Urban mining and material banks: a trend that is gaining traction

We’re not talking about the type of mining that involves drilling and extraction from the earth. Instead, urban mining refers to the process of reclaiming raw materials that are typically sent to landfill. The term was coined by urban visionary Jane Jacobs in her 1969 book, The Economy of Cities. Here, Jacobs forecasts that future cities would “become huge, rich and diverse raw materials mines. These mines will differ from any now to be found because they will become richer the longer, they are exploited; new veins, formerly overlooked, will be continually opened." In this sense, urban mining is all about embracing a circular economy. All too often, construction materials are discarded as waste at the end of their life cycles, only to be replaced by new ones. Buildings are being stripped out just as quickly as they are being constructed, creating heavy, voluminous material waste flows. Heightening focus on embodied carbon While this is a major issue, it also represents a significant opportunity. For years, developers have been focused on lowering a building’s operational emissions in carbon reduction initiatives. However, to truly minimise the environmental footprints associated with the built environment and construction activities, we must also focus on cutting embodied carbon. While operational carbon accounts for the carbon produced when a building is occupied, embodied carbon refers to the carbon footprint of all the materials that have been used in that building. “Embodied” carbon, which refers to emissions tied to the building process, maintenance and any demolition. Overall, embodied carbon is responsible for around 10% of annual emissions, though it will vary depending on the type of building. Every material used in a building will typically involve production and installation processes. Yet raw materials also had to be extracted to enable these, transportation efforts were required to get them on site, and old supplies disposed of in place of new ones. Collectively, these materials-associated processes add up to create an embodied carbon footprint. To put things into perspective, today’s buildings are responsible for almost 40% of global energy-related carbon emissions, with homes alone accounting for nearly 20%. Moving forward, these figures are only likely to get worse. By 2050, more than two-thirds of the global population will live in cities as urbanisation continues to accelerate. To ensure this mass influx doesn’t lead to further emission spikes that undermine net zero objectives, architects and developers must prioritise reducing both operational and embodied carbon more proactively. The merits of urban mining As a core strategy aiding the transition to a circular economy, urban mining can be a vital tool for reducing the carbon footprint embedded into the fabric of buildings themselves. Indeed, reclaimed materials naturally have a significantly lower embodied carbon footprint than newly manufactured materials as many of the most carbon intensive processes required to create them have already been completed. Consider reclaimed wood as an example. Not only are you not using the energy needed to cut down a tree, transport it to a mill, process it and then manufacture the final product, but you’re also further helping to combat climate change by avoiding deforestation. Additionally, urban mining is more cost effective. Inflation is a major worry for construction companies. The price of materials is going up, along with the cost of importing and exporting. Construction companies will need to think more innovatively about how they approach projects in a more cost-effective manner, with urban mining offering an avenue to access cheaper materials that often come with a colourful history that can add a unique touch to any project. In fact, it’s estimated that reclaimed materials are typically 50-75% cheaper than their new counterparts. The architecture and design community is committed to reducing carbon emissions on all projects. However, we need the circular materials industry to mature quickly to meet the new demands of our industry, communities and clients. Thus, we can look forward to dramatically reducing its overall impact on the environment while also unlocking significant cost savings for operators in what is a difficult economic period. Byline: Rachel Basha-Franklin, founder and principal director, Basha-Franklin

Urban mining and material banks: a trend that is gaining traction

Read Next

Basement space to become flood damage claims without protection

How to add value to your property this spring

What is causing European investors to lower their real estate allocations?

Unlocking the full potential of unused land in urban areas

Developers must unlock empty buildings for decarbonisation

Basement space to become flood damage claims without protection

How to add value to your property this spring

What is causing European investors to lower their real estate allocations?

Unlocking the full potential of unused land in urban areas

Developers must unlock empty buildings for decarbonisation

Basement space to become flood damage claims without protection

Maslow Capital delivers £114m loan to Union Property Development

House prices 8.3 times the average annual salary

Vistry profits rise 20% in FY22

Multi-million-pound Cultural Gateway in Coventry hits new milestone

Read Next

Basement space to become flood damage claims without protection

How to add value to your property this spring

What is causing European investors to lower their real estate allocations?

Unlocking the full potential of unused land in urban areas

Developers must unlock empty buildings for decarbonisation

Related Articles

Basement space to become flood damage claims without protection

Maslow Capital delivers £114m loan to Union Property Development

House prices 8.3 times the average annual salary

Vistry profits rise 20% in FY22

Multi-million-pound Cultural Gateway in Coventry hits new milestone