The key to circular and sustainable construction: reuse
In a relatively short time, reuse has gone from being a niche issue to becoming a critical part of the construction sector’s transition towards greater sustainability. The construction and real estate sector accounts for a significant share of society’s resource use, waste generation and climate impact.
What is reuse?
Reuse means that products or building components are used again for the same or a similar purpose without first being converted into raw materials. This differs from recycling, where the material is processed before it can be used again. In the construction sector, reuse can include products such as doors and windows, ventilation products, lighting fixtures, interior walls, steel structures, installations and furnishings.
By reusing existing construction products, the need for new production is reduced, saving raw materials and energy while avoiding emissions associated with manufacturing. At the same time, the amount of construction and demolition waste is reduced. Reuse and the continued use of construction products are important tools for reducing the extraction of new resources and improving resource efficiency.
One of the main environmental benefits of reuse is that the climate impact already generated during the manufacture of a product can be put to further use. Windows are one example, as glass production generates significant carbon dioxide emissions. When a construction product is given a second life, emissions associated with raw material extraction, transport and the production of new products can be avoided.
From a linear to a circular economy
Traditionally, the construction sector has followed a linear model: extract resources, manufacture products, build, use and ultimately demolish. This model leads to significant resource losses and environmental impacts.
A circular economy instead aims to keep products and materials circulating in society for as long as possible. The goal is to minimise waste and maximise the value of resources that have already been produced.
In circular construction, reuse is prioritised over recycling because the value and function of products are preserved. Recycling becomes relevant when reuse is no longer possible. This is why reuse is generally placed higher than material recycling in the waste hierarchy.
The circular economy is based on the principle of retaining the value of products, materials and resources in society for as long as possible.
Inventory: the foundation for successful reuse
For reuse to work, knowledge is needed about the materials and products present in a building before renovation or demolition begins. A reuse inventory is therefore often carried out as a first step.
The purpose of the inventory is to identify which products can be dismantled and reused, and to document their condition, dimensions, technical properties and any limitations.
The information can then be used to create a reuse plan in which products are matched with needs in new projects. The earlier reuse is considered in a project, the greater the opportunities to make use of existing materials and products.
Laws and regulations driving development
Today, reuse is driven not only by voluntary initiatives but also by a growing number of European laws and regulatory frameworks.
The EU Green Deal and circular economy action plan
The overarching driver is the EU Green Deal, which aims to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050. Several initiatives have been developed under the Green Deal to promote a circular economy, resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
The Green Deal provides an overarching strategy for reducing emissions, promoting circularity and strengthening sustainable material flows.
ESPR: the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation
One of the most important new pieces of legislation is the ESPR, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU 2024/1781).
The regulation covers virtually all physical products and aims to make them more sustainable, repairable and circular. It includes requirements relating to durability, repairability, material efficiency, reusability and recyclability. A major focus is on enabling products to remain in use for longer and making them easier to reuse or recycle in the future.
Construction Products Regulation (CPR)
The new Construction Products Regulation (EU 2024/3110) represents a comprehensive modernisation of the regulatory framework for construction products.
The regulation introduces new requirements relating to environmental sustainability, digital product passports, traceability, resource efficiency and life-cycle considerations.
Digital product passports are intended to make information about construction products available throughout the value chain and include information on how products can be repaired, reused, recycled and safely disposed of.
Digital product passports
A central element of both the ESPR and CPR is the introduction of the Digital Product Passport (DPP). Digital product passports are intended to bring together important product information throughout a product’s life cycle.
The information may include:
- Material content
- Chemical content
- Performance
- Repair instructions
- Disassembly information
- REACH, SCIP and information on hazardous substances
For reuse to be safe, knowledge about the chemical content of products is essential. The REACH Regulation includes rules concerning substances of very high concern (SVHCs).
The SCIP database contains information on articles containing Candidate List substances at concentrations above 0.1 percent by weight. This information is important when assessing whether a construction product is suitable for reuse or whether specific measures are required.
The importance of digitalisation for reuse
One of today’s major challenges is the lack of accessible product information. Many construction products lack documentation concerning their age, chemical content, performance or maintenance history.
Developments within the EU clearly indicate that reuse will play an increasingly important role in the construction sector. The combination of climate requirements, resource efficiency, digitalisation and new legislation is creating strong drivers for change.
Through the ESPR, the new Construction Products Regulation, digital product passports and increased traceability of chemical content, the conditions needed to enable reuse on a larger scale are now being developed. At the same time, marketplaces and information systems such as CCBuild, the BASTA-system and eBVD are being developed to make information more accessible to the industry.
To view data for a specific product, search for it in our open search engine, Search | BASTA, open the product page and explore the available data and the criteria it meets.