Material-informed adaptive building systems integrating dynamic material value-chains for sustainable construction
The Materials in Transition Lab (MATR) is a materials research laboratory focused on the rigorous scientific integration of sustainable design principles in the built environment. The MATR lab examines complex material value-chains to develop evidence-based design strategies and technical solutions that promote resource-efficient and socially valuable construction. Its research adopts a systemic and multi-scalar approach, spanning material microstructure to urban systems.
The MATR Lab addresses critical environmental and societal challenges in the built environment by examining how material composition, processing, and transformation influence performance across the building lifecycle, from production and use, to reuse and reclamation. At the MATR Lab, we seek to:
- Integrate resilience into the design and application of construction materials in response to evolving socio-economic challenges, such as climate change, social equity, occupant health, and strategic independence in material supply-chains.
- Develop comprehensive digital assessment methods to evaluate whole-life material flows and their associated impact across sectors to inform policy, practice and education.
- Engineer whole-life adaptability at the product-scale through the integration of reclaimed components that optimise utility and are designed for disassembly.
- Explore the ability to up-scale hierarchical micro-structural design through selective material compositions and additive manufacturing.
The MATR Lab develops academic, industry, and government research collaborations to enhance the uptake of newly developed digital tools and technical solutions. This includes research and practical demonstration of reversible connections for load-bearing structures, environmental simulations for low-carbon renovation pathways, and structured involvement of built environment stakeholders to inform, validate, and test material- and system-level research findings.
The MATR lab is supported by the Schindler Chair in Sustainable Buildings and Regenerative Environments, currently held by Professor Rebecca Hartwell.
A structured understanding on how material selection and design methods influence industrial ecology is essential for driving meaningful change in the built environment and enabling creative autonomy.
Rebecca Hartwell, Head of MATR Lab
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