Stephanie Palmer, head of sustainability for wienerberger UK, explains how closed-loop thinking will be key to a circular economy in construction
True sustainability will ultimately require the introduction of ‘closed-loop thinking.’ With net-zero carbon emission targets on the horizon, the construction industry is creating practical paths to circular economy in construction through innovative manufacturing and recovery programmes.
The idea of a circular economy in construction can be an intimidating one. While sometimes incorrectly simplified to the familiar three Rs of waste management – reuse, reduce and recycle – a circular economy is much more than that. It requires a new way of thinking about design and function. Fundamentally, it means designing in a way that eliminates waste wherever possible, thus minimising the extraction and consumption of finite natural resources. In construction, this is easier said than done.
The figures regarding construction’s contribution to carbon emissions, waste, and drain of natural resources are known and staggering. Construction’s significant role can be linked back to building materials. Over-extraction of the natural resources that make up said materials often leads to the degradation of natural environments, destruction of habitats and increased carbon emissions. Establishing a circular economy in construction means reusing materials already in the system, effectively closing the loop, slowing the decline of our environment.
However, the demand for housing only continues to rise and meeting this need is an understandable priority for successive governments and the industry at large. The challenge is how stakeholders within this value chain can encourage and implement closed-loop thinking whilst accommodating the needs of society and curtailing the consumption of our finite resources. How can we do this practically?
A new way of thinking
Construction’s circularity will have to be different from the common approaches seen more widely in relation to short-lived consumer goods and be rooted in pragmatism and understanding. It needs to have the principles of longevity, quality and adaptability at its core and encourage value chain collaboration. The Brick Development Association, for example, has designed ‘circular principles’ to help facilitate the transition to a circular economy in the built environment. These principles are focused on clay bricks but can and should be adopted more widely for all building materials where possible.
The first principle is designing for longevity. This means using durable components in the building fabric and applying a ‘systems thinking’ design approach. This will deliver optimal day-to-day building performance and provide long-term resilience to climate change.
The second principle is designing for service. At the heart of a construction circular economy should be the occupant of the buildings we are creating. This means using materials that require low maintenance and are non-toxic and allergen-free. The building’s design, layout and furnishings should promote occupant wellbeing and facilitate high productivity.
The third principle is designing for reuse and refurbishment. Upgrades, repairs and refurbishments should be easy, manageable and cost-effective to minimise additional extraction of natural resources. The building’s layout should also provide adaptable spaces, enabling occupants to change how areas are used over time.
The fourth principle is designing material recovery. Processes like BIM will enable asset managers to schedule accurate maintenance programmes for fixtures and identify original manufacturers of components, facilitating repairs and upgrades instead of a direct replacement. Valuable components during demolitions can also be targeted for recovery and reuse, whilst other materials can be marked for recycling.
Closing the loop on pallets
The when, where and how of applying these circular principles can be intimidating. In the built environment, there’s much work to be done on every part of the value chain and not all can or will happen at the same time or immediately. The story of sustainability within construction will be a tale of many small but significant changes happening gradually, with each part of the value chain, big or small, needing to be considered and scrutinised.
For example, packaging has become a growing focus for many, with manufacturers increasing the recycled content in plastic bags or beginning to remove plastic packaging altogether. However, preventing deforestation within the construction supply chain and reducing waste sent to landfills or incineration means also looking at how we transport building materials.
Pallet collections, as a more specific example, are an attainable step towards a circular economy and embody the key principles of designing for both longevity and reuse within the frame of packaging. While something as simple as reusable pallets may seem insignificant in the face of the construction industry’s immense circularity challenge, it demonstrates the whole supply chain level shift that the circular economy will bring for everyday fixtures within construction.
One step towards a circular economy
Creating a circular economy will take more than reusable pallets, however. Changes will completely upend the way we think, our approach to design, and the way we (re)manufacture building materials so that waste becomes a rarity. The earlier we begin to take action, the quicker the ‘big’ changes will become accepted.
With the demand for new houses, towns, and developments rising, the time to take these steps is now.
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