The extraction and processing of mineral, metallic, and biogenic resources significantly contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions. Given ongoing urbanization and global increases in wealth, the total amount of raw materials extracted worldwide is expected to nearly double by the middle of this century. Resource conservation at all levels of the economy is essential. The construction industry is a central focus, as it generates the largest amounts of waste both in Germany and globally. Circularity conserves resources, and a multitude of measures can promote more careful resource management. These range from certifications for urban mining to establishing digital construction material exchanges and stricter waste regulations, such as take-back obligations for building materials or mandatory building material passports. Also relevant are adapted and new standards aimed at a circular economy, as well as changes in construction and planning processes and circular product design. The concept of Cradle to Cradle enhances the goal of continuous circularity of technical components with the ideal of a biosphere designed entirely for “compostability”—such as materials made from wood fibers or straw. The vision of a “world without waste” inspired by nature supports the goal of resource conservation but is ultimately ahistorical and impractical as a rigid norm. However, it is highly attractive to innovative companies and is an important part of the circular transformation. Another important factor is innovations in the waste and recycling industry, which must work with waste streams as they currently exist. One example is the sensory separation of construction material fractions based on color criteria from construction debris, which facilitates sorting and recycling. This article first discusses resource scarcity forecasts for building materials, recycling rates in construction, and provides an overview of resource-saving materials such as lightweight and gradient concrete, Celitement, or wood hybrid ceilings. It then examines the historical contexts of these concepts to clarify the differences between circular economy and the Circular Economy model. The article provides an introductory overview of the role of component exchanges and material registries, take-back obligations for building materials, the potential of urban mining, and introduces the Urban Mining Index planning tool. It concludes with a look at prominent examples of architecture and a historical review of the careful deconstruction practices of the 1920s, which can serve as a model for a circular construction industry.

Circular Economy in Construction: Current Status, Potentials, and Strategies

章节
发表日期：

2025年

查看全文

Jan Grossarth

摘要

The extraction and processing of mineral, metallic, and biogenic resources significantly contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions. Given ongoing urbanization and global increases in wealth, the total amount of raw materials extracted worldwide is expected to nearly double by the middle of this century. Resource conservation at all levels of the economy is essential. The construction industry is a central focus, as it generates the largest amounts of waste both in Germany and globally. Circularity conserves resources, and a multitude of measures can promote more careful resource management. These range from certifications for urban mining to establishing digital construction material exchanges and stricter waste regulations, such as take-back obligations for building materials or mandatory building material passports. Also relevant are adapted and new standards aimed at a circular economy, as well as changes in construction and planning processes and circular product design. The concept of Cradle to Cradle enhances the goal of continuous circularity of technical components with the ideal of a biosphere designed entirely for “compostability”—such as materials made from wood fibers or straw. The vision of a “world without waste” inspired by nature supports the goal of resource conservation but is ultimately ahistorical and impractical as a rigid norm. However, it is highly attractive to innovative companies and is an important part of the circular transformation. Another important factor is innovations in the waste and recycling industry, which must work with waste streams as they currently exist. One example is the sensory separation of construction material fractions based on color criteria from construction debris, which facilitates sorting and recycling. This article first discusses resource scarcity forecasts for building materials, recycling rates in construction, and provides an overview of resource-saving materials such as lightweight and gradient concrete, Celitement, or wood hybrid ceilings. It then examines the historical contexts of these concepts to clarify the differences between circular economy and the Circular Economy model. The article provides an introductory overview of the role of component exchanges and material registries, take-back obligations for building materials, the potential of urban mining, and introduces the Urban Mining Index planning tool. It concludes with a look at prominent examples of architecture and a historical review of the careful deconstruction practices of the 1920s, which can serve as a model for a circular construction industry.