ACAN Climate Literacy Group

Promotes critical thinking in material specification.

For collective learning and discourse. Previous reads and discussions include The Good Ancestor by Roman Krznaric, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth.

Typically every other Wednesday lunchtime, but join our WhatsApp chat to stay in the loop and for other events to get involved in. For more details on how to volunteer with us or to speak with us directly, you can contact us at climateliteracy@architectscan.org

ACAN shared their Materials Doughnut Workshop at Build Fest 25 – perfect if you want to know more about how the materials that make up our buildings impact the world.

Using Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics as a framework, participants explore material lifecycles, and their social and environmental impacts. The workshop encourages participants to understand material impacts beyond cost and aesthetics, supporting the Architects Climate Action Network’s (ACAN) core aims of Decarbonise Now (by rapidly reducing use of carbon intensive materials), Ecological Regeneration (by identifying material systems that support threatened ecosystems and regenerate our natural environment), and Cultural Transformation (by fostering collaborative and ethical approaches to material selection). Learning outcomes include developing holistic material assessment skills and understanding how production systems might be redrawn to become more regenerative and sustainable.