ABSTRACT
Increasing land and construction costs have made affordable housing scarce. For more first-time homebuyers to be able to afford housing, reductions in infrastructure and construction costs must occur without compromising comfort and quality. Affordability and sustainability are two closely related principles, as intentional design based on a project's specific site condition and population needs can simultaneously achieve lower costs, lower environmental impact, and carbon footprint. This chapter explores how employing circular economy strategies, which view construction, renovation, and demolition debris as available resources rather than waste, can lower costs across these processes while benefiting the environment at large. The design of dense housing to limit material use and energy needs, the reuses of materials and urban mining are some of the most effective circular economy cost-reduction strategies to bridge the affordability gap. This chapter will outline affordable strategies in housing design that aim to limit construction and maintenance costs through a thorough understanding of a site's specific material and energy needs. It will then discuss the potential of circular economy strategies in achieving affordability through the reuse, recycling, and upcycling of materials in the construction sector.
