Our society is based on linear production chains. As humans we always create 'waste' at the end of the chain. But what is waste actually? Waste is material what in our eyes can't be used anymore, for example when it doesn't function anymore or it is rest material in order to create something else with it. 'Waste' doesn’t exist in nature, because in nature every material is part of a 'lifecycle'. It practically feeds the new material. For example when an animal dies, the body and its energy is given to the ground, the animal is food for the ground to grow new life.
What happens if we try to use the life-cycle principle in our building production chain. Creating building blocks out of rest-products, dead-stock or demolished buildings and re-creating new buildings, isn't a new fact. But why don't we organize all our buildings in the principle of the circular economy? The transition to a circular economy asks for a whole new way of organizing our building materials and building principles. All buildings should be demountable, re-mountable and should have a material passport. Then of course we should collect all these data so that we know which streams are available to build with.
Harvestmap or Oogstkaart.nl is a platform where data of 'waste' streams are collected and getting sold. It is a new online marketplace for redundant and second hand materials. Harvestmap allows companies or individuals to inventorise their supply of materials, components or even buildings to superusers. All materials, ranging from small quantities to continuous flows of (industrial) leftovers are represented. Participation allows you to share your own supply, provide tips to the community and find available resources in your neighbourhood or the surroundings of a project. And beautiful buildings, products and interiors are build with it, even with a good story!