We cannot simply build our way out of the climate crisis by replacing old structures with new “green” ones.
This comprehensive review of nearly 300 studies reveals that true urban sustainability lies in the Circular Economy, a system that prioritizes reducing the need for new resources over merely recycling ones.
The research moves beyond the traditional building site to propose a radical integration of city and countryside trough urban-rural symbiosis.
By viewing waste, water, and energy as interconnected systems that can be recovered and shared across the urban-rural divide, cities can drastically lower their carbon footprints.
Learn more about this review here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124215
Reference
Joensuu, T., Edelman, H., & Saari, A. (2020). Circular economy practices in the built environment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 276, 124215.