Bringing Circularity to the Construction Industry

A new report assesses how the construction industry can cut its carbon emissions, which make up 11 percent of energy-related emissions globally, through a practice sometimes known as circularity, reports Helen Chandler-Wilde in Bloomberg CityLab.

The report claims that the industry could reduce emissions by almost 60 percent by using more recycled and reclaimed materials. In the United Kingdom, legislation passed earlier this year requires “commercial landlords to meet minimum energy efficiency standards to rent out property.”

The report includes details on construction waste and emissions generated in several global cities. “It concluded some 77 million tonnes of waste could be kept in the supply loop over the next decade if construction firms reused materials, worth £10.6 billion. New York has the greatest potential, with 30.6 million tonnes that could be kept in construction, worth £2.8 billion.”