Challenges and Opportunities for Circular Economy Promotion in the Building Sector

Sylvain Laurenceau,Rafaela Tirado,Adélaïde Aublet,Guillaume Habert

doi:10.3390/su14031569

Abstract

The accelerated development of cities involves important inflows and outflows of resources. The construction sector is one of the main consumers of raw materials and producers of waste. Due to its quantity and potential for recovery, waste from the construction sector constitutes significant deposits and requires major action by bringing together different stakeholders to achieve the objectives of a circular economy. Consequently, it is crucial to understand the current knowledge of urban metabolism, deposits, and recovery practices. This article aims to investigate the role of local authorities in the planning of strategies to facilitate a circular economy; in particular, this article aims to answer how local authorities facilitate circular economy initiatives in the building sector and what opportunities and obstacles they encounter in the process. The strategy used for the study was to conduct semistructured interviews with those responsible for circular economy projects within local authorities that were pioneering circular economy projects in metropolitan France. The results highlight the importance of community involvement in the implementation of circular economy principles in the building sector. Thus, it is essential to identify the different stakeholders and their respective challenges to build an operational framework.

Highlights

The activities of the construction sector, which are still based on a linear economic model [1], are mainly responsible for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, the depletion of natural resources, and the production of a considerable quantity of waste [2,3,4]
We interviewed various project managers involved in this transition toward a Circular Economy (CE), including local authorities that are pioneering the application and development of CE strategies in the construction sector because they recognize the challenges and opportunities of applying a CE due to the initiatives already undertaken in their jurisdictions
The reduction of resource consumption, as well as the optimization of material use, prevention and improvement of waste management, and reduction in environmental impacts over the entire life cycle of building and building stock have become priority issues in the construction sector, which is faced with alarming signs of climate change and resource scarcities

Summary

Introduction

The activities of the construction sector, which are still based on a linear economic model [1], are mainly responsible for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, the depletion of natural resources, and the production of a considerable quantity of waste [2,3,4]. The ecological context and recent health crisis have highlighted the imperative need for a more sustainable, circular, resilient, and inclusive economy. Circular Economy (CE) theory is based on the efficiency and optimization of the use of resources and the reduction of waste throughout the life cycle of goods and products while creating economic opportunities [5]. Resource use efficiency has traditionally focused on production and consumption [6]; territories have the ability to manage and implement larger-scale CE strategies thanks to their roles in, for instance, urban planning and their relationship with economic players and their consequential understanding and mastery of urban metabolism. The application of CE in the built environment requires collaborative, transdisciplinary work and multiscalar and prospective reflection to develop and apply strategies for better consumption, construction (production), and waste management

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Conclusion