{"id":6173,"date":"2025-12-23T10:49:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T09:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sweco.lu\/?p=6173"},"modified":"2026-01-14T13:44:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T12:44:16","slug":"why-do-more-with-less-is-not-a-circular-design-principle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sweco.lu\/en\/actualites\/uncategorized\/why-do-more-with-less-is-not-a-circular-design-principle\/","title":{"rendered":"Why \u2018Do more with less\u2019 Is NOT a circular design principle"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Why \u2018Do more with less\u2019 Is NOT a circular design principle<\/h1>\n

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Not everything is truly circular!<\/h2>\n

In the growing discourse on sustainable design and circular economy, one mantra is often cited as inherently circular:\u00a0\u201cDo more with less.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0While appealing in its simplicity and apparent efficiency, this principle has been misapplied as a pillar of circular design. In reality, \u201cdo more with less\u201d is a linear design principle\u2014and has been for decades.<\/p>\n

The problem lies in its scope. \u201cDo more with less\u201d typically focuses on optimizing the\u00a0production phase<\/strong>\u2014reducing inputs, simplifying materials, and minimizing immediate costs or weight. But circular design demands a\u00a0holistic, lifecycle-oriented<\/strong>\u00a0approach: one that integrates production,\u00a0use<\/strong>, and\u00a0end-of-use<\/strong>\u00a0considerations. Ignoring these later phases leads to trade-offs that can undermine sustainability.<\/p>\n

Take for example the substitution of recyclable steel parts with lightweight glass fiber-reinforced high-temperature plastics. Yes, the new design uses less material and reduces weight, aligning with \u201cdo more with less.\u201d But these plastics are\u00a0not recyclable<\/strong>, locking the product into a\u00a0linear end-of-life<\/strong>\u00a0pathway and compromising long-term circularity.<\/p>\n

Or consider architecture: designing a building to be expandable in the future may require a\u00a0stronger initial structure<\/strong>, thus more material upfront. This seems inefficient at first glance. But by allowing for\u00a0adaptation and reuse<\/strong>\u00a0over time, the design supports circularity\u2014offering longevity, flexibility, and reduced need for demolition and new construction.<\/p>\n

Another case: disassemblable products. These may be\u00a0heavier<\/strong>\u00a0or more complex than minimally designed counterparts, but their ability to be\u00a0repaired, upgraded, or recycled<\/strong>\u00a0places them squarely in the realm of circular thinking. Here, adding complexity serves the cycle.<\/p>\n

The key message:\u00a0not everything efficient is circular<\/strong>. We must resist conflating minimal design with sustainable design. Efficiency at one stage of a product\u2019s life does not ensure sustainability across its full lifecycle.<\/p>\n

True circular design\u00a0starts<\/strong>\u00a0with a question often neglected in linear frameworks:\u00a0Do we need this at all?<\/em>\u00a0This is the core of the\u00a0refuse<\/strong>\u00a0principle\u2014the most powerful and overlooked \u201cR\u201d in the circular economy. The best material is the one you don\u2019t use. Efficiency without necessity is still waste.<\/p>\n

For circularity to be meaningful, we must commit to\u00a0clearer, more precise communication<\/strong>. Designers, engineers, and policymakers need to evaluate design principles against the\u00a0entire lifecycle<\/strong>. Let\u2019s stop labeling every efficiency-driven design as circular and instead focus on strategies that\u00a0genuinely close the loop<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Why \u2018Do more with less\u2019 Is NOT a circular design principle<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Why \u201cdo more with less\u201d is a linear efficiency rule, not circular design. True circularity requires lifecycle thinking, reuse, adaptability, and refusing waste. Read more<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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