Circular Economy System Enablers Report

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System Enablers for

a Circular Economy

www.ukgbc.org
1 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T
i
Contents
Executive summary 3
ii
i) Introduction 6
iii
A systems change: from linear to circular 7

ii) Economic shift 10

iii) Industry enablers 14

A. Collaboration and early engagement 16

B. Secondary materials market 18

C. Circular economy design principles 21

D. Green contracts and leases 23

E. Tax and legislation 25

F. Green finance 27

G. Metrics, benchmarks and indicators 29

H. Education 31
iv
iv) Conclusion 33

Acknowledgements 35

Endnotes 36

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i
Executive Summary We are at a tipping point. We can keep trying to tweak
business-as-usual and make minor improvements to a
failing system, or we can make fundamental, systems-
level changes and create a resilient, collaborative, and
thriving construction sector fit for the future.
Achieving a circular economy requires a fundamental Our current linear economy and focus on economic
growth are maintaining levels of carbon emissions
ii systems-level change in our economy. All levels of and resource use that are exceeding our planetary
boundaries.1 So far, our efforts to decouple the

iii government, industry, and civil society will need to economy from these impacts have proven largely
unsuccessful, compared to the impact required. A
rally behind the common goal to shift from our current circular economy is an important part of the puzzle to
solve the challenges we are facing.2
extractive and wasteful linear economy towards a Our current system is contributing to the climate
regenerative, circular one. and biodiversity crises.3 To stand a chance of solving
these interlinked crises, we need to move to a new
way of thinking, working, and delivery; a circular
economy must be part of the equation, to minimise
virgin resource use in the built environment and
maximise reuse at a higher value.
This report uses the Three Horizons framework4 as a
way of mapping how a shift could take place from the
established patterns of the first horizon (business-as-
usual) to the beginning of new patterns and emerging
future in the third horizon. Disruptive innovations and
industry actions of the second horizon will be crucial to
make the shift from the current system to the emerging
future a successful one.

iv

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The goal is to shift to an economy wherein the our finite resources. While the rapid reduction strategic objectives
consumption of resources balances with the of carbon emissions and resource use must
capacity of the Earth to naturally regenerate take priority over undirected economic To achieve this emerging future and vision of a
i those resources. The future of our economy, growth, a circular economy might offer an
regenerative, circular economy, a set of strategic
and especially the built environment, must opportunity for growth within our carbon
acknowledge the fact that a model of infinite budgets and planetary boundaries. objectives provides a tangible trajectory in
ii extraction does not work within the limits of environmental, social and economic terms.

Environmental:
iii The Three Horizons model5
• Planetary boundaries are not exceeded
“The new normal” • The true value of raw non-regenerative materials is reflected
“Business as usual”
in their price (balance tips in favour of secondary materials)
More
H2- H2+
H1 • Zero carbon trajectory
Social:
Dominance

• Mindset shift in high-income nations – consumption


behaviour and high-consumption lifestyles

H2 • Less demand for ‘new’ things


“Not fit for • Low-resource lifestyles
the future” • Established routes for sharing resources and information
H3
• Fairer distribution of resources we use
“The future is here today” “Things worth keeping” • Holistically take on our role as stewards of the built
Less environment

Time Economic:
• Reliant on regenerative, renewable, and inclusive resource
flows
• Urban development supports localised loops (e.g.
knowledge, space, and tools needed to maintain, reuse,
upcycle and recycle materials locally and regionally)
• Creation of new sustainable market opportunities such as
iv secondary materials market as well as the market for eco-
designed products
• Focus on a thriving economy beyond GDP growth

4 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


Industry enablers Collaboration and early engagement

i To deliver these objectives, eight industry


enablers have been identified. These Secondary materials market
provide ways to drive the shift from
business-as-usual toward a mindset of doing
ii more good rather than just doing less bad,
Circular economy design principles

considering the full life cycle of buildings


and starting to do more to fully reflect Green contracts and leases
iii the potential triple bottom line (social,
environmental, economic) impacts.
Tax and legislation
Delivering these industry enablers
should act as a tipping point in our
Green finance
mostly linear economic system, building a
foundation upon which a circular economy
across the built environment can become Metrics, benchmarks, and indicators
the default way of operating. Targeted
and meaningful action by practitioners
to demonstrate the art of the possible is Education
vitally important, and this report sets out
a multitude of actions that stakeholders
can take to make this a reality.
The eight enablers can drive top-down and
bottom-up change, support the sector by
sharing knowledge and promoting open
and honest partnerships and provide the
financial, legal, and physical infrastructure
required for maximising the (re)use of our
valuable resources and materials.

iv

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Other relevant work by UKGBC to discuss content in greater detail.
The workshops identified the barriers to
Previous work undertaken by UKGBC and achieving a circular economy and explored
other organisations has demonstrated the
i enablers to overcome them. These enablers

i
need for a shift to a circular built environment. have been consolidated into their present
UKGBC’s 2019 Circular Economy Guidance form through an iterative process and review.
for Construction Clients identified five circular Furthermore, the Task Group investigated
ii economy design principles which help enable and collected key stakeholder actions
a circular economy. This was followed by necessary to deliver these enablers and
the 2020 ‘Reuse’ and ‘Products as a Service’ help transition the built environment industry
iii implementation packs. In the Net Zero Whole to a more circular one.
Life Carbon Roadmap for the Built Environment,

Introduction implementing a circular economy is cited as a


necessity to achieve carbon emission reductions
in line with national targets and carbon budgets.
In August 2022, UKGBC published a report on
the Insights on How Circular Economy Principles
can Impact Carbon and Value which provided
evidence to support the use of implementing
The Task Group’s research included a literature
review to ensure industry alignment and
relevance of the findings in this report. The
Task Group and several external supporters
and reviewers have also reviewed and
provided feedback on this report during
its creation, with further details in the
Whilst it is necessary to transition to circular design principles to achieve carbon Acknowledgements section.
reductions and generate value.
a circular economy within the built
Report purpose and Report structure
environment, most of our economy is still target audience
After the introduction, this report is
deeply rooted in a linear system. This project identifies both systemic barriers structured into three main sections:
and enablers to shift the built environment from A systems change: this section
a linear to a circular system. This piece of work i introduces the Three Horizons
The way we manufacture and procure our economy. All levels of government, industry, will be relevant for a wide range of stakeholders Model for systems change that
materials and products contributes to and civil society will need to rally behind the in the built environment including national and this report is based on.
overshooting our planetary boundaries and common goal to shift from our current extractive local authorities, clients and developers, asset
reliance on the just-in-time availability of and wasteful linear economy towards a owners, designers, product manufacturers, The economic shift: this section
products that match a strict set of specifications, regenerative, circular one.
ii explores a vision for a circular
builders, insurers/underwriters, demolition
perpetuating our make-use-waste economy. contractors, and recyclers. economy, an emerging future and
This report sets out some paradigm shifts
Globally connected supply chains and goal, accompanied by a set of
required to transition to a new vision and
established processes are part of a complex
emerging future scenario. Recognising that this Project methodology strategic objectives to work towards.
system that has proven to be challenging to
needs to be supported by changing behaviours Industry enablers: this section
adapt. The way things stand, our linear economy
and innovation within the industry, this report To deliver this project a Task Group was formed iii outlines eight industry enablers
is accelerating the interlinked climate and of 17 individuals who represent the construction
iv identifies eight central industry enablers that can that support the economic shift and
biodiversity crises rather than actively decreasing industry and wider supply chain including
lead to critical tipping points for the transition help achieve the strategic objectives
our emissions and resource use.6 engineers, product manufacturers, and materials
ahead, and proposed policy and industry action from the previous section. Associated
As the name implies, a circular economy for these enablers to be implemented. suppliers. Desktop research and a series of
policy and industry actions are
requires a fundamental systems-level change in workshops were undertaken with the Task Group
recommended to support these
to collate and discuss information, as well as
enablers.
individual interviews and topic-specific meetings

6 U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T
i
A systems change:
ii from linear to circular
iii How can we transform the current system to make
circular value creation second nature, easy to do,
financially rewarding, and embedded so that future
innovations don’t revert to old systems?

A system is a set of things, interconnected in a self- Because of the complex nature of systems, changing
governing network of relationships that produce their the way they operate is a challenging task. Differing
own patterns of behaviour.7 This behaviour cannot time horizons make coordination challenging, existing
be determined by looking at the parts that make infrastructure supports the current way things are done,
up the system alone, and their outcomes are often and inconsistent visions for the changes ahead can
surprising or unintended. Systems can create conditions make the direction of travel unclear. Many might not
that lead to their own failure. Parts of the way our recognise that the current system is not fit for purpose
economy operates can be seen as an example. The and requires change.
linear economy is under multiple threats it has itself
To facilitate navigating this complexity, this report
created. Built on the idea of infinite supply of resources,
uses the Three Horizons Model for systems change.
their fading availability, as well as impacts from climate
Looking along the short, medium, and long-term
change and biodiversity loss, put not only the economic
timelines, this model helps us work out how to
system but our society as a whole under threat.
prioritise our actions now and in the future.

iv

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The Three Horizons Model FIGURE 1: THE THREE HORIZONS MODEL

The Three Horizons Model is a way The built environment industry’s “The new normal”
i of structuring our thinking about the current business-as-usual approach “Business as usual”
transition towards an emerging future, is an extractive, ‘use and dispose’,
giving us a simple tool to handle the linear economy (Horizon 1). This report More
H2- H2+
ii complexity of multiple facets of change will look at some important changes H1
happening at the same time, and over required for a regenerative, circular built
time. It acts as a roadmap to resolve environment (Horizon 3 – chapter ii). In
tensions between incremental change addition, it will outline practical industry
iii

Dominance
and radical transformation. enablers that can be harnessed to
deliver this (Horizon 2 – chapter iii).
In a complex world, each of these
horizons is needed to create meaningful
change by bringing these different
H2
perspectives together in a constructive “Not fit for
way to face the challenges ahead. the future”
H3

“The future is here today” “Things worth keeping”


Less

Time

H1 H2 H3

Horizon 1: Horizon 2: Horizon 3:


The current dominant system, or The innovations that help us The emerging future of a
business-as-usual. Thinking within transition from our current system radically different world and
this horizon means managing (Horizon 1) towards the emerging vision to aspire to that
existing realities for the system future (Horizon 3), by showing us should become the new
to remain successful. The Three that a new system is possible. business-as-usual over time.
Horizons Model assumes that Note that these innovations might
this system is no longer fit for not always be supporting the
purpose under emerging emerging future (H2+) but can
conditions and will need to manifest the current system in
iv adapt and/or decline. new ways (H2-). Careful
evaluation of which Horizon
they support is paramount.

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In the next chapter FIGURE 2: H3 AND H2 IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS REPORT

The next chapter looks at H3


and the emerging future we are
trying to create. Chapter iii then
i proposes industry enablers
that will support the shift from H1 H1 H2
our current system towards the
ii vision of H3
H3
H2
iii H2
H3
H3

economic shift industry enablers

Move away from an economy focused Action-orientated enablers for


on GDP toward one that operates within practitioners in the built environment
planetary boundaries.

Collaboration and early engagement


> Change the goal of the system
• From maximising profit outcomes for planet and
society. Secondary materials market

> Shift paradigms Circular economy design principles


• From individualism and competition to collaboration
and sharing. Green contracts and leases
• From short-term to long-term perspectives.
• From extractive to regenerative processes. Tax and legislation
• From separate to nature to embedded within nature.
iv Green finance
> Shift mindsets
• Towards sufficiency, sharing, as culture of care and Metrics, benchmarks, and indicators
stewardship, and responsibility to future generations

Education

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H1

Horizon 3
i H2

ii

iii
ii H3

Economic shift
Complex systems can’t be understood by simply looking at their
constituent parts in isolation. For this reason, this chapter looks
at inherent flaws of the current system, exposing why changing
its goal is necessary to drive change, informing and enacting the
shift from the current linear to a circular built environment.

iv
i
What drives our Our current economic model is based on the
business-as-usual assumption of the infinite
availability of resources and labour that support
ii
linear economy? a linear economy. The table below summarises
some of the main drivers behind this.
iii

Input & Output/


production Use
End of life

Cheap and widely available Products and materials are made Waste production is not very well
primary materials as disposable and/or treated as disposable monitored or regulated

Industries and networks built around Lacking a culture of repair and maintenance Disposing of end-of-life materials is still
primary raw materials, which makes it seen as a viable option
reliable and easy to specify Culture of convenience
Legal barriers preventing easy
Cheap/exploited labour Desire for new trumps desire to reuse of certain materials
restore and reuse
Globalised, interdependent markets Land in cities is expensive and
Lacking reuse (materials; secondary raw low-value activities (composting,
Lack of accountability   materials) and recycling infrastructure waste management, repair) cannot
(along with a lack of space, knowledge of be afforded on that land
iv what is needed, and skills to run these
places) Cost/perceived cost to reuse

Market pricing of new versus refurbished/ Lack of viable alternatives to the


reused materials.  current waste system

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Issues with Linear Economy Assessing our economy only via its GDP is not an
indicator of good long-term outcomes for a low-carbon
strategic objectives
There are several issues with our current linear economy. While economic stability is essential, we need
economy. Empirical research shows that our current to incorporate other elements into our assessment of
i efforts to decouple our economy from unsustainable what a good economy looks like.
To accelerate the shift from a linear to a circular economy,
resource use have been insufficient, and the gross some strategic objectives have been identified. These
The goal: To create an economy whereby the objectives provide long-term pathways to cluster and
domestic product (GDP) remains tightly linked to our
consumption of resources balances with the capacity
ii consumption of natural resources.8 The same is true
of the Earth to naturally regenerate those resources.
direct various efforts made in the short and medium-term.
regarding carbon emissions; current efforts to decouple
The future of our economy must acknowledge the
GDP from carbon emissions have been limited, and Environmental:
fact that a model of infinite extraction does not work
iii evidence suggests that the required reductions in
carbon emissions and resource use cannot be achieved
within the limits of our finite resources. Rather than
• Planetary boundaries are not exceeded
assessing the health of our economy against growth in
through current decoupling rates.9
GDP, we must move towards an economy that operates • The true value of raw non-regenerative materials is reflected
Similarly, UKGBC’s Whole Life Carbon Roadmap and its within planetary boundaries, shifting from maximising in their price (balance tips in favour of secondary materials)
underlying models state that we will not be able to stay profit and growth at all costs to positive outcomes for
• Zero carbon trajectory
within our carbon budgets without adopting a circular the planet and society. While the rapid reduction of
economy. The shift from linear to circular is therefore a carbon emissions and resource use must take priority Social:
fundamental necessity in our response to the climate over undirected economic growth, a circular economy
emergency. might offer an opportunity for growth within our carbon • Mindset shift in high-income nations – consumption
budgets and planetary boundaries. behaviour and high-consumption lifestyles
• Less demand for ‘new’ things
• Low-resource lifestyles
• Established routes for sharing resources and information
• Fairer distribution of resources we use
• Holistically take on our role as stewards of the built
environment

Economic:
• Reliant on regenerative, renewable, and inclusive resource
flows
• Urban development supports localised loops (e.g.
knowledge, space, and tools needed to maintain, reuse,
upcycle and recycle materials locally and regionally)
• Creation of new sustainable market opportunities such as
secondary materials market as well as the market for eco-
iv designed products
• Focus on a thriving economy beyond GDP growth

12 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


The planetary boundaries change impacts we see today. Reducing our impact on
these systems and cycles to below the boundary will
Nine planetary boundaries have been identified by help support a safe earth system for human habitation.
Rockstrom et al (2009) to show when we surpass ‘safe’
i The Planetary Boundaries find application within the
levels of impact of nitrogen, phosphorous, carbon,
Doughnut Economics model. This uses the planetary
and water cycles, climate, stratospheric and ocean
boundaries as an outer limit with complimentary social
circulation systems, aerosol loading, and chemical
boundaries as an inner foundation, creating a safe and
ii pollution levels.10 Passing these boundaries destabilises
the Earth’s natural systems and can lead to the climate
just space for humanity within the 'doughnut'.

iii F I G U R E 3 : T H E B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T A N D I T S U S E O F R E S O U R C E S

T O D AY FUTURE
We are currently overshooting several planetary Our economy and the built environment are
boundaries such as carbon and have also pushed embedded in society and the environment,
beyond what our ecosystems can cope with on waste operating in balance with the Earth’s resources.
and pollution, to increasingly detrimental effect.

Current emmision
sources sources
th’s re levels are exceeding th’s re
Ear the carbon budget Ear

y y
Societ Societ

nomy nomy
Eco Eco
Drive down
ion
s emissions to zero
ironment onment
env t Em
mi s nvir
lt n lt e
ui
e
ui r r
Cu
ions

B
B

mis
n Em
rbo
Ca

Waste Waste
Today’s resources / demand

Pollution
Pollution

Resources / demand

iv We are taking too


many resources
from the Earth
Our waste and
pollution is at levels Source future
that are damaging resources from
the Earth’s resources society

Carbon budget Carbon budget

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H1

Horizon 2
i H2

H3
ii

iii iii
Industry enablers The industry enablers presented
in this report are based on
the sphere of influence of
practitioners in the built
environment. They constitute
focus areas to work towards with
the potential to act as critical
This chapter outlines some more practical, enablers for the shift from a linear
to a circular built environment.

action-orientated enablers that help deliver


the strategic objectives.

iv
F I G U R E 4 : I N D U S T RY E N A B L E R S A N D T H E C O N S T R U C T I O N L I F E C Y C L E

This diagram shows where the individual enablers


ruction life cyle
Const
apply in the construction process
i
A Collaboration and early engagement
ii Ext
rac
tio
B Secondary materials market
estors n &m
iii Inv H an
G

uf
C Circular economy design principles

ac
F

tur
E

er
D Green contracts and leases D
C
B
E Tax and legislation A

Des
ign s
Green financing

End of life phase


F

tage
G Metrics, Benchmarks, and indicators

H Education

iv
In-
us on
ep ti
has
st ruc
e Con

15 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


Barriers it addresses: How it helps overcome them:
A Knowledge gap between stakeholders. Early engagement when considering circular
Designers and engineers sometimes lack the economy is likely to achieve the biggest
i

ii
Collaboration and practical expertise of contractors, demolition
contractors, and deconstruction engineers,
and vice versa. This leads to inefficiencies
between the design and delivery teams, as
impact. A more collaborative approach enables
knowledge from various project stages to be
shared and considered where it previously has
been absent. To overcome current barriers,

iii
early engagement well as incompatibilities between design and
build that only arise in later stages of the
project which can often only be overcome
there needs to be a common vision/shared
goal, and a connection between early project
stages with later ones. For example, by
at a high cost, if at all. involving demolition contractors in the design
Turning the highly linear and Established and mature processes in
process, challenges to deconstruction can be
addressed early on, leading to a design for
fragmented construction process into a more place. The construction industry follows
an established, formalised process that is
disassembly as a precondition for the successful
implementation of a circular economy in the
collaborative approach, enabling circularity. based on linear thinking. The process is
construction industry. If the option to retain a
often dictated by programme and just-in-time
building is properly considered before the team
need for materials.
assumes demolition, chances are higher that a
Lowest-cost tendering is the norm. Contracts retrofit approach is taken.
are commonly awarded at the lowest cost
in a highly competitive tendering process.
Therefore, contractors are incentivised to
Detailed enabler
Related enablers:
optimise finances over quality, discouraging
Secondary materials exploration of circular economy principles if Integrated Project
market they don’t come at a clear cost saving. The Insurance (IPI)
emphasis on low cost can also lead to the
dismissal of innovation. Also known as insurance-backed
Education
alliancing contracts, IPI is a model for
Fragmentation of the industry. The procurement in the construction industry.
established, business-as-usual construction To overcome fragmentation, all involved
process is characterised by individual, parties sign up to a single multiparty
disconnected work packages in the design and contract with shared responsibility,
build approach, pushing risk down the supply encouraging collaborative working.11
chain. The complexity of the construction This ensures a more integrated design,
industry will only increase in the transition especially between the design and
to circularity before it settles into the next delivery teams. With deconstruction
business-as-usual, making siloed processes engineers involved from the very start,
highly inadequate in the transition and in fact this can facilitate a better uptake of
iv not conducive to the collaborative approach
required to be competitive in future scenarios.
circular economy principles and lead to
delivering higher quality.

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F I G U R E 5 : C O L L A B O R AT I O N

Stakeholder actions
INDUSTRY AC TIONS:
i
- Clients should appoint demolition
contractors or deconstruction engineers
ii Secondary as part of the design team, or early enough so
pre-refurbishment or pre-demolition audits can
materials
market be considered by design teams.
iii
ors
Ext
rac
tio
n&
- Architects, engineers, developers, and owners
explore the use of models for collaboration and
nvest construction procurement such as IP insurance or
I

m
the Two Stage Open Book model.

an
-

ufa Des
Allows contractor to Architects and engineers should involve

ctu ign
work with supply
the expertise of contractors and demolition

rer
chain to secure
materials needed contractors early on (Stage 1/ Stage 2) to
(reused options can
take longer than new) inform the design based on salvaged materials

sta
by sharing pre-refurbishment or pre-demolition

ge
audit. The contractor can help to de-risk low-
Allows design team,
client, and contractor to carbon designs, ensure buildability and optimise
work together to procure
secondary materials and
procurement.12 Early structural reviews help assess
End of first life

implement circular the quality of existing materials for reuse.

Collaboration between
deconstruction and
Collaboration
and early
design principles

- Architects engage early with contractors


and manufacturers to explore secondary
main contractors, client
and design team to
engagment or regenerative materials and products and
identify reuse
incorporate performance-based procurement.

- Contractors, cost consultants, QS, and project


managers express interest in trialling new forms
of contracts such as IPI or the Two Stage Open
Share best practice Book model. Look for partners who are also
examples
expressing an interest.

-
Engagement with
whole team
All stakeholders should share best practice
examples and challenges so the industry can
In- learn how different processes (e.g. procurement
us of reused materials) can happen.
ep on
has c ti
iv e
nst
ru
Co

Education

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Barriers it addresses: procurers. There are currently two main
BB Limited availability of secondary materials.
approaches – reuse hubs and manufacturers
offering refurbished products. Both hold
Since reused materials only become available value, depending on the type of product.
i

ii
Secondary when a building reaches its end of life and is
carefully deconstructed, timelines of material
demand and availability often don’t align. Tight
programmes on most construction projects
Simpler building materials such as bricks,
steel, and insulation are suited to reuse
hubs, while more technical products are
better suited for manufacturer schemes –

iii
materials market make it difficult to procure secondary materials,
which means most projects default back to
traditional procurement routes using new
products and virgin materials.
for example, refurbished lighting, raised
access floors, and glass partitions.

Example application
A marketplace for materials and Limitations on storage of secondary

construction products that had a materials. Because of the tight timelines Material passports
in the construction industry, storage of
previous life. Easy to procure from. secondary materials is often necessary
until their destination and onward use are
Material passports offer a tool to
gather data on construction products
confirmed. A lack of widespread storage and materials, linked to an accessible
options, and often high costs associated with database. This provides proof of
it, make it difficult to store materials, rendering provenance, as well as clarity on existing
potential reuse more unlikely. materials and refurbishment cycles, critical
Difficulties in the procurement of secondary information to obtain the confidence of
materials. Secondary or reused materials buyers in a secondary materials market.
compete with a global market of new materials By providing detailed information on
that offer a reliable and quick route of the composition of a building prior to its
procurement in a tried and tested process at deconstruction, a material passport can
Related enablers: fixed prices. Reused materials, in comparison, act as an enabler for potential reuse as
lack this ease of procurement and currently it provides insights to designers on the
Collaboration and require some investigation into their availability, future availability of materials. This ‘track
early engagement quality, associated warranties, and cost. and trace’ element is vital for the Horizon
Risk is pushed onto contractors. When 3 vision of buildings being designed
Circular economy
second-hand materials are specified without according to the availability of secondary
design principles
availability and access to these products, the materials.
risk for procuring disproportionately sits with
contractors as they might not be able to procure Reuse hubs
the specified materials at the required time.
To overcome the shortage of storage for
How it helps overcome them: secondary materials, local reuse hubs
iv can offer an affordable solution. This way,
A functioning secondary materials market is materials that free up from deconstruction
essential for mainstreaming the procurement can be stored, remanufactured, and
of reused building materials by making this restored, building a basis for a second-
process easy and accessible, and therefore a hand materials market for construction
true alternative to the current procurement of procurement. This will also increase quality
new products. The wide availability of these control and support the development of
secondary materials will help distribute risk higher-value secondary markets.
fairly and give confidence to markets and

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F I G U R E 6 : S E C O N D A RY M AT E R I A L S M A R K E T
Stakeholder actions

POLICY AC TIONS:
i
Circular
- National government to establish a nationwide
second-hand materials database, building on
economy city-level networks.13
ii
Ext
design
principles - National government needs to incentivise
secondary materials markets to be established
rac and create conditions for investment.
iii
Invest
ors
tio
n& - National government update waste planning
policy to require space provision is made in

m
an
local plans and provide funding for this.

ufa Des
National government to introduce

ctu ign
Procure secondary
materials via
pre-demolition and pre-redevelopment

rer
secondary
materials markets surveys nationally to identify items for
e.g. reuse hubs
Collaboration reuse and recycling, with local authorities

sta
and early providing channels to where they can

ge
engagment be applied and stored.
Design to the
availability of
secondary
- Local authorities should collate information
on secondary material availability and
End of first life

materials storage centrally as part of a public database


illustrating supply potential.
Materials are
salvaged to be
reused via reuse
hubs or take-back
Secondary
Materials
Market
- Local authorities to explore local sites for
the possibility of providing storage space as
schemes
part of a reuse hub as well as digital options
and supporting businesses which already
offer these services.14

- Local authorities to support the growth of


regional specialist circular products and services
Reusable materials
from refurbishment Surplus materials
relating to the construction industry. Work with
feeding into from construction and mobilise supply chains.15
secondary materials taken to reuse
market
INDUSTRY AC TIONS:
In-
us
ep
- Investors explore, with legal teams, contract
arrangements to address risk i.e. warranty and
iv has t io n
ruc
liability for reuse products and materials. A
e st
Con
suggested approach is that the responsibility
of the product should sit with the client and
the responsibility of installation should sit with
the contractor even where products are taken
off-site. This will be a commercial negotiation
between the client and the contractor.16

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- Developers should prioritise the reuse and
retention of existing building structures within urban
at each stage. Include aspirations to maximise
reuse including KPIs as per recommendations
- Demolition contractors should recover products
and materials for reuse as identified in the contract
development sites wherever possible. They can also from the design team, and details of reclaimed documents. Ensure all elements are intact, not
engage with local authorities and supply chains to products and materials to be used within damaged, and stored in a secure place.27
i support and drive city-level second-hand material
markets to accelerate circularity and material reuse.17
the contract and demolition/refurbishment
contractor tender documentation.21 - Contractors carry out detailed pre-refurbishment

ii - Developers start the process of commissioning a


pre-refurbishment/pre-demolition audit if a product
- The output from the design team should
include targets for reuse, as well as a comparison
and pre-demolition audits, to ensure that existing
materials can be kept at their highest value.28 The
proposed deconstruction methodology should be
and material inventory has not been prepared for between reusing the entire asset versus using included in the Operation & Maintenance manual
the building.18 Pre-demolition surveys are key to just parts or materials.22 along with final construction information indicating
iii
-
identifying reuse and retention opportunities.
Developers ensure the programme planning
- Architects, structural engineers, and contractors
all have roles throughout the stages of increasing
all elements in the new asset. This will provide
the basis for the material and product inventory.
If BIM were used, the model should be included
allows for materials to be removed, stored, and project detail (initial high-level site appraisals
in the handover.29
retrieved for reuse. Timing will be dictated by the
recommendations from the audit report that is
commissioned and should be reviewed again at
through to detailed demolition planning). A
requirement should be made for the demolition/
refurbishment contractor to review the audit
- Contractors work with the supply chain to
identify opportunities and relationships for
the concept stage.19 Work with the contractor and and inventory data and provide comments. The procuring reused materials. Ensure products are
project manager if reusing on the same site. products and materials identified for reuse within installed to enable future reuse.

- Developers establish a predesign tender service


the development should be specified to be carefully
disassembled and stored.23 - Manufacturers and contractors work to create
agreement with the design team to get their input
in setting the brief for reuse. This would engage
discipline experts from the design team to define
- Architects and engineers review material inventory
data (or audit data) and project brief with reuse
takeback schemes for refurbishment, resale, and
recycling of their products or work with third parties
to provide these services.30
targets for the reuse of the existing asset-based on
the scheme. The service could include a site visit
targets to identify potential options for reuse
within the new scheme and see where further - All stakeholders share the reuse information with
the quantity surveyor (QS) and identify cost-saving
and sharing of the inventory data where the audit investigation or information is required. Incorporate
opportunities for the project i.e. cost benefit of
data is not available yet.20 reclaimed items within design whilst also factoring in

- Developers and architects explore the use


of material passports on projects. This will
opportunities for ensuring that the reuse of products
and materials allows for further disassembly in the
material reuse. This should be factored into the
overall cost analysis by the quantity surveyor.
The information should also demonstrate energy
future. This should also feature in the performance
help make materials easily identifiable when and carbon savings.
disassembling buildings/fit-outs in the future
and provide traceability. This way, a material -
specifications or structural engineer’s scope.24
Occupiers can add to the tenancy agreement - Manufacturers should provide material passports
for products/assemblies/fabricated elements which
inventory can be built to inform design teams of whereby the tenant must notify the Facilities Estate
align with BAMB best practice guidelines.
future material availability. This principle can also Manager of any changes that will be made to the
be applied to refurbishment projects, storing building during the lease. This process enables any
data so that deconstructed elements can be unwanted materials to be sent for onward reuse and
used in the near future. new materials to be added to the inventory.25

iv - Architects and engineers specify the use of


secondary materials where possible or specify
- Occupiers should regularly maintain the
inventory and update the data management
based on performance rather than a specific tool (spreadsheet, online library, BIM, material
product. Developers should encourage the reuse passports). This should be updated with reuse from
of materials in the project brief and agreements maintenance and the space plan such as furniture.26

20 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


Barriers it addresses: Stakeholder actions:
C
C Limited availability of secondary materials.
POLICY AC TIONS:
i
Circular economy
Current buildings are not designed to be
deconstructed, so construction materials
are damaged during deconstruction or just
- National government to develop an
extended producer responsibility policy (as
demolished, rendering potential onward reuse per IEEE or End of Life Vehicle Directive)
ii

iii
design principles difficult.
Design as barrier to future refurbishment.
Flexible and adaptable approaches to -
ensuring take-back schemes or mass
balance recycling initiatives are in place.
National government should incentivise
refurbishment, redevelopment, and repair are the use of circular design principles and
An architecture characterised by reversible partly prohibited by a construction design that work with local authorities to have policies
does not focus on the ability to be adapted, supporting this. A national circular economy
connections, allowing buildings and or partially or fully disassembled, making planning framework policy should be
components to be taken apart in a way that demolition or partial demolition more likely. developed.

allows for future reuse or lengthens the Tight construction programmes. Clients have
strict programmes and cost drivers, conflicting
- Local authorities should require all
developments to demonstrate design stage
building’s life by being flexible and adaptable. with deconstruction which takes more time and actions taken to reduce embodied carbon
is often, initially, more expensive. The whole throughout the life cycle of the building
This should be considered within the wider context of circular picture is not addressed if the value of salvaged and maximise opportunities for reuse
economy design principles, as outlined in UKGBC’s Circular materials from deconstruction is neglected. through the provision of a Circular Economy
Statement.31
Economy Guidance for Construction Clients and Insights on how
Circular Design Principles Can Impact Carbon and Value. How it helps overcome them: - Local authorities should support the
growth of regional specialist circular
A deconstructable architecture that uses products and services relating to the
reversible connections over compound construction industry, working and
materials creates the basic conditions to enable mobilising supply chains.32
the onward reuse of materials by making it
Related enablers:
easier to salvage materials without damage. INDUSTRY AC TIONS:
Secondary materials
market
This makes building design in response to
secondary material availability more likely. By
designing in layers according to their lifespan,
- Investors and agents should understand
and communicate the benefits of design for
the full potential of circular design principles disassembly to the asset owners.
Education
can be harnessed. While structural elements
are likely to last for decades and beyond,
- Developers should adopt circular economy
design principles and construction
short-life layers such as building services processes for residential, commercial, and
and fit-out need to be circulated more often. major infrastructure projects.33
iv Design for flexibility and adaptation ensures a
building remains fit-for-purpose and premature
demolition can be avoided.
- Clients should evaluate circular
economy design principles and set
out clear objectives in contracts and
track performance (Refer to UKGBC
publications Circular Economy Guidance
for Construction Clients, Implementation
guides, Insights on how circular economy
principles can Impact carbon and value).

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FIGURE 7: CIRCULAR ECONOMY DESIGN PRINCIPLES
- Design team, contractors, and clients
should develop technical guidance for
deconstruction and reuse and ensure
i Secondary necessary information/documentation
materials (and BIM if available) is handed over to
market facility management, owners, and occupiers.
ii - Design teams need to use circular economy
design principles to avoid composite materials
and chemical fixings, opting for reversible,
iii Ext
rac
mechanical connections wherever possible and
tio design in layers (see UKGBC’s publications on
ors n& Circular Economy for more information, Circular
est
Inv Economy Guidance for Construction Clients).

m
an
Architects and engineers should prioritise

ufa Des
reuse, demonstrating to clients how the existing

ctu ign
Materials designed to
be disassembled at end
structure or sub-structure can be retained whilst

rer
of first use to enable
reuse or take-back still achieving site development potential.
schemes
Structural engineers should proactively

sta
identify opportunities to utilise reused structural

ge
elements and design for disassembly, and
Consider flexibility,
adaptability, and advocate for maximum re-use of existing
longevity alongside building structure/substructure (and if structures
buildings in layers
End of first life

approach must be demolished, advocate for controlled


Deconstruction Circular deconstruction over demolition to maximise reuse
economy potential of structural components).34

-
enabled by design to
enable reuse or
manufacturers to
design
take back products principles Occupiers need to adopt circular economy
design principles (e.g. as part of fit-out)
and ensure materials are reused where
possible. Engage in the reuse market.

- Manufacturers should design products in a


way that disassembly and take-back are possible
Designed for easy Information in the future with reuse or components split
repair and communicated on
maintenance the disassembly of for recycling at end of use.35 Manufacturers
products
should provide information to design teams
and contractors on end-of-life options for their
In- products. All material manufacturers should
us develop embodied carbon reduction plans
iv ep on
has
e ru c ti for their products and operations, focusing on

Co nst reducing materials, energy usage, manufacturing


Education waste, packaging, and transport needs.36

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Barriers it addresses: Example application
D Circular economy actions outside
The Chancery Lane Project
of the stakeholder’s scope. Due to
i the fragmentation of processes and

ii
Green contracts responsibilities in the built environment,
the ambition of one stakeholder might
not necessarily impact the actions of
The Chancery Lane project is an
international initiative collaborating to
develop contracts that are integrated
with sustainability objectives. They

iii and leases another. For example, a building can be


designed according to circular economy
principles, but the fit-out falls into the
occupier’s responsibility and might
create publicly available, legally sound
contract clauses that anchor sustainability
considerations via legally binding contracts.
Find below some examples of clauses
favour non-circular options.
related to circularity:
Expand traditional contracts and
leases with legally binding clauses
Short-term nature of ownership and
occupancy. Owners and occupiers - CE principles in leasing arrangements
for repairs and alterations

that set requirements on circularity,


don’t have a vested interest in the end-
of-life of buildings and fit-outs if it falls
outside of their responsibility, leading
- Measuring carbon budget in
procurement of construction projects
carbon, and wider sustainability. to best practice approaches of a circular
economy not being implemented. - Climate aligned construction waste
management

How it helps overcome them: - Resilient landscape design

Green contracts and leases ensure that


- Water audits in supply chain

the client’s aspirations are extended to


the leaseholder. They place an obligation
on the landlord and tenant to cooperate Guidance:
Related enablers: on environmental and sustainability
issues in order to promote and improve
Collaboration and the Environmental Performance of the
Better Buildings Partnership
early engagement building. Green contracts hold parties Green Lease Toolkit
accountable to a set of agreed clauses, in
Secondary materials this case on sustainability and circularity. This toolkit aims to guide owners and
market Mainstreaming these kinds of contracts and occupiers to come to suitable agreements
leases will also support the development for their circumstances, based on best
Circular economy of a culture of saying no to engaging with practice recommendations. It offers pre-
design principles unsustainable practices, raising the bar for established green lease clauses that can
the industry as a whole. be included in new leases. In addition
to owners and occupiers, letting agents,
iv lawyers, and managing agents will find
useful information in this toolkit.

23 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


FIGURE 8: GREEN CONTRACTS AND LEASES Stakeholder actions:

POLICY AC TIONS:
i - National government to review Landlord & Tenant
Act 1954 to require by law that all new business
Secondary Collaboration leases include green lease clauses, the standards of
Circular and early
ii economy
materials
market engagment
which should be developed with industry.37
design
principles INDUSTRY AC TIONS:
iii - Owners and developers to develop alternatives to
Cat A fit-out wherever possible.

Ext
rac
- Owners should embrace green contracts and
leases for their assets. These might include clauses
tio on fit-out, waste avoidance, restrictions on material
rs n&
vesto selection, or responsibilities for deconstruction at
In

m
the end of the lease.

an
ufa Des
Owners and occupiers should add a clause to the

ctu ign
tenancy agreement whereby the tenant must notify

rer
Ensure aspirations for
circularity are shared the Facilities Estate Manager of any changes that
by all stakeholders will be made to the building during the lease. This

sta
Reduce cat A fit-outs
and work with future
process enables any unwanted materials to be sent

ge
tenant where possible for onward reuse and new materials to be added
to the inventory.38 This could also be achieved by
requiring material passports to be used.

-
End of first life

Industry to develop green clauses to be inserted


Contract changes so the Green into standard leases with landlords and tenants
building does not have
to be returned to the contracts working cooperatively to share data and improve
original state between and leases data collection.
tenancies, collaboration
between new/old tenant
on what can be reused - Occupiers need to move away from the expectation
of full autonomy on fit-outs and embrace green
leases and contracts.

Legally binding
obligations on circular Legally binding
principles of fit-outs obligations in different
lifecycle phases

iv
In -
us
ep n
has ti o
e uc
str
Con

24 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


Barriers it addresses: Stakeholder actions:
E Low taxes on resources favour a linear
POLICY AC TIONS:
i economy. Resources are cheap and do
-
ii
Tax and legislation not reflect the real cost of using them, as
externalities such as environmental damage,
carbon emissions, and scarcity are not
sufficiently factored in.
National government should lower VAT
on retrofits to 0% which retain the building’s
structural frame and achieve energy
performance targets (to incentivise reuse
over demolition) - while proportionally
VAT currently incentivises new buildings
Tax, legislation, and policy that direct over retrofit. At present, the standard rate
increasing the VAT on new builds to make
iii this change fiscally neutral.39
industry and markets towards circularity
by addressing the true cost and value
of 20 percent is charged for most repair and
maintenance work, while demolition and new
buildings come with a zero percent rate.
- National government should consider a
virgin materials tax (on certain materials) to
push for reused and regenerative materials.
of materials and helping circular
approaches and businesses to grow.
How it helps overcome them: - National government should set
minimum standards (limits) for Upfront
A tax system that encourages resource- Embodied Carbon by 2025 for large
efficient decisions rather than penalising them buildings (>1,000m2) in more mature
will provide the right conditions to transition sectors (i.e. those with sufficient asset level
investment from new developments towards benchmark data) with associated fiscal
more retrofit. Taxing virgin materials higher incentives and penalties.40 The UKGBC
than secondary ones can be a powerful Whole Life Carbon Roadmap outlines
financial lever to promote a shift from a linear further building types and targets.
built environment to a circular one.
- National government to develop an
extended producer responsibility policy
(as per IEEE or End of Life Vehicle Directive)
ensuring take-back schemes or mass
Related enablers: balance recycling initiatives are in place.

Secondary materials
market
- Local authorities should require
Circular Economy Statements
(see London’s CE Statement policy).
Circular economy
design principles
- Local authorities should have a
minimum percentage of secondary
materials as a planning requirement to
Green finance give certainty to the market for secondary
materials and drive investment in materials
iv passports and reuse hubs.

- Local authorities can help to


implement the embodied carbon
restrictions with Whole Life Carbon
Assessment (WLCA) reporting.

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F I G U R E 9 : TA X A N D L E G I S L AT I O N
INDUSTRY AC TIONS:
- Developers should include targets for
embodied carbon and material reuse
i Secondary alongside operational energy intensity
materials Circular targets in project briefs. Whole Life
market economy
Design stage Carbon should be established as a first-
ii design
principles order consideration within initial site
development appraisals. This will usually
Green result in the prioritisation of refurbishment
finance
iii and/or extension, as opposed to
demolition and new build.41
Ext
rac
tio
- Contractors will need to work with their
supply chains and material manufacturers
ors n&
nvest to set carbon intensity reduction targets,
I

m
require mandatory disclosure of supply

an
chain data, and track and reduce

ufa Des
Incentivise reuse
to stimulate
construction site emissions. Carbon should

ctu ign
market
be evaluated alongside cost in all value

rer
Stimulate green Tax on virgin
engineering exercises.42

-
innovation materials

sta
All product manufacturers should

ge
develop embodied carbon reduction
Mandate WLCA plans for their products and operations,
to inform design focusing on reducing materials, energy
Legislation for decisions
pre-redevelopm usage, manufacturing waste, packaging,
End of first life

ent audits
and transport needs.43

Tax and
legislation

Remove VAT
on retrofit

Conditions that
minimise construction
WLCA to assess of new buildings and
repair/maintenance incentivise
refurbishments

iv In-
us
ep n
has ti o
e uc
str
Con

26 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


Barriers it addresses: practices, such as leasing and sharing,

F Business-as-usual is cheap. In many cases,


and develop rating systems and information
disclosure requirements that can help improve
tapping into the existing linear system is the transparency around sustainability-related
i business risks. There has already been a steep

ii
Green financing quicker and cheaper option compared to more
innovative pathways.
Insurance currently favours the linear
economy. Finance is an essential enabler
increase in the creation of debt and equity
instruments related to the circular economy,
however, far more capital and activity will be
needed to scale the circular economy and fully
for the transition to a circular economy but seize the opportunity it presents across the built
Using the scale, reach and expertise of investment in circular activities remains far environment. The role of finance in accelerating
iii
private sector investors, banks, and the below the necessary levels. Regulations,
markets, investment tools, and practices,
the circular economy transition is expected to

financial services sector to stimulate and


continue to strengthen, as lenders and investors
including financial risk assessment, are seek to capitalise on new value opportunities
adjusted to linear models, and risks linked to across their value chains as well as mitigate and
support businesses to make the shift from linear business models are largely not taken reduce costs from regulatory risks.
into account. The circular economy is still
a linear to a circular economy. an immature market and risks are perceived
Stakeholder actions:
as high. Many circular economy models are
difficult to evaluate from a risk perspective and
many circular solutions require collaboration POLICY AC TIONS:
across value chains.
Linear financial models. Traditional financial
- National government has a key role to
play in strengthening domestic policy
assessment methods and current financial frameworks to catalyse and mobilise private
systems tend to favour conventional linear finance and investment in support of
business models and are not aligned with the circularity.
purpose of retaining the value of materials by
reusing them. Ideally, banks should adopt a
- National government should invest in
circular economy activities and innovation,
Related enablers: holistic approach and finance the value chain.
enhance transparency by mandating
However, banks typically finance single entities,
Collaboration and disclosure and standardising definitions and
risks and profits are unevenly divided within
early engagement metrics for circular activities and provide an
the value chain and, therefore, this holistic
enabling environment that can attract both
approach is hard to accomplish.
domestic and international investment.

-
Secondary materials
market Unpriced externalities. Since negative
National government should develop
environmental impacts are often not factored
reporting standards for the linear risks of
Circular economy in, the true cost remains hidden, making
investments and incorporate them into
design principles harmful materials and practices appear cheaper
standard accounting practices.

iv Tax and legislation


than they should be compared to if costs had
been assessed holistically. - National government should develop
a definition of circular economy finance,
How it helps overcome them: setting criteria and benchmarks for the
environmental performance of circular
The shift to a circular economy requires long- economic activities, labelling financial
term investment and sustained financing. instruments fit for financing circular
The finance industry can, for example, economy projects, and increasing
provide resources for circular investments, awareness and knowledge of the circular
offer insurance products suitable for circular economy across the financial sector.

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FIGURE 10: GREEN FINANCE
INDUSTRY AC TIONS:
- Banks and financial regulators should
integrate circular principles into risk
i assessments and modelling, and
could explore integrating them in less
Collaboration conventional methods such as green
Circular Tax and and early
ii economy
design
legislation engagment quantitative easing. Blended finance
principles solutions, combining public, private,
and philanthropic capital, and adopting
iii more favourable financing terms, can
fund harder-to-finance circular economy
infrastructure and long-term innovation.
Banks and other lenders can also raise
Ext awareness through dialogue with clients.

Investo
rs Cheaper debt
financing for assets
rac
tio
n& - Investors will need to champion their
key role in financing the transition to a

m
which adopt
circular economy, offering the potential

an
circularity , net zero
carbon pathways, and

ufa Des
Financing
green credentials,
for competitive returns while reducing

ctu ign
to support waste, preserving natural resources, and

rer
innovative
circular business addressing climate change.
Financing to
- Owners should consider circular economy

sta
match ambitions
Utilising circular
set out in the design principles across the life cycle of

ge
client brief design principles to
help investors align to
ESG and new
ownership and as part of due diligence
regulations and asset management can help support
ESG objectives, deliver value and mitigate
End of first life

against physical, transition, and systemic


climate risks.
Green
finance - All industry stakeholders should
integrate circular economy design
principles, which can help investors align
with new sustainable finance regulations
(TCFD, SFDR) and deliver on regulators’
and stakeholders’ expectations.

iv
In -
us
ep n
has ti o
e uc
s tr
Secondary Con
materials
market

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Barriers it addresses: Stakeholder actions:
G Lack of common goal. There is POLICY AC TIONS:
i currently no industry consensus on how to
- National government and local authorities

ii
Metrics, benchmarks measure circularity consistently, resulting in the
lack of a shared industry goal to work towards
on circularity. Circular economy approaches are
currently disjointed and incomparable.
should support requirements for WLC data
to be collected (see Part Z). Support the
industry in measuring and reporting to help

iii and indicators Lack of ability to audit. Claims around


circularity are currently not being assessed
independently, leading to varying and
build a database. Set whole life carbon
targets with policies that incentivise reuse
and regenerative materials.

unverifiable claims around the circularity of INDUSTRY AC TIONS:


Enabling the industry to measure progress buildings. More companies are embracing
circular economy reporting tools and standards, - All stakeholders will need to work
by having a consistent set of metrics in such as GRIs updated 306: Waste standard,
towards a consistent reporting format and
data to allow consistent and comparable
WBCSD’s Circular Transition Indicators, and
place, with benchmarks and targets to drive data and reporting.

an uptake in circular economy principles.


the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circulytics.
However, there remains a significant capacity
gap among businesses to meaningfully monitor
- Clients, architects, and engineers should
collect and report circularity-related metrics
and report on circularity. on your projects. Manufacturers should do
the same for their products.
How it helps overcome them: - Developers, architects, engineers,
contractors, and product manufacturers
A commonly shared set of metrics and all need to increase data transparency
indicators, supported by achievable yet via central databases. Data ownership
ambitious targets will help drive industry action, will vary across each stakeholder,
similar to the carbon targets that emerged in requiring a comprehensive effort across
recent years. While metrics alone will not be the value chain.44 Quantify the benefits
able to deliver systems change, they provide of implementing circular economy
comparable insights on the status quo of approaches on the project.
Related enablers:
Secondary materials
circularity in the built environment, and allow
us to measure progress against a baseline,
towards an ambitious aspiration.
- Occupiers and facility managers need
to generate and improve datasets relating
market to embodied carbon from the use stages
of buildings. While a significant share
Circular economy of embodied carbon occurs during
design principles refurbishment, repair, and maintenance,
the data for this is less prevalent. As
with domestic retrofit, non-domestic
iv Education refurbishment approaches to improving
energy performance should be assessed
through a whole life carbon lens.45

- Contractors and demolition contractors


should track and report waste data with
more granularity.

29 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


F I G U R E 1 1 : M E T R I C S , B E N C H M A R K S , A N D I N D I C AT O R S

i
Secondary Circular
economy Education
materials
ii Design stage market design
principles

iii
Ext
rac
tio
rs n&
vesto
In

m
Marking of

an
materials for

ufa Des
identification to
help maintenance

ctu ign
/repair/disassembly

rer
e.g. by using
material passports

sta
ge
Target for %/# of
reused materials
within a building
as part of brief
End of first life

Metrics,
Detailed benchmarks,
monitoring of
materials at and indicators
end of life

Detailed
measuring of
waste on site and
Monitoring of where it goes
performance and
waste In-use
Monitor
iv secondary
materials
In-
us
ep on
has
e ru c ti
Co nst

30 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


Barriers it addresses: How it helps overcome them:
H The educational skills gap between reusing, Sharing best practice and educating every part
upcycling, and downcycling and the different of the supply chain, industry, and government
i

ii
Education impacts this can have along with the ability to
implement solutions.
Lack of knowledge of circular design
principles. It is not widely taught or
with the necessary knowledge to transition
toward a circular economy. This includes
creating a common vision with buy-in from all
stakeholders to work towards the emerging
future of Horizon 3. Organisations should
understood how looking at different circular
iii Empowering practitioners and decision- economy design principles can benefit the
invest in training for their employees as well
as allowing for learning through experience
project depending on its use and make it
makers with the necessary knowledge to easier to adapt and deconstruct buildings
and experimentation to put ideas into
practice while upskilling the industry at the
be able to implement circular economy which can enable further uses of the
building and the materials.
same time. Strong collaboration across the
industry will be required.
more widely within their work and raising Lack of knowledge on how a circular
economy can be beneficial financially. Stakeholder actions:
awareness more widely on what is achievable. Seeing buildings as material banks and urban
mining can be beneficial to asset owners as POLICY AC TIONS:
they can mean the materials have more value
at end of use as they can be sold to be used
in future projects.
- National government should send a clear
message to the industry on the direction
of travel to provide the conditions for
Lack of knowledge on carbon and resource increased education and investment in a
intensity of the linear economy. Awareness circular economy.
of the importance of a circular economy to
remain within planetary boundaries is not
widely shared among professionals.
- Local authorities should upskill on
expertise and the importance of circularity
Related enablers: and whole life carbon in planning
Siloed knowledge. Expert knowledge is not applications and the benefits these bring,
Collaboration and commonly shared widely between actors environmentally, socially, and economically.
early engagement

Secondary materials
across the supply chain. Furthermore, there
is insufficient collaboration and exchange
between circularity and carbon reductions,
- Local authorities should perform a skills
mapping to identify skills necessary to
market as well as the relationship between a support the transition to a circular economy
circular economy and building for climate and have a policy to support filling the gap.46
Circular economy resilience and adaptation.
design principles INDUSTRY AC TIONS:

Green contracts
Perceived cost and risk rather than
real costs and risks often prevent circular - All stakeholders should implement
iv and leases
principles from being implemented. net zero carbon skills and training plans
supported by professional institutions, to
establish carbon literacy among all students
Tax and legislation and staff.47 This should also include circular
economy design principles and retrofit
competency requirements. This applies to
Green finance all built environment stakeholders, not
just sustainability professionals.
Metrics, benchmarks
and indicators

31 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


F I G U R E 1 2 : E D U C AT I O N
- Professional institutions can help with skills mapping and provide
training on key topics as standard to bring up the level of the
industry.

i Green
- Business associations and NGOs should work with businesses on
sustainability to help with sharing and dissemination of practical
contracts learning and best practice.

ii
and leases
Secondary
- Developers, investors, and agents need to understand the value of
materials through buildings as materials banks - materials as assets.

iii Green
materials
market
- Architects and engineers need to consider the use of different
design principles in the brief dependent on the expected use and
finance lifespan of the building and educate clients on circular economy
Ext
rac design principles and how they may benefit the longevity of the
tio
ors n& building and create value.
Inv
est Increase investor Collaboration - Architects should help make reused materials mainstream by

m
understanding of
and early

an
Education on
how CE fits into ESG educating clients and developers on misconceptions about the

ufa Des
circular economy
portfolios and lowers engagment
design principles aesthetics of reused materials.

-
risk associated with

ctu ign
climate change

rer
Benefits of green
Architects and engineers need to work with contractors to
contracts and leases Education on understand how the design choices and specifications will impact
circular economy
the disassembly of buildings and fit-outs and work with each other to

sta
design principles

ge
Circular educate the team on how materials should be salvaged to maintain
economy their condition.
design
principles - Demolition contractors need to become deconstruction contractors
End of first life

Benefits of early
engagement who are skilled in deconstructing the whole range of products,
each element will need specialist knowledge. Receive training
Educate demolition
contractors on from contractors and manufacturers on how materials should
deconstruction to Education Challenge be installed and uninstalled so that they can be reused, including
maintain the value perceptions of
of materials rescued and training on how to repair and increase the lifespan of products.
secondary
materials being
inferior to new - Contractors and demolition contractors should seek further
education to understand the value of materials and implications on
their reuse vs recycling.

Education on facilities
management (BIM,
Training to minimise
waste and better
segregate products.
Education on how to
install materials so they
Tax and
legislation
- Cost consultants, quantity surveyors, and project managers
will need to ensure that circularity as well as carbon is evaluated
materials passports)
alongside cost in all value engineering and optioneering exercises.48

-
can be uninstalled

Green
Engineers and manufacturers should work with insurers, so they
In - procurement Metrics, are aware of how the disassembly and re-testing/warranty occurs.
iv us training and skills
ep for using
on benchmarks, Carrying out due diligence and sharing information with the insurers
has
e
secondary
materials
ru c ti and indicators may help to de-risk reused items, and overcome barriers that are
Co nst rooted in perception only.

- Educational institutions explore circular economy design


principles within university-level design courses including design for
disassembly and how this can enable reuse and save resources.

- All stakeholders lobby and educate government policymakers on


long-term thinking.

32 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


i

ii The built environment is a complex system made bringing us closer to an emerging new way of

iii iv up of globally connected supply chains and


established processes. The complexity of this
system makes it challenging to adapt to meet the
needs to fix our current crises. Moreover, existing
infrastructure supports the current way things are
done while differing and diverging visions for the
doing business in the built environment.
Many of the solutions are already out there.
Green contracts and leases are available to be
implemented, take-back schemes of construction
products are being offered, and circular
economy design principles are more regularly
future can make the direction of travel unclear.
being implemented in recent architectural

Conclusion
Therefore, the transition to a circular economy designs. Many are already pioneering a more
cannot be achieved with some simple collaborative approach with contractors
alterations to the status quo but will require being increasingly consulted at the early
a fundamental systems-level change in our stages of the design.
economy and cross-industry collaboration. The
Other solutions, such as reuse hubs and
Three Horizons framework is a model of systems
material passports are in their infancy and will
change along short, medium and long-term
The resources of our planet are finite, yet
require concerted industry efforts to develop
timelines, which help us to work out how to
and become mainstream. As a call to action,
prioritise our actions now and in the future.
this report outlines a set of policy and industry
our economy is based on a linear model This report has examined the current state of
the industry from a systems perspective (H1),
actions for all levels of the value chain to rally
behind these enablers and deliver the necessary
– a system that is bound to fail. Shifting identifying some practical industry enablers
that are currently emerging (H2) and must be
pieces of the puzzle so they can become the new
business-as-usual in a circular built environment.
from a linear to a circular economy is a implemented to set us on the necessary path to
achieve a regenerative circular economy (H3). Transitioning to a circular economy will be a
fundamental necessity in our response to The eight industry enablers identified in this
crucial element in tackling the ecological and
climate crises. The built environment must
report can support this much-needed shift,
the climate and ecological emergency. acting as tipping points toward a circular future
drastically reduce its resource use in a short
period of time; embracing complexity, novel
by overcoming key barriers and unlocking
approaches and business models will be
circular opportunities. Supported by stakeholder
required across all stakeholders of the built
actions, they propose achievable solutions,
environment to deliver this.

iv
F I G U R E 1 3 : I N D U S T RY E N A B L E R S S U M M A RY

i Ensure aspirations for circularity are shared


Products to be designed
to be reused
r cir
cle: Product li
fec
Take-back schemes to te
Ou
by all stakeholders
facilitate a circular economy y

cle
ii Extraction and
Investors
manufacturer
iii Designed for easy repair
and maintenance
Inner circle:
Procurement of Enablers
secondary materials
Cheaper financing for assets
that adopt circular principles

Design to material availability

Legislation for pre-redevelopment audits Utilising circular economy design


Education Collaboration and principles support investors’ ESG criteria
Incentivise refurbishment over demolition early engagement
Set targets for use of secondary materials
Education and training on careful deconstruction
to maximise value and reuse Early engagement between
Metrics, -
design team and contractors
Collaboration across stakeholders benchmarks, Secondary
to enable reuse of materials
and indicators materials market
Design stage
End of life
Mandatory circular economy statements
Green Circular economy and Whole Life Carbon assessments
Detailed monitoring of materials
financing design principles
Implement circular economy
Design principles to enable disassembly design principles
and extend the lifespan of materials
Education on use of circular
Salvage materials for future reuse Tax and Green contracts economy design principles
legislation and leasing
Designed for easy repair
Contractors to become experts in circular economy design
and maintenance
principles and procurement of secondary materials
Legally binding obligation for
circular principles of fit-outs Monitor on-site waste
and its destination
iv Incentivise refurbishment

Training for facilities management


on material passports and BIM
Construction
In use phase
Maximise reuse
during repair and
Use and Contractors interact closely with secondary
refurbishment
update material materials market for procurement and giving
passports back excess materials

34 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


Acknowledgments
i UKGBC project team Programme Partners

Authors: Kai Liebetanz, Clare Wilde


ii Editors: Yetunde Abdul, Brooke Penman

iii Review Group


BRE - Alejandro Romero
JLL – Amanda Skeldon
Perkins&Will - Dr Asif Din
Xeroc – Miles Watkins Project Partner

Task group members


AESG – Ara Nik
Buro Happold – Nicoletta Michaletos
Business in the Community (BiTC) – Maya DeSouza
The Carbon Trust – Rosie Dodd Supported by
FIS – Flavie Lowres
Hilson Moran – Andrew Moore
Ibstock PLC – Mihailo Simeunovich
ISG – Peter Kelly
John Sisk & Son – Heather Binnie
Loughborough University – Mohamed Osmani
Overbury and Morgan Lovell – James Shears
Orms – Rachel Hoolahan
iv
Ramboll – Jessica Rowe
Revcap – Georgina Elliott
ROCKWOOL – Kathryn James
Tata Steel – Matthew Teague
University of Wolverhampton/Cirklo – Debbie Ward

35 - SYSTEM ENABLERS FOR A CIRCUL AR ECONOMY U KG B C - TO G E T H E R F O R A B E T T E R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T


Endnotes
i
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2 IPCC (2022) Climate Change 2022.
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3 Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2021) The 11 The Cabinet Office (2014) Integrated Project
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