MTalks—Non-linear: the new materials economy

What will the buildings of the future be made of? The construction industry is a material and energy hungry sector, accounting for a staggering forty percent of global CO2 emissions. Architects, designers and engineers are taking up the challenge to overhaul the materials economy. They are embracing new materials and processes, reducing our dependence on finite resources and minimising waste and redundancy. In this discussion, panelists from across the industry talked about how they adapted their practices to account for the intrinsic value of raw materials. They considered the principles of circularity, including design for disassembly, reuse and adaptability. The panelists also reflected on the possibilities posed by the emergence of new materials and products that sequester carbon, such as mycelium, hemp, algae and timber.