Increased recyclability and reuse through circular construction

The challenge
With global population growth set to continue its rapid development, the need for housing in cities worldwide will similarly expand. Currently, construction and demolition waste accounts for close to one third of all waste in the European Union, and with the sector expected to grow worldwide in response to increasing housing needs, there is an urgent need for rethinking the way we design and construct buildings.

The future
Current traditions within the construction sector limit the recyclability of materials due to the widespread use of binding materials that are difficult to take apart without damaging the construction elements. Rethinking the design of buildings to become more circular includes that the buildings are designed for disassembly and that strict rules for materials use and registration are applied in order to ease the process of taking apart and reusing components later on.

Case

New invention: “GEORG” can recycle plastic waste from household waste into a high-quality grade

Danes generate every year about 350.000-ton plastic waste – and only 60.000 ton of this is recycled into new plastic granulate. To solve this problem, Aage Vestergaard Larsen – an expert company in the recycling of plastic, and the biggest in the Northern Region have created a machine. A machine that can clean, sort and dry household plastic waste while using 70% less water than similar devices. They call it “GEORG”.
October 31, 2019

News

New EU directive targets big energy savings

Substantial energy savings, lower CO2 emissions and reduced power bills are forecast to be a few of the consequences of coming requirements on ten product groups.
October 03, 2019

News

95 per cent of this type of plastic is not recycled: Danish companies are about to change that

New Danish partnership between companies and researchers are developing a new method of recycling plastic, which would otherwise end up incinerated or as landfill. The technology can help reduce oil consumption and CO2 emissions – and be a really good business for Danish companies.
September 18, 2019

News

Funding offered to partnerships focused on sustainable development

The next application round for P4G funding to partnerships with a sustainable business model is open. Funding of between USD 100,000 to USD 1,000,000 is available to either partnerships with a start-up or a scale-up concept.
August 06, 2019

News

Refrigeration plants and flood warning to mitigate climate impacts in developing countries

Two partnerships with Danish participation are supported by P4G – Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 – to find solutions to curb the consequences of climate change in Africa and Asia. The solutions are based on new technology and local cooperation in developing countries.
May 15, 2019

News

Danish design contributes to the UN Sustainable development Goals

A new energy solution in Nordhavn, a Danish bicycle path in China and the iconic Velux window are among the winners of this year’s Danish Design Award – all of which represent design solutions that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Case

Reused Styrofoam in Lightweight Concrete

Fors A/S is a utility company in the municipalities of Holbæk, Roskilde and Lejre managing waste in Holbæk and sorting it to support a sustainable environment. Galaxe A/S, a contracting company specialised in floors, have cooperated with Fors A/S to upcycle Styrofoam and reuse it in building projects as a lightweight concrete (Thermozell). The symbiosis between the two companies creates an alternative to incineration, which benefits the environment and supports a circular procedure in waste management.
March 15, 2019

News

Leaders inspired by collaboration against plastic waste

The P4G award winner NextWave Plastics displayed a bankable sustainable solution during the UN Climate Summit taking place in Nairobi, Kenya this week. A great example showing that solving global challenges requires broad commitment and cooperation, said Danish Minister for Food and Environment.
February 25, 2019

News

Transformative circular economy festival in New York

From March 4 until March 10, the international public-private partnership Danish Clean Tech Hub will be hosting Circular City Week in New York City for the first time. The event is an open collaborative festival for circular economy related events.  
February 19, 2019

News

5 examples of how to reduce buildings’ energy consumption

Buildings are one of society’s greatest energy consumers, accounting for almost 40 per cent of global energy consumption and 36 per cent of CO2 emissions.

February 06, 2019

News

New circular solutions for the construction sector

There are not enough resources in the world to continue old construction habits, which generates half of the world’s waste. Accordingly, future sustainable cities need to be built from waste and circular thinking, for instance by recycling reused building materials.

Case

Utilisation of the Existing Facilities at Green Solution House

Reclaim, Reuse, Renovate ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. At the Green Solution House we believe in the value of repurposing and eliminating waste. This thinking has been applied to many aspects of the refurbishment and expansion of the buildings as well as the landscape design. The parking space is built on a base […]

Case

Waste Recycling In the Construction Industry

Innovative project to recycle construction waste The building sector is responsible for over 40% of the CO2 emission. Kolding Municipality has launched an innovative project “Better Use of Construction Waste” which will reduce the CO2 emission from the construction industry and increase the recycling of construction waste. The project extends over a period of three […]

Publications

Smart buildings

Buildings account for up to 40% of society’s energy demand and thereby play a key role in the green transition. This White Paper can be used as a tool for inspiration to spot the potential or implement building automation and energy-efficient measures in new and existing buildings globally.

Case

Recycleable housing – Circle House

Demonstration of how sustainability and a good economy can be united on the basis of a circular concepts making recycleable housing possible in the future.

Case

New Slussen in Stockholm build from reused materials

Stockholm is growing fast. New Slussen will protect drinking water, create new places to meet, and allow more space for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. All to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.

Publications

Circular economy

This white paper has the purpose of contributing to the common understanding of the concept of the circular economy and, through practical examples, illustrating how Danish companies are providing solutions that help progress the transition towards a circular economy.

Explore associated sectors

Buildings

Buildings

Building circular

Building circular

Cities are currently responsible for around 75 percent of energy related CO₂ emissions, and much of this is due to poorly insulated buildings. Moreover, around 25-30 percent of all waste generated in the EU is construction and demolition waste, including concrete, wood and bricks. Therefore, the construction sector must aim at building energy efficient buildings for our rapidly expanding cities, while keeping in mind material composition and design to ease future reuse and recycling.

Circular construction principles include a careful selection of materials as well as binder to better enable reuse of building components. However, this requires a stronger collaboration across the value chain as different stakeholders must come together to jointly drive the transition towards a more circular economy. Additionally, national, regional, and local governments must lead the way by prioritising circular buildings for public construction in the future. As a majority of the buildings in many major cities around the world are expected to last for many years to come, renovation of existing buildings should be conducted with as much recycling as possible and with an increased focus on implementing circular principles. Finally, more companies must take responsibility, for instance by adhering to voluntary schemes that have created certificates for circular products.

The economic potential is great and so is the potential for conserving our planet’s resources by encouraging recycling and reuse in the construction sector. However, exploiting this potential will also require waste management systems to be in place so that professionals in the construction industry can do their part.

Connect with us: Malene Bering Beitzel, Project Manager, [email protected]

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