“Future-proofing” is the process of anticipating the future with a new designs and innovative methods that are less likely to become obsolete and are mindful about the impacts of potential climate change. A big part of “future-proofing” in general is lowering (or eliminating) dependency on fossil fuels and replacing energy inputs with renewable resources. Future-proofing isn’t always about creating something new, it can be used by engaging sustainable methods to modify existing innovations. This concept is a great way to design infrastructure that is sustainable, costs little energy, and that can adapt to technological, economic, and regulatory changes over time to maximize its life cycle.

While the term above sounds new it is also another term related to a “circular economy” where regenerating of materials or products is placed as a primary concern. This practical thinking includes the extraction, production, and consumption of products or resources in environmentally neutral ways. The main concepts behind circular economy include: reuse, sharing, leasing, refurbishing, repairing, recovering, and recycling.