Circular economy in buildings

Abstract

The circular economy is not only a system of waste management. It is a system which includes the products’ design construction, recycling of raw materials and whose aim is that all components and materials bring added value in different technical and biological cycles. The construction sector is currently among the world’s largest producers of waste. It is estimated that about 1.3 billion tons of construction and demolition waste is generated every year and half of it comes from the construction sector. The building industry has a significant impact on many sectors of the economy, on local jobs and quality of life. It requires vast amounts of resources and accounts for about 50% of all extracted material. According to experts, the amount of waste in the construction sector is the same or even higher than the amount of municipal waste. At the same time, the stream of construction waste makes up the biggest part of industrial waste. Currently, more than at any time before, there is a crucial need for new circular solutions, especially in the building sector. Therefore circular economy principles have a huge potential to contribute to reducing waste and to increased reuse of materials in buildings.