Implicit Industrial Symbiosis Drives Circularity in Construction Waste
The construction industry can achieve circular economy goals by fostering implicit industrial symbiosis, where waste materials like recycled concrete aggregates are integrated into new supply chains through collaborative networks.
Journal of Cleaner Production · 2021
Key Findings
- 01Industrial symbiosis (IS) exists implicitly in the construction industry.
- 02The treatment of RCA requires collaboration across multiple actors with temporal and spatial differences.
- 03Agent-based modeling with GIS can effectively represent dynamic supply-demand and collaboration dynamics.
Application
Design takeaway
Design projects in construction should actively seek opportunities to incorporate recycled materials by understanding and potentially enabling the implicit industrial symbiosis networks that exist.
How to apply
When designing new construction projects or specifying materials, investigate local opportunities for sourcing recycled aggregates and explore potential partnerships with demolition and recycling companies.
Project actions
- 01When researching materials, look for local sources of recycled content.
- 02Consider how your design choices might create opportunities for industrial symbiosis.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Novel application of ABM and GIS to construction IS.
- +Introduction of the 'Implicit IS' concept.
Limitations
The economic incentives for industrial symbiosis can be highly variable and depend on local market conditions and regulations.
Reliability & validity
The use of ABM and GIS allows for controlled simulations, but the validity depends on the accuracy of the agent behaviors and economic parameters used. The findings are context-specific to the Dutch construction industry.
Think critically
How can designers proactively facilitate the 'implicit' industrial symbiosis identified in this study, rather than relying on it to emerge organically?
Design Principles
"Design for material symbiosis: Integrate waste streams from one process as resources for another within a collaborative network."
Understanding and enabling implicit industrial symbiosis is crucial for designers and engineers aiming to reduce waste and resource depletion in construction. This approach highlights the potential for economic viability in reusing materials, moving beyond simple down-cycling.
What This Means for Your Design
Even though construction companies don't always formally plan it, they can work together to reuse waste concrete as new building material, which helps the environment and can be profitable.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing strategies for waste reduction and circular economy in your design project's context.
- 2.Use the concept of implicit industrial symbiosis to justify the inclusion of recycled materials in your design.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2021). Towards Circular Economy through Industrial Symbiosis in the Dutch construction industry: A case of recycled concrete aggregates. Journal of Cleaner Production. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126083 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/5308967e-b6c7-4b5e-8507-411226e4c69a/implicit-industrial-symbiosis-drives-circularity-in-construction-waste
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the potential for implicit industrial symbiosis within the construction sector, demonstrating that waste materials like recycled concrete aggregates can be effectively integrated into new supply chains. By fostering collaboration between various actors, even across temporal and spatial divides, circular economy principles can be advanced. This approach offers a pathway to enhance resource efficiency and reduce the environmental footprint of construction projects.
Source
Journal of Cleaner Production
Towards Circular Economy through Industrial Symbiosis in the Dutch construction industry: A case of recycled concrete aggregates
journal · 2021
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about implicit industrial symbiosis drives circularity in construction waste?
- Design projects in construction should actively seek opportunities to incorporate recycled materials by understanding and potentially enabling the implicit industrial symbiosis networks that exist. Evidence: Journal of Cleaner Production (2021).
- Why does "Implicit Industrial Symbiosis Drives Circularity in Construction Waste" matter for design?
- Understanding and enabling implicit industrial symbiosis is crucial for designers and engineers aiming to reduce waste and resource depletion in construction. This approach highlights the potential for economic viability in reusing materials, moving beyond simple down-cycling.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Design projects in construction should actively seek opportunities to incorporate recycled materials by understanding and potentially enabling the implicit industrial symbiosis networks that exist.
- What were the main findings?
- Industrial symbiosis (IS) exists implicitly in the construction industry.. The treatment of RCA requires collaboration across multiple actors with temporal and spatial differences.. Agent-based modeling with GIS can effectively represent dynamic supply-demand and collaboration dynamics.
- What research method was used?
- Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2021 journal from Journal of Cleaner Production.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing new construction projects or specifying materials, investigate local opportunities for sourcing recycled aggregates and explore potential partnerships with demolition and recycling companies.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings are specific to the Twente region and the context of recycled concrete aggregates; generalizability to other regions or material types may vary.
- Is there evidence that industrial symbiosis affects design outcomes?
- The research found that while industrial symbiosis is present in construction, it operates implicitly due to the complex coordination needed between different parties over time and distance. This implicit nature requires specific tools and strategies to be effectively leveraged for circular economy goals. Understanding Source: Journal of Cleaner Production (2021).
- Where does this implicit industrial research apply?
- Dutch construction industry, specifically focusing on recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) and their supply chain. It sits within resource management research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
industrial symbiosis design research · evidence on industrial symbiosis · does industrial symbiosis improve design outcomes · implicit industrial studies for designers · industrial symbiosis and implicit industrial findings · resource management research evidence