFLOW, which aims to build an integrated approach for the development of innovative participatory practices dedicated to urban circular metabolisms. As a result of the survey conducted on the application of collaborative models for the urban circular economy, it emerged that there is no shared operational strategy that can be adopted for the circular development of complex systems, such as cities. Based on this premise, this paper offers a new perspective on how to build and validate a transitional pathway for the development of circular cities through the adoption of a design-oriented approach that orchestrates different resources and capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is derived from a feasibility study for a single-story elevation at the Kent School of Architecture and Planning (KSAP) in the United Kingdom. This project embraced two fundamental principles of the circular economy: flexibility of interior spaces and Design for Disassembly (DfD). The goals were to reduce the risk of demolition and preserve the value of the building material to empower its later use. These principles formed the solution for the structural frame. For this paper, the engineering phase was carried out to improve the structural connections designed according to DfD principles and following generative design methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. Crisis contexts such as the MENA region allow us to envision effective scenarios of sustainable development based on local production systems supported by digital innovation. The constant exchange of know-how between the MENA area and the European continent represents a fundamental tool in which processes of technology transfer help to accelerate the transformation processes currently underway and make them more effective. This paper investigates the effectiveness of using local resources for producing building components by means of innovative technologies based on circular economy processes. The objective of this analysis is to evaluate the possibilities of transferring enabling technologies from the Italian context to that of MENA as a tool for economic reactivation directed towards circularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issues of energy efficiency and climate change belong to a complex scenario to which contemporaneity is called upon to answer. Architecture can contribute by promoting practices that look at the environment with a view to building the future. As an architectural activity, restoration of heritage buildings can actively participate in this fundamental challenge within the perspective of a circular economy proposing a globally sustainable model. Starting from a state-of-the-art investigation, this paper aims to enucleate the BECK project’s contribution in this field, as well as to underline how careful strategies of conservation and contemporary use can have positive effects on sustainable future scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of our contribution is to provide insight into an innovative, shared and transferable model to assist the evolution and sustainable planning of an urban-industrial metropolitan area through a bottom-up involvement of the industrial community and local stakeholders. The presence of industrial urban districts has become a typical feature in Italy as a result of urban spreading. The presence of SMEs in urban ecosystems is a new fundamental opportunity for the design and planning of spaces as well as for the planning of smart energy systems and life quality in the cities. We tested this approach in Roveri, a historical industrial district in transition located within the urban boundary of Bologna. This paper describes the first results obtained with a number of tools and actions aimed at making the community and stakeholders conscious of the district's potential and to enable them to lead its development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]