UKGBC releases circular economy implementation packs for reuse and products as a service

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has today published two new Implementation Packs to support project teams in applying circular principles in relation to reuse and Products as a Service (PaaS).  

The impetus to reduce waste and maximise resources by transitioning to a circular economy is being recognised across multiple industries, including the built environment. These Implementation Packs aim to facilitate this transition by stimulating growth in the reuse and PaaS markets. They do this by encouraging and supporting project teams, including construction clients, project managers and design teams, to adopt new practices while providing an understanding of what information is required, whom to involve and at which point in the programme. 

The packs have been developed in collaboration with UKGBC members as part of UKGBC’s Circular Economy programme, and follows on from Circular Economy Guidance for Construction Clients, released in April 2019. This latest work has been made possible thanks to support from CIRCuIT, Lead Partner The Crown Estate and Partners: Cleveland Steel and Tubes, ISG, HS2 and TFT.  

The Implementation Pack for Reuse can assist stakeholders across the built environment value chain to reduce a project’s waste and environmental impact.   

  • The ‘How-to Guide: Reusing products and materials in built assets’ provides assistance for three key reuse objectives: how to create a product and material inventory to support reuse within an existing project; how to reuse materials and products from another project and how to send materials and products offsite for reuse on another project.   
  • ‘The why and what of reuse slide deck’ helps project teams make the case for incorporating reuse in buildings and why circularity must be an important consideration in sustainable design.  
  • ‘Circular Economy Innovation Insights’ provides examples of organisations and initiatives that can facilitate reuse.  

The Implementation Pack for Products as a Service provides guidance on incorporating a new form of product provision into building projects.   

  • The ‘How-to Guide: Implementing Light as a Service in built assets’ assists project teams working on incorporating or replacing lighting in buildings through highlighting the processes, roles, and responsibilities for applying Light as a Service (LaaS).   
  • ‘The why and what of Products as a Service slide deck’ helps project teams make the case for incorporating PaaS into building projects by demonstrating the value created in purchasing services instead of products.  
  • ‘Circular Economy Innovation Insights’ provides examples of organisations and initiatives that provide Products as a Service.  

Anna Surgenor, Senior Sustainability Advisor at UKGBC said:

“Material production in the EU has a carbon footprint of 250Mt and 60% of UK waste comes from the built environment. To address this, we need to act differently and embrace circular principles like reusing materials and procuring Products as a Service. With this in mind, UKGBC has put together Implementation Packs designed to support project teams to put these principles into practice. These guides will support everyone in the value chain to start making this systems change we urgently need.”

-ENDS- 

Please find the Implementation Packs for Reuse and Products as a Service here.  

Related