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The Chair participates in the Reflections “Grow without consuming: Experiences of Circular Economy” Cycle
Jaume Albertí, leader of the Sustainable Construction Research line, heads the workshop “Circular Economy in the building sector”.
The cycle of Reflections 2017-2018 deals with edification, feed and mobility.
This year's edition of the "Grow Without Consuming" Cycle of Conferences, organised by the Palau Macaya in Barcelona under the scientific direction of the ERF - Estudi Ramon Folch i Associats, focuses on circular economy studies and practices through differents workshops and roundtables which started last september and will continue until next June . In this context, the researcher of the UNESCO Chair in Life and Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF specialized in sostenible construction, Jaume Albertí, has led the workshop “Circular Economy in the building sector”, about the optimization of the life cycle of buildings.
The cycle of conferences began with an opening session where the basic thematic axis of the presentations was presented: the circular economy, a method to fight against the environmental impacts using natural resources, energy and water use or waste management in a smart way, reintroducing the materials into the production and consumption line. The cycle is divided into three blocks that ranged from edification to feed and mobility. As a part of the edification block, Albertí has conducted the third workshop’s block “Management of the cycle: from the planning to the end of the useful life”.
Life cycle assessment
Albertí has focused on explaining what is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)and “the situation of the cycle in the construction sector”, and also the materials’ flow from an environmental perspective. Albertí points out that the LCA is being practiced mainly at the product and the construction system levels. however, the Chair is working to go one step further, and that is why “we are preparing the bases to establish a methodology to also apply LCA in cities,” says Albertí.
The workshop has consisted of an interview to the researcher by the journalist Pere Gaviria, followed by a discussion submitted by the invited professionals and, finally, a plenary session for conclusions and final remarks. On December 12th, the Palau Macaya will be hosting a roundtable to approach the conclusions of the various workshops from the edification first block.
Finally, the closure will consist in a final debate about circular cities in June 2018 that will bring together city experts with the aim to propose the requirements and consequences of a circular urban life, with an emphasis on achieving an optimal quality of life and a better sustainability on a global scale.