A Waste Epiphany

The challenge

The built environment is currently responsible for almost 40% of all CO2 emissions of which 11% are made up of the embodied carbon and up to 50% of all landfill waste globally. The latter derives from construction and demolition waste (CDW). Bricks and concrete are the two most used building materials in constructions world-wide. This leads to negative environmental, economical, health and social impacts at local scales around the world. In the Netherlands alone, 33 Mton of new concrete (roughly 15 billion m3) is produced every year while 12 Mton concrete is demolished and turned into waste - or in other words, becomes available.

The solution

AWE will upcycle construction and demolition waste back into the built environment (buildings), through the creation of new sustainable design pieces and architectural products.

Mission

A Waste Epiphany strives to reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry by giving it a second chance, through the upcycling of waste streams and stimulation of a local circular economy world-wide.