CIRCLE – Project Circle – Phase 1.0
Project Circle Phase 1 investigates how the construction sector can operate within planetary boundaries by fundamentally rethinking the materials that shape the built environment. The report highlights that construction is a major driver of climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion and that incremental improvements will not be sufficient to meet legally binding climate targets.
Circle introduces a dual-criteria framework that evaluates ten widely used construction materials through both planet-aligned metrics, circularity, embodied emissions and ecosystem impact, and industry-aligned metrics such as durability, speed and scalability.
The analysis reveals that regenerative materials like hemp, straw, timber, stone and earth perform strongly across ecological criteria, while industrial materials such as concrete, steel, glass, brick and plaster carry significant environmental burdens despite their dominance in the market.
The report emphasises that material choices are shaped not only by technical performance but also by the sector’s “dark matter”: regulation, policy, standards, finance and cultural norms. Circle concludes with a series of prototypes demonstrating how regenerative materials can underpin viable building systems, offering a tangible vision of a construction sector aligned with planetary limits.
