Basic Terms and Definitions
The R Strategies
One major characteristic of circularity is its capacity to manifest both as an operational scheme and a value system. It is pragmatic as much as it is idealistic. Take the R strategies for example: on the one hand, they propose concrete ways of either closing, slowing or even narrowing material loops. On the other, inherent to these strategies are the values of caring and sharing. These are expressed by either prolonging a material’s life cycle through repair or manufacture, or by intensifying a material’s use through rethink. Or in the more extreme cases, by even refusing to make use of a given material in the first place. In this video, Olga provides with an overview of the ten R strategies presenting the most dominant definitions of the Rs as well as their opportunities and their limitations.
Further Reading/ References
- Morseletto, P. (2020). Targets for a circular economy. In Resources, Conservation and Recycling 153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104553 [Definitions in bold] Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017).
- Circularity and the Nine R’s. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/galleries/CEinaction-_Activity06-nine-Rs-6R3_from-graham-081217.pdf
Please see also:
- Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (2015). Circular Economy: From Wish to Practice. https://www.rli.nl/sites/default/files/advice_rli_circular_economy_interactive_def.pdf
- Cramer, J. (2019). Experiences in Moving towards a Circular Economy in the Netherlands: Theory and Practice. I amsterdam. https://www.amsterdameconomicboard.com/app/uploads/2019/07/circular-economy-programme-Amsterdam-Economic-Board-2019.pdf
- Rizos, V., Tuokko, K. & Behrens, A. (2017). The Circular Economy: A Review of Definitions, Processes and Impacts (2017/8). CEPS Research Report: Thinking about Europe. http://aei.pitt.edu/85892/1/RR2017-08_CircularEconomy_0.pdf
- Potting, J. & Hanemaaijer, A. (Eds.). (2018). Circular Economy: what we want to know and can measure (3217). PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. https://www.cbs.nl/-/media/_pdf/2018/29/circular-economy-what-we-want-to-know-and-can-measure-2018-netherlands.pdf
- Reike, D., Vermeulen, W.J.V. & Witjes, S. (2018). The circular economy: New or Refurbished as CE 3.0? — Exploring Controversies in the Conceptualization of the Circular Economy through a Focus on History and Resource Value Retention Options. In Resources, Conservation and Recycling 135, 246-264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.08.027
Author
Olga Ioannou
Assistant Professor
Dr. Ing. Olga Ioannou is Assistant Professor at the Department of Architectural Engineering and Technology of TU Delft. She works for the chair of Building Product Innovation. She is in the steering committee of the Circular Built Environment Hub at TU Delft and a member of the Architectural Facades & Products (AF+P) group. Her expertise lies in architectural education, network learning and knowledge creation within the extended communities of knowledge. This is why she is now actively involved in developing programs for integrating circularity in the A+BE faculty curricula across all departments and levels of education.
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