Traditionally, the construction industry has been one of the biggest emitters of pollutants, but efforts are being made in Europe to alleviate this situation. The Platform on Sustainable Finance report commissioned by the European Commission calls for a new regulation to require 50% of materials in construction to be of recycled, reused or responsibly sourced origin. It is not an official mandate, as the report is under revision, but it is an indicator showing the way forward for the construction sector.
But it is not all good news, as according to the Green Building Council Spain, approximately half of the carbon emissions that construction is expected to produce have no countermeasures in place. If this continues, the decarbonisation target set by the EU will be very difficult to achieve.
In the light of these two conflicting perspectives, we will use the 3Rs to highlight the situation and the possibilities of the building industry in the field of sustainability on World Recycling Day. One could say that the circular economy certainly goes hand in hand with the 3Rs, especially recycling and reuse. Since 40% of pollution in Europe currently comes from the building sector, where can we improve?
Recycle
In the area of recycling, waste from construction and refurbishment is the largest potentially recyclable resource. While environmental awareness is catching on in companies and the public, the process requires a strong investment in R&D&I. In the past, business and governmental objectives were focused on the long term, but nowadays short-termism has taken over, making a commitment to a better future, both environmentally and economically, more difficult to implement.
Despite the short-termism, the European Green Pact, through its funds and debt issues, is making it possible to finance the recycling process of the entire construction sector. Materials such as plastic, plaster, concrete or wood are already having a second life in other applications or formats, so that the cyclability of materials is being pursued.
Reuse
The field of reuse is just as broad as that of recycling, but it does not require as much investment to change the construction model, but rather a modulation of the mentality. The field that has the greatest potential for reuse in the building sector is undoubtedly CDW, which is waste of a fundamentally inert nature generated in excavation, new construction, repair, remodelling, rehabilitation and demolition works, including minor works and home repairs. As the non-profit foundation ITeC (Instituto de Tecnología de la Construcción) explains: ‘Not all materials that we extract from a construction site have to become waste, but they are potential products for the creation of reused materials. Aggregates have their origin in this construction and demolition waste. By means of a conversion process that revalues them, they are converted into raw materials. They can be used for different purposes such as road bases, ditch fillings or rural roads, among others’.
Therefore, the rehabilitation of materials to give them a new utility is within the reach of any construction company. Another important point for the re-use of products is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a product. The standardised method for an objective comparison of the environmental impacts of different products or services. This type of assessment makes it possible to define the reusability of a product and the environmental cost of its transformation.
Reduce
It is probably the most delayed of all, but it is easy to understand: average life expectancy is increasing, the world population pyramid is growing and the number of people living on our planet will increase. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that construction as an industry continues to grow. Por lo tanto, que la construcción no pare de crecer como industria tiene todo el sentido del mundo. The best way to reduce pollutant emissions is for the construction sector to embrace the other two R’s in its model. In other words, the path to reduction lies in reuse and recycling, as it has been demonstrated that it is plausible to extend the useful life of our buildings by applying small renovations that improve energy efficiency, insulation and self-sufficiency.
Today, construction methodologies such as Cradle to Cradle and EPD already exist that allow a building to be erected in compliance with the highest sustainability requirements. Rehabilitation and construction with responsibly sourced materials will contribute to the ecological transition and make this a better place. Sustainability certifications are also a growing market, as citizens and companies alike want to establish themselves in healthy and efficient facilities that are not harmful to the environment.
In 2005 the UN, through UNESCO, established 17 May as World Recycling Day. Today, almost twenty years later, we are still waiting for a total reconversion of the construction sector. It is true that, being such a radical change in production and mentality, it costs much more, but there are already examples of projects that will make the world more sustainable and that should be the paradigm from now on.
