Construction and Demolition Waste
With increasing urbanisation and demands for urban housing, cities also become the hub for waste resulting from construction and demolition works. The built environment is a key source of materials, while is also poses great challenges for circularity. Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) consists of diverse materials such as concrete, bricks, wood, metals, plastic, solvents and excavated soil. Many of these materials are fit for recycling or reuse, and have a high resource value. The technology for the separation and recovery of CDW is well established, accessible and relatively inexpensive. Yet, recycling rates across the EU vary greatly; some member states recycle 90% of CDW, others 10%.
CityLoops' work to make this waste stream more circular is based on the CDW Circular Value Chain, consisting of three steps: Demolition, Transformation and New Construction. Some of the measures, actions and instruments developed by CityLoops target one specific step of the value chain, while others (such as the 3D GIS visualisation tool) can be incorporated across the entire chain.
Demolition
Planning and execution of deconstruction and demolition works foresee inventory and screening of recycling of existing components and materials, e.g. through carrying out a pre-demolition audit. Tendering and contracting for selective demolition works should include planning and logistics for circular site preparation and selective demolition.
View CityLoops Actions
Transformation
The CDW materials suitable for recycling must be handled and managed for demanded materials in new structures. They may require testing and qualification of material properties to certify that they are safe and fit for purpose in new uses.Logistics and management are required to sort, transport, store, and track materials for matching supply and demand.
VIEW CITYLOOPS ACTIONS
New Construction
Planning for new construction or renovation works can become more circular by incorporating secondary materials and designing for the whole lifecycle of the building or infrastructure and its components and materials. The use of secondary materials requires early planning in the value chain and it is an important part of the pre-demolition audit.