Long service life or recycling: which is the most sustainable strategy?
I have always felt that prioritizing durability and longevity ahead of design for recyclability was the best choice – if there was one to be made – but I could not effectively articulate a clear rationale. That was until I read a paper by a non-profit Danish Design Center (DDC) team and a follow-up commentary by Lloyd Alter. The articles address the criticisms of the circular economy, debunk some myths and add a fourth requirement to the definition of circular economy. They also underscore the primacy of product service life. Keeping materials in service is the highest value in the circular economy.
One of the myths the DDC team highlights is that circularity is often seen as only about recycling. In truth, recycling is “one of the last priorities to carry out as a circular strategy for products and materials.”
According to The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the circular economy or a “closed-loop economy” assumes:
- Products and materials circulate inside the economy – “using them” rather than “using them up.” This drives a focus on durability, reuse, re-manufacturing and recycling.
- Waste and pollution are identified and designed out, including greenhouse gas emissions.
- Nature is regenerated. This means avoidance of non-renewable sources and use of renewable sources.
The circular economy aims to replace what the foundation calls the “take-make-waste” linear model of business-as-usual. It notes that the product and material cycle primarily focuses on keeping products in use as long as possible, which emphasizes durability, maintenance and repair and re-use. They underscore that recycling is of lower value because of the energy and cost of remaking products and material loss. Often, recycling becomes a lower value downcycling, too.
What does this mean for building and façade systems?
Designing for longevity trumps recyclability – if there is a choice to be made. Ideally, we would achieve long-lived, maintainable, upgradable fenestration and insulating glass systems AND design them to be de-constructible and recyclable at the end of their life. We would also establish an effective reclamation infrastructure to close the circular loop efficiently. But the hierarchy of importance seems clear: Think durability before recycling. Doing so automatically helps us to use less stuff over the long term.
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