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Description
The issue is that a consolidated framework for Environment Product Declarations already exists, although they do not necessarily reflect the aspects associated with the circularity of materials and products. The proposed project aims to contribute to the improvement of waste identification, improvement of source separation, improvement of logistics, waste processing and treatment options, process quality, and of monitoring and control. The Circular Buildings project will develop tools to support the design and construction of circular buildings, namely a set of standards for the definition of building material passports, for the definition and calculation of material, water and energy and component efficiency metrics and, finally, for the definition of circularity indicators in Environment Product Declarations.
Summary of project results
The construction sector is highlighted by the intensive use of primary resources, low material productivity and low circularity, wherefore it is essential that the agents involved have knowledge of the material composition of the building stock and material flows to enable a paradigm shift. The Circular Buildings project aims to develop tools to support the design and construction of circular buildings, namely a set of standards for the definition of building material passports, for the definition and calculation of material, water and energy and component efficiency metrics and, finally, for the definition of circularity indicators in Environment Product Declarations. In the last case, a consolidated framework for Environment Product Declarations already exists, although they do not necessarily reflect the aspects associated with the circularity of materials and products. Previously produced information will then be integrated into the development of a tool for assessing the environmental and economic benefits associated with building circularity (eg selective
deconstruction, reuse and recycling of materials) based on the characterization of materials and unitary processes associated with construction. Thus, the Circular Buildings project will result in three standards and a calculation tool. All four outputs will be made publicly available to all parties to encourage circularity practices in the construction sector. This application is made in response to the first objective of the Environment, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy Programme, since it aims to increase the application of Circular Economy principles in the construction sector through the development of tools to support decision making directed at players in the value chain that promote increased material reuse and reduced waste production. The proposed project is also in line with the objectives of the European Commission Construction and Demolition Protocol, and the Action Plan for the Circular Economy of the Portuguese Government, by contributing to the improvement of waste identification, improvement of source separation, improvement of logistics, waste processing and treatment options, process quality, and of monitoring and control. The tools to be developed allow the promotion of sustainable practices and principles of circular economy in the construction sector, the effective planning of building requalification and demolition and the reduction of associated environmental impacts. The project will be carried out by a consortium made up of leading entities in their fields, bringing together the necessary technical expertise and wide involvement with the entire construction value chain. In particular, the participation of ASWP as promoter and of Plataforma Tecnológica Portuguesa da Construção (PTPC) as a partner will enhance the scalability and multiplication of results, either nationally or internationally. ASWP as an association that operates throughout the waste sector value chain has the role of contributing to the dissemination of the project in this sector and in the field of circular economy. PTPC brings together all types of public or private entities from the AEC sector, thus allowing the promotion of the project along the entire chain of the construction sector.
There were createde several activities, such as:
- The guides in particular will enable greater adoption of the targeted circularity tools (Environment Product Declarations, efficiency indicators and material passports) by value chain actors, from suppliers and builders to users.
- The calculation tool will support the decision-making process of the various actors in the value chain, including material manufacturers, construction owners, builders and users, providing them with an estimate of the gains with the implementation of deconstruction or selective demolition, both environmental and economic level, resulting from the adequate management of construction and demolition waste, and mainly, the reuse and recycling of materials and components.
- The tools developed are available free of charge on the project website. To access them, the user must simply register, choosing whether they wish to be contacted by the project team to ask for feedback regarding the usefulness and application of the tools developed.
- The results of the Circular Buildings project thus established a solid basis for growth and improvement of the proposed tools. The project team is committed to keeping the tools available and updated on the website, undertaking the work of continuous improvement of them based on the contributions received from sector agents. In this context, the role of PTPC and BUILT CoLAB, which has PTPC, FEUP and 3drivers as associates, will be predominant. There is already an expression of interest from both organizations in internalizing some of these outputs in the strategy to promote sustainability in the construction sector.
The project published the deliverables that can used by companies in all value chain of construction sector:
- Guide to creating building material passports
- Good practice guide for promoting circularity in Environmental Product Declarations
- Good practice guide for the calculation of building efficiency indicators
- Development of a tool to calculate benefits
- Demonstration Standards development
It can be seen in the following youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpgv2wORktU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utczixlWXC8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuc12kINHSQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIshy8KPi_w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bytj8YsEaY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyTSuyvahIU