À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ

Of the thesis entitled:ÌýOnÌýthe Path to Material Re-use: Navigating the complexity of materialÌýsustainability forÌýarchitectural practice

Abstract:

The aim of this thesis was toÌýunderstand how to define sustainability holistically, and how architecture canÌýcontribute to holistic sustainability by way of its material form. I conductedÌýa literature review of definitions for sustainableÌýdevelopment, looking for aÌýholistic definition that addressed common attitudinal barriers to its practice.ÌýIt became apparent that it’s useful to study sustainability under a systemsÌýscience framework that takes environmental, social, andÌýpsychologicalÌýsustainability as interdependent variables. In accordance with this, I reviewedÌýdifferent approaches to material sustainability in architecture, the lifecyclesÌýof several common building materials, and the links betweenÌýmaterialÌýindustries, to establish a system-based understanding of how materialÌýsustainability can be practiced. In the latter part of my thesis I focus onÌýmaterial re-use as an underrepresented approach to material sustainability, andÌýstudyÌýthe opportunities and barriers in practicing it, particularly in theÌýcontext of Southern Ontario. I propose that a monitoring tool that draws onÌýpublic data sources could relieve one barrier to using reclaimed materials byÌýmaking it easier toÌýfind available sources. I find that material re-use can beÌýan architect-driven way to practice material sustainability, it conveys aÌýmessage about the problems of materialism in our society, and it providesÌýchallenging but fulfilling craft-based work.

The examining committee is as follows: