Evaluación de la circularidad de materiales en la construcción del centro de desarrollo tecnológico Sustentable

Abstract

This graduation project aims to estimate the level of circularity of materials used in the Sustainable Technology Development Center, consisting of buildings with a total constructed area of 239.96 m². The research is based on the hypothesis that a significant proportion of construction materials comes from secondary sources, which justifies the need to quantify their contribution and assess their environmental and economic impact. For the development of this project, a mixed-method approach was used, integrating documentary review of architectural plans, photographic records, and field data collection through physical inspections of the buildings and interviews. The identified materials were classified as new, reused, recycled, and repurposed by applying circular economy criteria and were subsequently quantified to estimate the Material Circularity Index (MCI). The materials used in the construction achieved a cost-weighted MCI of 41.3%, with an estimated economic saving of USD 17,685.85 and a reduction of approximately 8,333 kg of CO₂eq emissions compared to a conventional scenario. It was identified that the elements with the highest contribution to circularity were metal structures, roofing, and finishing materials. It is concluded that the application of circular economy strategies in construction generates significant economic and environmental benefits, establishing a methodological foundation and a set of indicators that facilitate the measurement and evaluation of circularity in sustainable construction. Keywords: Circular economy, sustainable construction, circularity index, eco-efficiency