BAMB (Building as Material Banks)

The circular economy aims to change the linear process in which materials are made, used and then disposed. Rather than throwing away, when a material comes to the end of its service it can be reused or regenerated into new products. The material is viewed as a resource rather than waste.

BRE is a key partner in the EU Horizon 2020 Buildings as Material Banks (BAMB) project. This three and a half years, sixteen partner project began in September 2015 and provides significant resources in research to develop new ideas and ways of embedding circular economy thinking into the built environment.

Through design we can create dynamic and flexible buildings which demonstrate the circular way, using less virgin resources and reducing waste. In order to realise this, a systemic shift is required. Thus, BAMB is working to enable a new circular way of building. Developing and integrating materials passports and reversible building design will enable the transition to a circular building sector.

A key aspect of the BAMB project is to help move the building industry towards a circular economy. For example, understanding what the environmental, financial and social costs and benefits of circular buildings vs. linear and linking in the data management/ evaluation to BIM to enable better decision making across the asset lifecycle.

For more information on this project click here.