Reuse of architectural elements : shaping urban sustainability

Innovating the more resource-intensive sectors of our economy appears to be fundamental to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. If properly implemented during the design process, circular economy could limit the significant energetic and material footprint of construction and foster its shift towards ecological sustainability. Within these practices, making use of reclaimed products and components in new buildings could broaden the positive impacts even more, involving both the environmental and the cultural perspectives. Starting from the example of Mediterranean architecture, where reutilisation strategies havetraditionally represented an expression of comprehensive sustainability, this paper focuses on the contemporary context. The research examines how the reuse of architectural elements could allow several cross-cutting contributions to the SDGs’ targets.