How can we apply circular economy principles to construction?
As the full impacts of our ‘take, make, waste’ society are being realised there is an increasing recognition of the importance of adopting a circular economy approach. Defined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as “a systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution”, the benefits of a circular economy are clear, but how feasible is it to apply the principles in practice to the construction industry?
When assessing the environmental impact of a construction, it is important to look at the carbon emissions across its lifespan. The focus is often on ‘upfront’ or ‘embodied’ carbon because as buildings become more energy (and therefore carbon) efficient this becomes a more significant factor. However, it still needs to be considered in the context of operational carbon and the contribution made by specific products towards reducing that, as well as impacts at end of life. In other words, whole life carbon.
The main stages of a building’s life cycle are:
- The creation, transport, and integration of a product into a construction (upfront or embodied carbon)
- The use of the building (operational carbon)
- Its end of life/demolition (carbon waste emissions)
To learn more, download our free ‘Circularity in the Construction Sector‘ guide.
Any of EPIC’s guides are free to download and the rest of the series can be accessed here:
https://www.epic.uk.com/category/guides/