Solid waste flows examine the movement of solid materials in an urban system via extraction, manufacturing, transportation, reuse, and disposal processes. In a traditional linear economy, materials are simply produced, consumed, and disposed of. This open-ended approach does not attempt to recycle materials and would require an infinite supply of resources and the ability to store waste materials. A circular economy (CE) is a regenerative alternative that aims to minimize resource input and waste output by closing material and energy flow into slow and narrow process loops. To achieve these loops, material processes are optimized and products are designed for longer lifespans, easier maintenance, and the ability to reuse, refurbish, and recycle components at the end of the product’s life. This ensures that products are used as long as possible and at the greatest value.
The circular economy approach will also:
Reduce waste products, emissions, and energy leakage
Mitigate impacts of production and consumption
Increase resource productivity
Strengthen economies at all scales
Address issues such as resource security and scarcity
Create opportunities for industry collaboration and new jobs
This course focused primarily on the construction industry and infrastructure material flows; however, it should be noted that the concept of a circular economy also includes goods, services, raw materials, manufactured products, food, and waste. The buildings we work and live in are material intensive, consuming half of the world’s extracted materials and generating one-third of our global waste. Innovative solutions include collaboration between industries, pre-fabrication of building modules, and high-value recycling. By applying the principles of circular economy in construction, and shifting industry practices, not only is the building’s lifecycle optimized, but the building can be designed for maximum performance in terms of economy, health, global responsibility and resource value.
References:
Orloff, A. (2016). The Built Environment. Metro Vancouver Zero Waste Conference. Vancouver: Metro Vancouver. Retrieved 12 10, 2017, from http://www.zwc.ca/archive/2016/sessions/Pages/built-environment.aspx
This past November, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend the 2017 Metro Vancouver Zero Waste Conference. The theme for this year’s event was a Circular Economy Within Reach, and throughout the day, experts on several aspects of the topic discussed solutions to reach a circular economy.
The Circular Economy on the International Space Station
The day started with an incredible keynote from scientist and retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman who shared her unique perspective on zero waste when she lived aboard the International Space Station for six months. Despite the high bar set by Dr. Coleman, the following discussions continued to deliver fascinating discussions throughout the day.
Scientist and retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman delivered the opening keynote speech for the conference (Metro Vancouver, 2017)
Plastics: Reimagining a Global Material
Although the conference had several interesting sessions, I found one debate on plastics particularly interesting. The panel consisted of three experts on the issue of plastic waste: Professor Richard Thompson, who is studying the impacts of plastic in our oceans, Mats Linder from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and Andrew Falcon, CEO of Full Cycle Bioplastics. All of them agree that plastic is an indispensable material to modern life, and believe that because of its durability and versatility, it has to the potential to reduce our waste and even reduce our environmental footprint. Unfortunately, the design for limited material recovery and reuse has been catastrophic for our oceans and marine life.
The Current Plastic Packing Material Flow (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2016)The New Plastics Economy (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2016)
References
Metro Vancouver. (2017, November 20). Why Metro Vancouver’s 2017 Zero Waste Conference Is Being Called ‘The Best Yet’. Retrieved from Metro Vancouver Zero Waste Conference Blog: https://zwcblog.org/2017/11/20/why-metro-vancouvers-2017-zero-waste-conference-is-being-called-the-best-yet/#more-2516
Orloff, A. (2016). The Built Environment. Metro Vancouver Zero Waste Conference. Vancouver: Metro Vancouver. Retrieved 12 10, 2017, from http://www.zwc.ca/archive/2016/sessions/Pages/built-environment.aspx
World Economic Forum, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and McKinsey & Company. (2016). The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation. World Economic Forum. Retrieved from https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics-infographics
Beijing is the capital of China, and the largest city in northern China. In recent decades, Beijing has progressed rapidly in economic development and urbanization. However, municipal solid waste has become one of the significant environmental problems in the city. This article aims to provide an overview on Beijing’s urban solid waste management with regard to its generation, composition and management.
Generation and trend of municipal solid waste
According to the data published by Beijing Statistics Bureau, it is demonstrated that the amount of disposed solid waste in Beijing increased steadily over the past two decades, from 2,800 thousand tonnes in 1995 to 7,903 thousand tonnes in 2015. A multi-regression analysis shows that GDP is identified to be the strongest explanatory factor for the growth of the total solid waste amount in Beijing, indicating that the environment has been paying the price for the economic growth.
Composition of urban solid waste
From table 1, it is shown that solid waste composition has been found to be relatively stable. Food waste always comprises the highest proportion except in 1990, and its representation has an increasing trend. Plastic, paper and ash also occur in relatively high proportions.
Table 1 Composition (%) of urban solid waste from 1990 to 2003 in Beijing
Municipal solid waste management
There were 22 treatment establishments for solid wastes in Beijing in 2004, and the number has increased to 28 in 2016. Sanitary landfill is the main treatment approach of municipal solid waste, while composting and incineration only make up small proportions. Recent research results indicate that the treatment capacity of the treatment plants proves to be insufficient as the capacity can not satisfy the need of treatment. In addition, the traditional landfill practice produces a large amount of greenhouse gases, and some of the pungent gases are poisonous. In order to mitigate the health risk for the population near the landfill, a proper collection and venting system need to be created.
Discussion
The solid waste management in Beijing has been greatly improved during the past decade. However, problems remain in respect of domestic garbage reduction, resource utilization and industrialization. Future challenges for the local government include the implementation of an effective waste minimization program, systematic urban solid waste management;; and improvement in data availability in monitoring the characteristics of municipal solid waste.
In south Edmonton, you can find Canada’s first net-zero commercial building. The Mosaic Centre is 30,000 square feet and it generates as much energy on site as it consumes in a year. Sustainable practices and technology are showcased in this structure. The project scope has included considerations such as incorporating geo-thermal technology, installing photovoltaic panels and using the framework of Low Impact Development as they marked its place in the public realm. In many ways, this construction project had implemented many of the strategies outlined in this weeks lesson. [Quick Statistics: The Mosaic Centre – Complete in 2015, 10.5 million dollar project, 3 months ahead of schedule and 5% under budget]
Construction Practices – Integrated Design Process. The design team focused on a collaborative approach to execute this project. This is crucial to sustainable design. Intersecting systems can support and accentuate benefits of the technology, and reduce the likelihood that the systems clash with one another.
Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency – To make such a large project come in Net-Zero, substantial amounts of work was put into making affordable, and energy efficient features throughout the building. This allows operations to continue within the building using less power. Both passive and mechanical systems are used to naturally light the space. Rather than feeding off the energy grid, this building produces the necessary energy to run on a daily basis. Since supply and demand of energy fluctuates throughout the year, excess energy produced on site is fed back into the utility grid (described as seasonal storage). This method of storage within the grid eliminates the need for battery banks. Those amounts of energy are fed back to the building when supply is low, but demand exists. This exchange between building and grid is incorporated into the net-zero analysis of the building.
Sustainable Power Supply and Renewable Energy Use – The generation of electricity can often time be very disruptive to the surrounding environment, and overall has a net output of carbon emissions. Carbon emissions from industry and commercial practices hugely contribute to these harmful emissions. The south west exterior wall and a portion of the roof have photovoltaic panels mounted for solar energy collection. This form of renewable energy was chosen after investigation of the multiple forms of renewable energy. Wind energy was not ideal, given the location, and thus solar energy became the single type used in this project.
Geo-thermal Heating and Cooling – Within the mechanical room, connections between external boreholes and the internal pipe system exist to make use of the geo-thermal system. The majority of the northern parking area is a geo-thermal field which helps to regulate the buildings temperature. In colder months, use of a high pressure glycol mixture allows access to available heat energy produced through the soil. Conversely, this same system serves to dissipate warm air during the hot months. Overall, the use of geo-thermal energy greatly decreased the number of solar modules needed for on-site electricity production.
Materials and Natural/Eco-Services – Wood was used as the primary building material for the Mosaic Centre. Wood features are presented well aesthetically and are exposed as architectural features to inspire future sustainable projects. Aside from the looks, use of wood sequesters carbon, reducing what would result in carbon emissions. Natural lighting and heat from the direct sunlight are also used to maintain a comfortable and well lit interior. Rainwater is collected on-site in a 25,000 litre storage tank. The water catchment design is not intended to fully cover the water demand, however it does supplement by contributing to the water supply. The main atrium also has a living wall,
Building Envelope – High performance building design is used to optimize the intersecting systems within the building. A high quality building envelope allows air conditions to remain at the desired temperature. Other strategies, such as targeted shading and the reduction of interior structural loads, are in place to increase occupant comfort.
Education; Precedent Example and Presence in the Community – The structure itself is living proof that sustainable projects can be aesthetically pleasing, economically feasible, and socially conscious. Aims for certification (LEED Platinum and Certified Living Building) and recognition have also increased the visibility and credibility of this remarkable structure. It continues to contribute to environmental efforts while in service by the use of collaborative spaces built right into the structure. These spaces are used to hold and facilitate meetings for integrated teams working on projects with a sustainable focus. Its functionality, and accessibility in terms of transportation also point towards the buildings overall goal; to address sustainability in all design decisions. In analyzing and learning about this project, we can gain wisdom and momentum to initialize and effectively carry out the construction of net-zero commercial buildings.
The IDP was first used in the early 1990s, by Canada’s C-2000 program (program supporting advanced, energy-efficient commercial building design) and IDEAS Challenge competition (multi-unit residential buildings challenge) to describe a more holistic approach to building design. In profesional practice, IDP has a significant impact on the makeup and role-playing of the initial design team. The client takes a more active role than usual, the architect becomes a team leader rather than the sole form-giver, and the structural, mechanical and electrical engineers take on active roles at early design stages. The team includes an energy specialist (simulator) and possibly a bio-climatic engineer. Depending on the nature of the project, a series of additional consultants may also join the project team from the outset.
Some of the key advantages of the IDP are cited below:
Goal-driven with the primary goal being sustainability, but with explicit subsidiary goals, objectives and targets set as a means to get there.
Facilitated by someone whose primary role is not to produce the building design or parts of it, but to be accountable for the process of design.
Structured to deal with issues and decisions in the right order, to avoid locking in bad performance by making non-reversible decisions with incomplete input or information.
Clear decision-making for a clearly understood methodology for making decisions and resolving critical conflicts.
Inclusive—everyone, from the owner to the operator, has something critical to contribute to the design and everyone must be heard.
Collaborative so that the architect is not simply the form-giver, but more the leader of a broader team collaboration with additional active roles earlier in the process.
Holistic or systemic thinking with the intent of producing something where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and which may even be more economic.
Whole-building budget setting—allows financial trade-offs, so money is spent where it is most beneficial when a holistic solution is found.
Below is a graphic representation of the IDP Process:
CIRS is aimed at being a regenerative building whose existence will improve the quality of the environment. This building contributes to reducing the energy use and carbon emissions. The building sequesters more carbon than the construction and decommissioning of the building will produce overtime.
MEASURE 2: Regional/ Community Design
Roof of the building is designed to be a self sustaining ecosystem where the vegetation includes indigenous plants for local birds and insects.
MEASURE 3: Land use and site ecology
The area of land that CIRS is built on improves the quality of the surrounding environment. It cleans the water it receives, captures heat that would otherwise be emitted to the environment and harbours vegetation that enriches the surrounding ecosystem.
MEASURE 4: Bio-climatic Design
Much of the heating in CIRS comes from the ground and from the heat exhausts from the building next door. Significant amount of the ventilation is from wind and a large part of the electricity is from the sun. This is really a building that survives within the natural flows of the environment.
MEASURE 5: Light and Air
Building is oriented to make optimal use of the daylight received by the site. The higher location of the windows allows for deeper penetration of the daylight into the interior spaces of the building. Solar shades and spandrel panels help control the glare and heat gain from the sun.
MEASURE 6: Water Cycle
All the water used in the building comes from the rain and the water leaving the building is of a better quality than the rain that is received on the roof. CIRS cleans the quality of the water and achieves a net positive in terms of water quality.
MEASURE 7: Energy flows and future energy
Uses geo exchange and solar energy. Uses waste heat from the Earth and Ocean Sciences building next door and captures the energy that would other wise be emitted to the environment.
MEASURE 8: Materials and construction
Wood used for the main structure of the building sequesters 600 tonnes of carbon. This is more carbon than the emissions from all the other construction materials, construction processes and decommissioning and the end of the lifetime of the building.
MEASURE 9: Long life, loose fit
CIRS is designed with ecological, social and economic rationale. Not only does it aim to improve the quality of the environment overtime it also aims to improve the health of its occupant. Flexibility, modularity, adaptability and expandability principles were included in the design of CIRS to ensure that it can adapt to new uses and respond to future space configuration requirements without the need of expensive and wasteful renovations.
MEASURE 10: Collective wisdom and feedback loops
In many ways CIRS is a research project that is intended to identify which processes and techniques work well and which ones have more scope for improvement. Research and observations of the way the building functions and interacts with the environment are ongoing and this knowledge will be used to improve sustainable designs of buildings in the future.
The overarching goal of the Sonoma Mountain Village development is to provide a place for work and play within the community, while simultaneously promoting as much re-use as possible. Concepts such as, walking as the main mode of transportation, renewable energy, innovative use of building material, and natural heating/cooling systems will be explored.
Walking as the main mode of Transportation
The Sonoma Mountain Village development is designed in such a way where reliance on vehicles and busses are reduced or eliminated altogether. By building a core of places to shop and work within the centre of the development, the marketplace and theatre are more accessible than before. This approach can reduce the carbon footprint by approximately 90%.
Renewable Energy Source
Solar panels are used extensively at the Sonoma Mountain Village development. To provide a sense of scale, currently Sonoma Mountain Village provides 3 Megawatt (MW) of power, which is enough to sufficiently power approximately 1000 homes. Subsequently, the solar power extracted can be utilized to provide heating and cooling via a geo-exchange system. The natural temperature within the ground stays consistent around the year; heating is provided when the temperature of the home is cooler than the sub surface, and cooling is provided when the temperature of the home is warmer than the sub surface. The heating/cooling is then pumped into the building powered by solar energy; as a result, no burning of fossil fuels is required and thus further lowering carbon emissions.
Innovative Use of Building Material
Prior to construction at the Sonoma Mountain Village development, the main building material was required to be renewable, and had to have high constructability. Metal from cars could be recycled and remodeled into modular panels, and eventually the building that was created from these panels could be remolded for future use on another project. It takes approximately 8 recycled vehicles to build a single-detached family home.
Modular panels are also easier to transport, and because they are pre-fabricated in the factory, the actual construction process will be easier on site. Not only will construction be faster, but sediment and debris control on construction sites will be greatly reduced, which will reduce downstream contamination due to stormwater runoff.
By utilizing large existing buildings – such as the existing technology campus – the Sonoma Mountain Village already begins the project with sustainability in mind prior to construction. This will reduce a significant amount of waste from demolition, transportation of un-useable, and transportation of new material.
