The choice of materials in makerspaces: demonstrating its impact on sustainability

Makerspaces and FabLabs are the backbones of the maker community. At the same time, meeting the needs of the future generations of our planet is becoming increasingly important. In addition to the major drivers, such as industry, on the path to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), all of our contributions are important. Even small everyday decisions in makerspaces can affect the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint and thus the concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere, so makers also have the opportunity to save GHG in their projects.

Based on a case study conducted in the makerspace at the Graz University of Technology, various materials and production technologies available in a makerspace are evaluated using the example of a simple small box. In addition to the GHG footprint, the energy demand for each processing method in the makerspace is presented. Interesting differences in the GHG footprint were found depending on the material and technology used. For instance, the GHG emissions per box for laser cutting ranged from 38.6 g CO2eq for walnut wood to 817 g CO2eq for acrylic glass. In 3D printing, material selection is less of a factor in determining emissions than in laser cutting. For instance, the emissions per box are 319.9 g CO2eq for PLA printing and 463.5 g CO2eq for recycled ABS. The long-term goal is to build on the results of this paper to increase awareness among makers in the context of material and technology choices in the future.

The results of this paper should contribute to the medium-term goal of raising awareness of the environmental relevance of materials and implementation methods for makers. The aim is to show that even small choices in the first contact with materials and methods, in the first steps of building a future product, can make a difference in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.