scholarly journals Circular economy in the construction sector: advancing environmental performance through systemic and holistic thinking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Sparrevik ◽  
Luitzen de Boer ◽  
Ottar Michelsen ◽  
Christofer Skaar ◽  
Haley Knudson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Recursive Structure ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
Environmental Effectiveness ◽  
Standards And Regulations ◽  
Management Schemes ◽  
Different Levels

AbstractThe construction sector is progressively becoming more circular by reducing waste, re-using building materials and adopting regenerative solutions for energy production and biodiversity protection. The implications of circularity on construction activities are complex and require the careful evaluation of impacts to select the appropriate path forward. Evaluations of circular solutions and their environmental effectiveness are often performed based on various types of life cycle-based impact assessments. This paper uses systemic thinking to map and evaluate different impact assessment methodologies and their implications for a shift to more circular solutions. The following systemic levels are used to group the methodologies: product (material life cycle declarations and building assessments), organisation (certification and management schemes) and system (policies, standards and regulations). The results confirm that circular economy is integrated at all levels. However, development and structure are not coordinated or governed unidirectionally, but rather occur simultaneously at different levels. This recursive structure is positive if the methods are applied in the correct context, thus providing both autonomy and cohesion in decision making. Methods at lower systemic levels may then improve production processes and stimulate the market to create circular and innovative building solutions, whereas methods at higher systemic levels can be used, for example, by real estate builders, trade organisations and governments to create incentives for circular development and innovation in a broader perspective. Use of the performance methods correctly within an actor network is therefore crucial for successful and effective implementation of circular economy in the construction sector.

Materials passport's review: challenges and opportunities toward a circular economy building sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayara Regina Munaro ◽  
Sergio Fernando Tavares
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Knowledge Domain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

PurposeReuse and recycling building materials depend on an efficient set of information and tracking, which can be obtained by the materials passport (MP) tool. Although MP introduces principles of circular economy (CE) and brings environmental, social and economic benefits, it is little-explored in the construction sector. The purpose of this study is to explore the adoption of the MP in the sector to raise awareness about this tool. This analysis leads to the conception of a model and identifies the main challenges and opportunities to increase MP implementation in the sector.Design/methodology/approachThrough a systematic literature review, based on the descriptive and thematic analysis, articles were selected, and analyzed to (1) review the MP state-of-the-art in the construction sector; (2) propose a materials passport model and (3) list the main challenges and opportunities to MP adoption.FindingsThe studies about MP were concentrated on strategies to implement general concepts and business opportunities. The MP model was proposed to overcome the lack of studies and understanding showed in the review. The model aimed to improve the recovery and reuse of materials across a building's life cycle. Challenges and opportunities were raised to direct decision-makers and support the development of this tool. A systematic regulation in the construction value chain and policy systems is crucial for creating digital platforms for data management of buildings' material.Originality/valueThis study developed an MP model to enable the management of building materials at different stages of the building's life cycle and contributes to future developments of the studies on this knowledge domain.

scholarly journals How to convince players in construction market? Strategies for effective implementation of circular economy in construction sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1690760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarosław Górecki ◽  
Pedro Núñez-Cacho ◽  
Francisco Antonio Corpas-Iglesias ◽  
Valentín Molina ◽  
Sanjay Kumar Shukla
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Construction Market ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
Market Strategies

scholarly journals Uso de nutrientes tecnológicos como materia prima en la fabricación de materiales de construcción en el paradigma de la economía circular

Respuestas ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Sarabia-Guarin ◽  
Jorge Sánchez-Molina ◽  
Juan Carlos Leyva-Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Building Material ◽  
Industrial Waste ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Nutrient Recycling ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Waste Reuse

Antecedentes: El sector de la construcción es uno de los sectores económicos en Colombia con mayor crecimiento, generando grandes cantidades de residuos como producto del proceso de construcción, y/o demolición, o en su defecto en la fabricación de los materiales de construcción. Objetivo: facilitar el acceso a información académicocientífica actualizada sobre reciclaje de residuos industriales y su aplicación en la fabricación de materiales de construcción. Así mismo se emplea el término de economía circular, el cual hace referencia a la integración de las actividades de reducción (consumo de energía y residuos), reutilización y recuperación durante la producción, el intercambio y consumo. Conclusión: además de reducir la contaminación generada por los residuos de los sectores productivos, con el aprovechamiento de los subproductos ha sido posible mejorar ciertas propiedades tecnológicas de estos materiales de construcción.Palabras Clave: economía circular, materiales de construcción, nutriente tecnológico, reciclaje, residuos industriales.AbstractBackground: The construction sector is one of the economic sectors with the highest growth in Colombia, generating large amounts of waste as a result of the construction process, and / or demolition, or otherwise in the building material manufacturing. Objective: to facilitate the access to updated academic-scientific information on recycling of industrial waste and its application for the building material manufacturing. Moreover, the concept of circular economy is used, which refers to the integration of the reduction activities (energy consumption and waste),reuse and recycling during the production, exchange and consumption. Conclusion: in addition to the reduction of the pollution generated by waste from the productive sectors, certain technological properties of these building materials have been improved through the use of waste. Keywords: circular economy, building materials, technological nutrient, recycling, industrial waste.

Life Cycle Assessment of Circular Bio-Based Construction

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria Cascione ◽  
Matt Roberts ◽  
Stephen Allen ◽  
Barrie Dams ◽  
Daniel Maskell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Renewable Resources ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Natural Materials ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Sequestration Potential

The construction sector is a large consumer of non-renewable resources and it is responsible of 44% of global energy related CO2 emissions. Circular economy is an emerging strategy that has potential to make significant improvements in the construction industry, by taking efficient and sustainable actions against climate change. The principles of circular economy are to minimise the waste of resources, by maximizing materials' performances, whilst in use, and recycle and regenerate them at the end of their service life. Natural materials can potentially be suitable in this strategy, due to the use of renewable resources, carbon sequestration potential, and high suitability for reuse and recycling. The development of bio-based wall panel is a first step into the integration of a circular economy approach in the construction sector. In this study, vapour responsive bio-based panel prototypes with low thermal transmittance (U<0.20 W/m2K) are being designed, taking into consideration the burdens and benefits of natural materials over their entire life cycle. The challenge is to assess the environmental impact of the panels during their design and production, maximise performance and life span, when in use, and regenerate and recycle panel components at the end of the service life. In this paper, a life cycle assessment of a prototype bio-based panel designed with circular economy principles is investigated. The environmental impact of the panel is analysed to investigate limitation in assessing emissions and use of resources in a circular prospective. The objective of the research is to integrate environmental impact analysis during the early stage of panel design. This will put the basis for the development of a sustainable and circular building industry and for identifying area of improvements for the development of sustainable circular panels with expected hygrothermal benefits conferred using bio-based materials.

scholarly journals Ecofibers for the Reinforcement of Cement Mortars for Coating Promoting the Circular Economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Piña Ramírez ◽  
Alejandra Vidales Barriguete ◽  
Julián García Muñoz ◽  
Mercedes del Río Merino ◽  
Patricia del Solar Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Cement Mortar ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Vapour Permeability ◽  
Cement Mortars ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Recycled Fibres

Nowadays, nobody can deny that climate change is a reality and that the life cycle of buildings contributes greatly to that reality. Therefore, proposals such as the circular economy must be integrated into the construction sector. This article shows part of the results of a research project whose objective is to introduce circular economy criteria in building materials, seeking new uses for construction and demolition waste from buildings. In particular, this article analyses the possibility of replacing fibres currently used to reinforce cement mortars with recycled fibres. After consulting the bibliography, we can conclude that some studies analyse the behaviour of cement mortars reinforced with different types of fibres, but none has been found that analyses the behaviour of these mortars for the application of continuous coatings. For this purpose, a two-stage experimental plan is designed to test cement mortar samples with different types of fibres, recycled fibres and commercial fibres, taking into consideration the characteristics that these mortars have to comply to be applied as continuous coatings. Moreover, a detailed study about the porosity of these mortars and its influence on how the mortars behave with regard to compression, water vapour permeability and impermeability has been conducted. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the mortars containing recycled fibres have very similar resistance, absorption and permeability values to those containing commercial fibres, so that they might be suitable for application as external coatings.

scholarly journals End-of-life modelling of buildings to support more informed decisions towards achieving circular economy targets

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 2122-2139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahar Mirzaie ◽  
Mihaela Thuring ◽  
Karen Allacker
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Life Cycle Stage ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Quality Factors ◽  
Product Environmental Footprint ◽  
Allocation Approach

Abstract Purpose Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an internationally accepted method to assess the environmental impacts of buildings. A major methodological challenge remains the modelling of the end-of-life stage of buildings and allocation of benefits and burdens between systems. Various approaches are hence applied in practice to date. This paper compares the two methods widely renowned in Europe—the EC product environmental footprint (PEF) method and the CEN standards: EN 15804+A1 and EN15978—and offers insights about their fitness for achieving circularity goals. Methods The EC PEF method and the CEN EN 15804/EN 15978 standards were methodologically analysed with a focus on the end-of-life modelling and allocation approach and were applied to a building case study. The EN 15804+A1 standard explains the guidelines but does not offer a modelling formula. Accordingly, this paper proposes a formula for the CEN standards using identical parameters as in the end-of-life circular footprint formula (CFF) of the EC PEF Guidance v6.3 to increase consistency among LCA studies. The calculation formulas were then applied to a newly constructed office building. A comparative analysis of both the implementation and results are described, and recommendations are formulated. Results In the absence of databases compatible with the two LCA methods and comprising all building products, the Ecoinvent datasets had to be remodelled to enable a comparative modular assessment. This proved to be a laborious process. The EC PEF method and CEN standards showed similar impacts and hotspots for the case study building. The module D in the CEN standards includes a significant share of positive impacts, but due to collective accounting, it does not clearly communicate these benefits. The summation of burdens and benefits in the EC PEF method reduces its transparency, while the allocation and quality factors enable this method to better capture the market realities and drive circular economy goals. Conclusions The construction sector and the LCI database developers are encouraged to create the missing LCA databases compatible with the modular and end-of-life allocation modelling requirements of both methods. More prescriptive and meticulous guidelines, with further harmonization between the EC PEF method and the CEN standards and their end-of-life allocation formula, would largely increase comparability and reliability of LCA studies and communications. To improve transparency, it is recommended to report the module D impacts per life cycle stage as per the CEN standards and the burdens and benefits separately for each life cycle stage as per the EC PEF method.

scholarly journals Analysis of Factors Affecting the Circularity of Building Materials

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 7296
Author(s):  
Joanna Sagan ◽  
Anna Sobotka
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Building Structures ◽  
Construction Waste ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Waste Minimisation

A circular economy requires closed circuits of consumed resources. Construction generates approximately 50% of solid waste globally, which is difficult to manage. The aim of this article was to identify the factors that determine the development of circular construction in the context of waste minimisation in the life cycle of building structures. The identification of cause-and-effect relationships by means of the DEMATEL method allows the problems of construction waste management to be taken into account in the context of the development of sustainable construction and fulfilling the principles of the circular economy.

scholarly journals Policies as Drivers for Circular Economy in the Construction Sector in the Nordics

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9350
Author(s):  
Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen ◽  
Margareta Wahlström ◽  
Thilde Fruergaard Astrup ◽  
Carl Jensen ◽  
Anke Oberender ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Policy Frameworks ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Business Opportunities ◽  
Different Levels

A circular economy (CE) represents the key alternative to the linear ‘take-make-consume-dispose’ economic model, that still predominates in the construction sector. This study investigates how policies support CE-focused businesses in the construction sector in the Nordics. A literature review, the creation of a database, a review of Nordic actors with a CE focus, and targeted interviews with actors across the value chain of the construction sector in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden enabled us to benchmark the CE policy landscape and assess how CE policies at different levels support CE business models in the construction sector. The results show that the construction sector is well represented in the CE policy frameworks and that many business opportunities are created when national and local policies are put into practice. The implementation of policies is mainly done via three key concepts, i.e., planning, requirements for sustainable constructions, and requirements for public procurement. It can be concluded that policies are drivers for the implementation of a CE and support CE business models in the Nordics.

scholarly journals Circular Economy Strategies for Equipment Lifetime Extension: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1117
Author(s):  
Alessandro Fontana ◽  
Andrea Barni ◽  
Deborah Leone ◽  
Maurizio Spirito ◽  
Agata Tringale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Production Equipment ◽  
Environmental Standards ◽  
Multiple Strategies ◽  
Medium Enterprise ◽  
Equipment Lifetime ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Lifetime Extension

Even if the economy nowadays is still locked into a linear model of production, tighter environmental standards, resource scarcity and changing consumer expectations are forcing organizations to find alternatives to lighten their impacts. The concept of Circular Economy (CE) is to an increasing extent treated as a solution to this series of challenges. That said, the multitude of approaches and definitions around CE and Life Cycle Extension Strategies (LCES) makes it difficult to provide (Small and Medium Enterprise) SMEs with a consistent understanding of the topic. This paper aims at bridging this gap by providing a systematic literature review of the most prominent papers related to the CE and lifetime extension, with a particular focus on the equipment and machinery sector. A taxonomy was used to define and cluster a subset of selected papers to build a homogeneous approach for understanding the multiple strategies used in the industry, and the standards in maintenance and remanufacturing strategies. As a final research step, we also propose a Strategy Characterization Framework (SCF) to build the ground for the selection of the best strategy to be applied for production equipment life cycle extension on several industrial use cases.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document