materialuse
Materialuse refers to the management and optimization of material consumption throughout the lifecycle of a product or system, with an emphasis on reducing environmental impact and improving resource efficiency. It encompasses the selection, processing, use, reuse, and end-of-life handling of materials in industry, construction, packaging, and consumer goods. The concept is central to circular economy and sustainable design, where the goal is to minimize virgin material input, maximize value recovery, and extend service life.
Key principles include source reduction, material substitution with lower-impact alternatives, design for durability and repairability, modularity,
Metrics used to gauge materialuse include material use intensity, material footprint, and MFA-based indicators, complemented by
Applications of materialuse span policy, corporate reporting, and engineering practice. In policy, it supports regulatory targets