Building design in the circular economy

Summary

The class introduces the concept of circular economy and its applications to building design, with a focus on design with reused components, design for disassembly, and life-cycle assessment. The class develops critical thinking skills over and above theoretical and technical inputs.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

• Assess / Evaluate current circular practices and design methods
• Critique current circular practices and design methods
• Characterize current circular practices and design methods

Teaching methods

The course alternates flipped classrooms with traditional delivery.

Expected student activities

Students are expected to:

• attend and enliven all classroom sessions;
• prepare classroom sessions by reviewing selected texts and case studies;
• write an essay (one over the semester).

Assessment methods

Grades reflect both the student's activities during the semester and the final examination.

Resources

Moodle Link

• https://go.epfl.ch/AR-497