Foreword by Ian Thompson, Editor

To understand the Circular Economy Principles properly we need context and examples of how its practices can be used in real world building development examples. This video that was produced by Arup for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation highlights some real building projects and savings in carbon usage and money terms, a win:win for the project owners and the planet.

In my opinion the projects realised were also as good as a new developments, so the circular economy is something really worth considering and implementing into your business core deliverables.

Circular Economy Principles for Achieving Net Zero in the Built Environment

Arup have been working with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as its built environment partner since 2016, helping to promote the application of circular economy principles across the sector. We jointly developed the Circular Buildings Toolkit (CBT) to help designers, construction clients and asset owners to understand how to adopt this vastly more sustainable way of developing the built environment. This short video explores four key circular economy principles related to the application of the Circular Buildings Toolkit. ‘Building only what you need’, ‘build with the right materials’, materials which are low-carbon and renewable; ‘build efficiently’ and cut waste across the supply chain; and ‘build for long-term value’, making sure that we plan for the building’s entire lifecycle and recyclability.

Video Transcript

The world has woken up to the climate crisis, the effects of which are already being felt. One of the largest contributors is the built environment. To realize a net zero and nature positive future, the building industry needs to reduce the impact its demand for products and materials is having on the planet.

The circular economy is critical to achieving Net Zero, as well as reducing the use of virgin materials, capturing long-term value, increasing resilience, reducing waste, and creating new economic opportunities. So, how can we realize the benefits that the circular economy has to offer?

A framework built around four principles is designed to help the building industry tackle global challenges at every stage of a project’s lifespan:

1. Build only what you need. Do we need a brand new building? Instead, we can reuse, adapt, or transform existing buildings to meet future needs. Key Quarter Tower in Sydney was built around an existing coal, retaining 68% of the original structure, reducing the requirement for new materials, which saved 12,000 tons of carbon and 130 million dollars.
2. Fill with the right materials. When we do build, we should use renewable, bio-based materials or those with a lower embodied carbon. We should track and set targets around material use, collecting data through material passports, which allow them to be recovered and reused in the future.
3. Build efficiently. There are opportunities to save carbon and cut waste with every decision, no matter how small. Designers for One Triton Square in London adopted a marginal gains approach, analyzing every system and component to maximize performance, resulting in a saving of 40,000 tons of carbon and a 43% reduction in costs.
4. Build for long-term value. Buildings don’t last forever, but their parts can be reused. Braham Town Hall in the Netherlands was designed to be dismantled after 20 years, selecting prefabricated timber components and avoiding difficult-to-recycle materials allowed for 90% of the original building to be reused, turning it into a material bank for the construction of future buildings.

The building industry needs to adopt a circular mindset across the entire project lifespan through strong leadership, collaboration, innovative circular business models, and digital technology. We can transform the industry and achieve a net zero and nature-positive future. Search for the Circular Buildings Toolkit. Link