Circularity is more than recycling. Discover practical ways to keep materials in use longer and reduce waste through better design and decision making.
Recycling gets most of the attention in conversations about waste, but it's usually the last resort — not the first move. Understanding circularity properly means asking different questions earlier: what materials are we specifying, how long do they hold their value, and where do they actually end up.
Terri-Ann Berry, Environmental Innovation Centre, unpacks what circularity means in practice for the building industry — why reuse should be prioritised ahead of recycling, the real barriers to circular outcomes in Aotearoa, and the practical questions architects, designers and builders can ask when assessing a product's circularity. Drawing on real case studies, it's a grounded look at what's working, and what still needs to change.
YOUR SPEAKER
Co-Director, Environmental Innovation Centre & Associate Professor, Auckland University of Technology, Chartered Chemist, Chartered Environmentalist, Fellow RSC