Circular building with raw earth: a qualitative assessment of two cases in Belgium

Abstract

The built environment puts high pressure on our planet, and a great deal is related to resource extraction, material production and waste generation. In the context of circular construction, buildings must be designed and built in order to keep our natural resources in closed material loops for as long as possible. Raw earth has regained attention in the building industry as an abundant, low-impact and highly recyclable building material. However, little is known and experienced about the implementation of raw earth in circular building design. Therefore, this research offers a better understanding of the circularity of earth architecture by assessing two contemporary Belgian cases. Based on literature, semi-structured interviews and the analysis of technical documents, the circularity of the two cases is qualitatively assessed at different scales and levels. It appears that circularity is highest on the material scale and lowest on the building scale for both cases. It is also found that earth as a building material does not easily fit in existing circular assessment frameworks. This investigation represents a contribution towards the development of design support for circular building with raw earth.