Circularity in design: a shared path toward a more sustainable future

As architects and designers worldwide work towards a more sustainable future, they continuously explore innovative ways to integrate circularity into their practices and ongoing projects. In the UK, in particular, A+D professionals play a pivotal role in driving the shift toward sustainable design by influencing both product specifications and the broader industry mindset, fostering a transition to more environmentally responsible approaches.

“Circularity is something that we consider everyday. It is the key to our moral response to the climate crisis we are in. We know we have done and are doing harm, so we have a responsibility to do what we can to better the situation,” Andrew Parkin, Partner and Global Head of Acoustics at Cundall says. “As a business we have been sustainably designing buildings since before sustainability was ‘a thing’. Back in the 1970s we were designing low-energy buildings, and that mindset and heritage is infused in everything we are and do.”

A key factor influencing sustainable specifications by A+D professionals in the UK is the circular design approach, which focuses on creating products and systems where materials are continuously repurposed, reused, or reimagined. With 62% of the UK’s waste generated from the construction industry, architects and designers are pushing manufacturers to rethink their products, placing greater importance on the environmental, social, and economic impacts of sustainable design.

“In theory, the circularity of materials impacts the daily practice of an architect as all projects deal with materials throughout the lifetime of their design,” says Derek Mok, Project Architect at Hale Brown Architects. “Throughout project stages, the architect should be considering the EPDs of the material involved, the source of the material, how the design could be streamlined to minimise the amount of material used, and if these materials can be recycled or upcycled at the end of their lifetime.”

Derek’s colleague at Hale Brown, Part 2 Architectural Assistant Amy Palmer, says that the practice has taken huge steps forward in their sustainable approach to materiality. “We have always considered sustainability to be a very important factor in our design work. As a company with experience in retrofitting, we aim to transform and uplift existing spaces. Reuse is a pillar of our work.”

In highly populated cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester, integrating sustainable materials and practices is a key focus for A+D professionals, especially when working with products that have Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) or certifications like LEED and WELL, including those from Autex Acoustics®. Even when clients don’t specifically request them, these considerations are at the forefront of design priorities.

“The breadth of knowledge available is immense, for example, RICS, UKGBC, Architects Declare, etc,” explains Amy. “We must move away from our ‘throw-away’ culture that  facilitates single-use materials and linear thinking. The  lifecycle of products is, often much shorter due to this. We  should discourage the easy disposal of materials and refocus on how they can be  utilized in alternative ways within our  designs.”

Similarly, Andrew shares Amy’s thinking on shifting the industry’s mindset. “There is an over-reliance on extraction of new minerals and an excess of waste going to landfill. Recycling itself and manufacturing are often too energy-intensive. We need to be better, smarter and more joined-up in our thinking,” Andrew explains. “Thankfully, there are so many great (and circular) materials on the market now, commercially available and affordable. Many products now use bio-based materials and binders and are compostable at end-of-life, which is a joy to see.”

Since achieving global production and operational carbon neutrality in 2022 and minimising our reliance on overseas shipping through domestic manufacturing, Autex Acoustics^® has continued to affirm its core values through sustainable design innovation. However, manufacturers and suppliers are continually challenged to evolve and transition toward cradle-to-cradle design to ensure they remain future-proof.

“We are at a point now where the majority of people within the construction industry are aware it’s not a question of ‘when’ but ‘what’ and ‘how’ to improve the environmental impact of our designs. The advancement of technology will become a key part of that. In addition to the reduced and cleaner energy being used by manufacturing factories, new materials and products that have less embodied carbon and can be reused and/or recycled will become more readily available to the market,” shared Derek.

However, Amy acknowledges what a feat this can be. “Circularity is  a huge standard for one product to meet. Starting with recycling of existing material to make a new product, that product’s life cycle, its end of life, and the intricacies of transport and cost all need to be considered.”

Of these considerations, Andrew can see how the industry is starting to account for this. “We are already seeing a number of reuse hubs popping up all over the UK, and this will be ever more popular; as/when existing buildings are deconstructed or stripped out, instead of materials going to waste, they will go to hubs where they can be purchased for reuse by others. The uptake of carbon-neutral, or even carbon-negative materials, will make a real difference. The key to the success of this process is good product data, which is needed to give the next users the confidence to re-purpose and re-use them.”

Learn more about Autex Acoustics’ approach to sustainable design.