ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book offers an overview of what is actually happening in the second decade of the 21st century in the worlds of sustainable design and architecture. There are many books that have been published over the last ten years that have attempted to define the concepts of a circular economy and speculate upon the benefits, whether they be financial, environmental or social. Combining academia with everyday building sites has led to the idea of testing concepts through a series of ‘live’ construction projects that have also been a pedagogic vehicle involving students. All interviewees were asked why they were pursuing their particular interests, and most particularly how they were going about their ‘circular’ work within the linear economy that prevails. Humankind has literally wrapped the surface of Planet Earth with the detritus associated with our day-to-day lives.
