Sustainable Development and the Cradle to Cradle® Approach
2011
For several decades there has been a discussion in the scientific literature about sustainable development in the built environment. Even today there is still a lot of confusion about what sustainable development really means, and how developments in this category are interrelated. The same applies to the more recent Cradle to Cradle® approach. This review aims to provide a literature study of sustainable development in the built environment, and to identify the most important underlying principles.
The literature study contains information from articles published in scientific and professional journals searched using ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and the 3TU catalog. The review focuses on the period from 1962 to 2010. 1962 was the year in which, in an important scientific contribution, Rachel Carson published her concerns about the increasing pollution of the environment.
This review provides a literature study of sustainable development in the built environment, including the associated reference framework and basic principles of the different lines of thinking. Attention will be given specifically to the most recent Cradle to Cradle® approach, which takes an important step towards the transition from a linear to a closed-cycle system, without harmful effects on the environment.
This literature study formed part of the Construction Management and Engineering research program at the University of Twente. This research program has an interdisciplinary approach, focusing on the development of innovative solutions for building. Attention for sustainable development in building forms an essential part of the research program. The subject-oriented approach, close links with practice and emphasis on the integration of disciplines are important distinguishing features of this research program to improve the performance of the building industry.
Research questions
This literature study focused on the following research questions:
1. What have been the most important lines of thinking in sustainable development during the past 50 years?
2. Which basic principles and reference framework are associated with efficient sustainable development?
3. Which basic principles and reference framework are associated with effective sustainable development?
4. What are the principles of the Cradle to Cradle® approach?
5. Which policy initiatives to promote a sustainable society have been taken in the past
50 years by the United Nations, the European Union and the Dutch government?
6. Which methods, techniques and policy instruments are now available in relation to the
realization of sustainable development in the built environment?
7. What are the scientific challenges to the realization of efficient and effective
sustainable development in the built environment?
Methodology
In the first phase a literature study was carried out into the most important lines of thinking in sustainable development. Much research into sustainable development has been performed in recent decades. Important developments are presented in publications by Carson (1962), Meadows (1972), WCED (1987), Johnson (1993), Greadel (1995), Elkington (1998), Hawkens et al. (1999), Braungart & McDonough (2002) and Gore (2006).
The keywords which sources in the literature study had to contain are: sustainable development, sustainability, Eco-Efficiency and environmental problem, in the period from 1962 to mid-2010.
Secondly, a literature study was carried out into which policy initiatives to promote a sustainable society have been taken by the United Nations, the European Union and the Dutch government. A literature study was also carried out into the available methods, technologies and policy instruments for a sustainable built environment.
The keywords which sources in the literature study had to contain are: sustainable development, sustainability, policy and built environment, in the period up to 2010.
Thirdly, a literature study was carried out into the essential principles of the Cradle to Cradle® approach. This literature study covers relevant publications and related conference proceedings. Important Cradle to Cradle® development are presented in the publications by Braungart & McDonough (1992; 2002 & 2007).
The literature study allows the basic principles and reference framework of Cradle to Cradle® approach to be investigated. The keywords which sources in the literature study had to contain are: Cradle to Cradle®, Eco-Effectiveness and built environment, in the period from 1992, the year in which the Hannover Principles were published, up to mid-2010.
The findings of this literature study lead to an overview of sustainable development in the built environment. Finally, this literature study is analysed. The analysis leads to scientific challenges for the implementation and development of the closed-cycle approach in the built environment.