Circular.ie Community Updates
Our community: Kevin Loftus - Design Director at ACT (Accelerating Change Together)
Kevin talks us through his work at ACT and how their social enterprise of architects, urbanists and policy specialists accelerate green efforts in the construction sector.
Kevin talks us through his work at ACT and how their social enterprise of architects, urbanists and policy specialists accelerate green efforts in the construction sector.
The construction industry in Ireland produces around half of all waste in the country, by weight. Its scale and reach is such that introducing circular practices to the sourcing, making and use of materials for construction is a big concern to the industry, and wider society.
On these issues ACT’s Kevin Loftus decided to focus on circular solutions.
“We work to accelerate the green transition in the built and natural environment by developing sustainable solutions across architecture, urban design, visions, and research and consultation,” says Kevin, a recent winner of Circular.ie’s Full Circle Awards.
ACT does this by improving reuse processes and making them more accessible.
“Embodied carbon in building materials is a huge challenge for the construction sector, as is demolition waste. Circular reuse of materials is a solution to solve both challenges and as such has been an area of exploration over the last number of years,” he said.
Reuse is a big issue in the industry and, therefore, a key focus of Kevin’s work. Alongside material certification and procurement, reuse of materials has the potential to revolutionise the space. For example, an interesting project Kevin has been working on is developing processes around designing buildings that can be deconstructed easily in the future.
“Many of the solutions to circularity exist and have done so for millennia,” said Kevin.
Having practical and positive examples of circular approaches to construction for the general public to interact with is an important way to highlight the work being done in this space. As an example, Kevin tells us about the Ballina Sensory Park, a community park project that introduces the reuse of materials in a public realm context.
“Gabions to hold back earth are filled with off-cuts of construction stone and concrete,” explains Kevin. “Trees fallen from Storm Eowyn have been used as landscape features. Woodchips from trees felled after the storm have been used in the planting areas. Old paving stones from pedestrian crossings in the town that were recently replaced have been used as stepping stones on trail paths,” he adds.
Connecting people to circularity is an important part of Kevin’s mission. He aims to provide clear pathways to the direct reuse of building materials and share how this reuse adds to the story of their project designs, bringing character and history where new material wouldn’t.
Learn more about Kevin and Accelerating Change Together’s mission here.
From designing buildings to designing your own home, learn how getting set up in your new home can be more efficient and sustainable. Check out our guide to Circular wins for your new home