THE CHALLENGES OF TRANSFORMING THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR FROM A LINEAR TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY
THE CHALLENGES OF TRANSFORMING THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR FROM A LINEAR TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Summary/Abstract: One of the EU’s priorities under the Green Deal to combat climate change is to transform the EU economy into a circular economy, as the extraction and processing of raw materials generates large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. Unlike the linear economy, which essentially consists of the production, use and subsequent disposal of goods, the circular economy is a holistic approach aimed at conserving resources. The construction sector is known to consume many resources and pro- duce large amounts of waste. The much-needed implementation of the circular economy in the construction sector requires a lot of effort, long-term planning, and a holistic approach. In essence, it is about designing a modern building that is both sustainable and circular. The measures needed to implement the circular economy concept are waste, resource efficiency, reuse of soil, circular design principles, non-destructive dismantling, a renovation wave and so on. We have long known that business as usual, i.e. economic activity in a linear pattern, is no longer possible in the face of climate change, resource scarcity and increasingly critical geopolitical dependencies. The fact is that the sooner the construction industry recognises the challenges, the more successful it will be in managing change.

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