The construction industry contributes to the poor health of the planet even before ground is broken and assembly begins. The Upcycle House is an experiment to discover the extent to which carbon emissions can be reduced off and on the building site. Lendager Arkitekter of Denmark worked with Realdania Byg to incorporate recycled materials into the dwelling, contributing to its ecological and aesthetic appeal.
The main structure of the abode is based on a pair of shipping containers that have been spread out on the plot and joined to incorporate the space between them into an expansive interior. The single-family home has siding and roofing made from pop cans, while some of the cladding has come from granulated paper. Broken glass constitutes the bathroom tiling while plywood panels and cork bottle stoppers have been cut make up the rest of the flooring in the Upcycle House.
Scrap-Constructed Residences
The Upcycle House Gets Credit for an 86% Reduction in CO2 Emissions
Trend Themes
1. Eco-friendly Construction - The Upcycle House demonstrates the trend of incorporating recycled materials into building structures to reduce carbon emissions.
2. Single-family Shipping Container Homes - The Upcycle House showcases the trend of using shipping containers as the main structure for single-family homes, allowing for efficient use of space and resources.
3. Innovative Building Materials - The use of pop cans, granulated paper, broken glass, plywood panels, and cork bottle stoppers in the Upcycle House highlights the trend of exploring unconventional and sustainable materials in construction.
Industry Implications
1. Construction - The construction industry can explore opportunities to adopt eco-friendly practices and incorporate recycled materials to reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainability.
2. Shipping and Logistics - The trend of using shipping containers as the main structure for homes presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the shipping and logistics industry, such as repurposing and transforming shipping containers for residential purposes.
3. Sustainable Building Materials - The Upcycle House highlights the potential for industries focused on sustainable building materials to explore and develop innovative alternatives to traditional construction materials, such as using pop cans, granulated paper, broken glass, plywood panels, and cork bottle stoppers.