Living Lab Circular Economy – Application of earth blocks in practice (R-13589)

Earth blocks are circular building materials that can significantly reduce the building sector's material footprint and CO2 emissions. Unlike conventional fired bricks, earth blocks are not fired, reducing CO2 emissions during the production process. If no additives or stabilisers are added, the chemical composition is not altered during the production process, and the material can be regenerated as a raw material at the end of its life cycle or return unmodified to nature. When excavated soil from construction sites is used, no mining of new raw materials is needed either. Despite the high circular potential of (unfired) earth blocks, the application in practice is (still) quite limited. Architects, building professionals and building owners are not familiar with the material. Material properties and application in practice differ somewhat from those of conventional fired bricks. In this Living Lab, the application of earth blocks in building projects is explored through research-by-design and in co-creation with various actors. Through real-life practical cases and a demo project with social-ecological impact, design solutions are investigated and evaluated, user experiences and preferences are studied and integrated, and technical bottlenecks in design and implementation are documented and solved.

Keywords:Circular building materials, Circular construction, Circular economy, earth architecture, earth blocks, Living Lab

Disciplines:Sustainable building, Building technology, Sustainable buildings and cities, Construction materials, Life cycle analysis of construction materials, Sustainable design