'Post-Crash Built Environment'
Post Crash Built environment, is the Built Environment architecture we will see after the worlds resources system, in conjunction with the economical system, will have crashed, due to scarcity of materials, price explosions, energy shortages (transport!), resource wars , climate stress, and more.
At that time cities and regions have to fall back on regional resources , which will be scarce related to demand as we already know from the footprints of the "developed" world. This will require a prime focus on existing stock, in preventing new construction, and reducing energy and materials demand in the extreme, and at the same time extreme efficiency with the use of scarce new materials for new construction, and rely mainly on renewable local sources.
In fact that would be the environmental sound way to practise already today - pre-crash so to say - but this seems to disturb the existing order to much and fails constantly . Nevertheless, the order will be disturbed, but at a later stage, and with more sudden changes.
These pages provide some insight in how the built environment might start to look like by that time, based on examples already available from front running architects, clients, project developers, and researchers.
Already today we can see examples of buildings and built environments that show the porst crash situation. Its projects by visionairy achitects and other building pratners, and/or demonstration projects. Some are Closed Cycle approaches in all resources, and include a well balanced socio cultural setting, others are frontrunetrs in one of these aspects. The following pages provide a colelction of these examples.
Send in a projects webaddress if you think a project meets the Post- Crash requirements.
background to Post Crash Thinking
The theory behind Post Crash construction , is in fact a theory of operating within closed cycles of resoruce use. Only in closed cycle operation, a certain level of resource use can be maintained over long time, without depleting resources. And by definition this can only be created by using renewable sources.
We could do thsis today, but existing structures and powers prevent us from this transitional change to a wise and smart use of our resources. A crash has to occur before change wll take place.
A analyses is carried out, to understand a theoratical model for closed cycle approach, and the translation for the buidling and construction sector. Which will bring us not only to that, but also to the urban scale of managing resources, and the global limits. And by the way, what is a renewable source exactly, is it by definition sustainable, that is continuously available over time?
Knowing the theory, can we translate this in some practical tools and approaches , is the next part.
Here are some papers on parts of the theoretical exploration accesible. For some parts these are missing: This means they are not published yet and/or publicly availabe. In time more will follow.
Ronald Rovers
Building on the Limburg Island
inaugural speech, April 3 2009
printed version available:
please send e-mail request with postal adress
Closed Cycle theory
a resource management model for the built environment
Closed materials cycle approach for buildings
assessed projects data
CC for urban areas
not available yet
Urban Harvest, a CC model approach
Post Carbon or Post crash, managing the Orbanism
published in World Transport Policy & Practice
Volume 14, Number 4
http://www.eco-logica.co.uk/pdf/wtpp14.4.pdf
Urban Energy
Urban Water
Closed Cycle Borders and limits
what's a Renewable resource?
project paper > tbp
Systems and definitions
Land use
n/a
CC issues
Why Tall buildings are no option
CC the future of Lamboo
paper 2007, published in :
Construction and Building Materials 23 (2009) 210–218
Urban Space management
exploratory paper 2007 >>pdf
Closed Cycle Society: EDO
in preparation
Exergy applied for Watercycle
n/a = not available, tbp = to be published
