The Circular Economy: How architects and designers can contribute to reducing waste

by Samantha Ashenhurst | June 5, 2018 9:43 am

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by Sean Ragiel and Robert Phillips
Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have had the ability to mass consume and produce, which has led to massive waste outputs. The environment can no longer support the traditional practices of a linear economic model.

Presently, natural resources are being extracted at unsustainable rates. The United Nations (UN) reports that the extraction of primary materials has more than tripled[2] in the last 40 years. Coupled with a spike in population growth (global population is expected to soar beyond 9 billion by 2050), humankind is burning through resources at an alarming rate. (For more, click here[3].)

The circular economy has not been a focal point of architects and designers in the past as factors such as schedule and budget requirements were paramount. Now, with accelerating natural resource depletion, it is becoming increasingly relevant, starting with the specification process. Design professionals’ decisions could create a ripple effect toward sustainability throughout the construction industry.

Embracing and correctly implementing a circular economic model—a philosophical change in how one conducts business—can solve current problems with immediate and long-term benefits. Instead of the traditional “take, make, and waste” system, the circular economy is a closed-loop regenerative approach of “take, make, and reuse.” This can help all supply chain entities—from sourcing, manufacturing, and operations to end-consumers—become more prosperous.

Diverting waste: Beginning with the end
The first step to changing the economy from linear to circular is reusing or recycling materials. Construction waste is one of the top offenders contributing toward landfill volume. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 484 million t (534 million tons) of construction and demolition debris was generated in the United States in 2014—more than twice the amount generated by municipal solid waste. (For more, click here[4].) A circular economy utilizes closed-loop systems to divert these materials from landfills—recovering or restoring products, components, and materials by reusing, repairing, remanufacturing, or recycling them. When practiced properly, closed-loop recycling can increase the lifespan of a product, which would optimally become infinitely regenerative.

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Obstacles
Time and care are needed to ensure materials are properly disposed, yet businesses tend to save time by utilizing the easiest methods, such as bulk disposal and unrefined delegation to recycling services, to accomplish their goals, which can lead to poor planning for waste diversion.

Conventional demolition processes often contribute to contaminated loads of recycled materials. The bulk method calls for all waste to be discarded at the same time. When construction materials are disposed in this manner, they are often contaminated with food and liquid waste, thereby ruining the materials’ chances of being recycled. Specifically, gypsum wallboard (GWB) and ceiling tiles are often crushed during the process, negating the materials’ recyclability and contaminating other materials such as carpet.

Bulk disposal also creates additional expenditures for recycling companies, which, in turn, leads to desaturation of local markets (i.e. the demand for regional recycling increases but the supply of services decreases) and increased future costs for reclamation.

Additionally, the latest version (v4) of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board no longer include alternative daily cover (ADC)—the practice of using difficult-to-recycle materials as a top soil-like layer for landfills—under waste diversion. (For more, click here[6].) This impacts total recycling rates for construction projects and increases the cost of waste diversion.

Solutions
California is aggressively mandating the extended producer responsibility[7] (EPR) for many consumer products. These EPR programs dictate end-of-life management costs be incorporated into the initial sale of a product. By doing so, California hopes to impart positive change in design and manufacturing practices to reduce waste and build awareness about the circular economy. However, not all states are equally aggressive, and organizations who initiate regenerative practices before governmental mandates will likely have competitive advantages in future costs. Architects and designers who participate in sustainable practices, before required to do so by law, will earn themselves credibility, gain favorable public perception, and secure customer loyalty.

When companies have consistent recycling practices, they build stronger relations with recyclers. This helps ensure companies employ proper reclamation practices and negates a recycler’s “unknowns,” which can dictate higher cost estimations. Stronger relations between businesses can also result in lower prices. During bidding phases for projects, companies with ongoing relations with recyclers might be able to win bids with an eco-friendly sales pitch.

Lastly, recycling facilities also improve local economies. The EPA’s 2016 Recycling Economic Information report[8] shows the recycling of construction and demolition (C&D) materials created 230,000 jobs in 2007.

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Sourcing: Improving environment and communities
In a circular economy, reduction is the fundamental practice when sourcing materials. Materials sourced globally have large impacts on carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, and negatively affect the atmosphere. In a 2017 report[10], the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found 87 percent of shipping emissions are attributed to international shipping activity, compared to only nine percent resulting from domestic transportation.

Obstacles
Recycled material markets are dictated by global market fluctuations, at times creating difficult situations for companies to predict and consistently maintain or gain market shares. Carpet is one industry affected by global material procurement. According to the annual report for Carpet America Recovery Effort[11] (CARE), 1.5 billion kg (3.4 billion lb) of carpet were discarded to landfills in the United States. As carpet mainly comprises petroleum-based materials, oil prices often dictate the market for recycling. As prices drop, the market available for processed recycled carpet materials dissolves.

Solutions
Sourcing with a circular economy model can create immediate cost-savings for shipping and freight. Specifiers should look for locally-sourced products. LEED v4 credits can be earned for products sourced within 161 km (100 mi) under the Regional Priority category. This credit is emphasized by valuing local materials at 200 percent of their base contribution costs. The Living Building Challenge (LBC), an initiative by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), requires 20 percent or more of the construction budget materials to come from within 500 km (310 mi) of the project site. Current programs and tracking systems are available for “carbon counting,” enabling design firms to demonstrate their environmental responsibility to potential clients. As more products and materials are sourced regionally, it inevitably improves local markets and increases employment. Additionally, LEED v4 credits are also available through procurement of materials with minimum recycled contents.

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Manufacturing: Planning for the future
The circular economy emphasizes durability, quality, and recyclability for sustainable product production. Designing for durability helps ensure an increased life cycle in construction applications. Manufacturing for durability and longevity is the first aspect necessary for properly recycling in a closed-loop or circular economy. Quality products in the circular economy scenario will be durable, safe, and easily reused or reclaimed at the end-of-use stage.

The guidelines set by Healthy Building Network (HBN) for manufacturing safe products is measured by limiting and optimally displacing all potentially hazardous chemicals. This is instrumental in ensuring products have minimal negative health effects to end-users, laborers, and the environment. High-performance features and non-hazardous components in products are the foundations for applicability to—and evaluation of—a true circular economy.

Manufacturers who are actively participating in sustainability can be researched through databases such as HBN. (For more, click here[13].) Further, the Cradle-to-Cradle program[14] aids in material selection that focuses on products’ life cycles.

Obstacles
Discovering information on manufacturing processes and products can be time consuming, as all information will not be readily available or fully disclosed. Further, verifications for sustainable manufacturing practices are not a government or industry mandate, which may make comparative shopping difficult, and companies not implementing circular economy manufacturing practices are not likely to promote it. Conversely, small companies innovating sustainably-manufactured products may not have the financial flexibility required to verify through third parties. The selection of manufacturers by design professionals will directly affect the percentage of demolition materials that can be reclaimed, reused, or recycled.

Solutions
By inquiring about sustainable manufacturing practices, designers and specifiers have the ability to drive change. The knowledge accumulated about the circular economy would enable design professionals to plan more efficiently on future projects. LEED v4 offers credits for selecting materials from manufacturers who have EPR programs as they have planned for their products to be re-channeled into the regenerative cycle of a circular economy.

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Operations: Changing habits
Awareness and education are critical to maintaining circular economic practices, and can be applied to all sectors of sustainable product selection. The LBC calls for design professionals, contractors, and building owners to create the foundation for a sustainable future in the fabric of our communities. (For more, click here[16].)

Property owners and company decision-makers need to be conscious of how their practices and choices can have long-lasting effects on the environment, and the future rewards that can be realized by investing in sustainability now. Changes to a company’s philosophy may start with the owners, but they need to be implemented properly at all levels of an organization to increase the likelihood of correct product selection in the construction process and maintenance activities, and eventual demand for recycling practices during demolition.

Obstacles
Changes in operations may decrease initial profit margins. Since profit is the key contributor to staying in business, this may deter companies from changing to a circular business model. Habits are difficult to change, and resistance from staff may also initially occur, which can lead to temporarily low morale.

Solutions
Adapting operations to meet the needs of a circular economy is planning for the future. Proactively making these changes, prior to government or industry mandates, can prepare and allow a company to succeed in the face of its competition. Changing operations necessitates additional education for staff, which improves their value, and, in turn, will improve and sustain company morale. Socially and environmentally responsible business practices can also help attract future employees and differentiate an organization from others.

Consumers: Decisions for the future
For end-users who can drive significant market developments, transparency is key in a circular economy. Calls for more environmentally and socially responsible business initiatives continue to gain momentum; as younger generations enter the workforce, core values of sustainability will continue to grow as a priority for purchasing decisions. Shifting to full transparency in products will allow end-users to evaluate each purchase with a more sustainable mindset.

Obstacles
Eco-friendly options are often associated with higher prices. Even when social responsibility is a consideration, price is often the main factor in a purchasing decision. The age of information has led consumers to research every decision. However, this increased saturation of information can often lead to unclear or unregulated claims about a product’s sustainability. Transparency implies third-party verifications, which can financially burden start-up companies seeking to innovate in the market.

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Transparency helps consumers recognize what they are buying is healthy, safe, and environmentally friendly. LEED v4 offers additional points for selecting building materials with health product declarations[18] (HPDs), environmental product declarations[19] (EPDs), or other third-party verifications.

Understanding product transparency leads to a competitive marketing advantage over other companies. The WELL Building Standard[20] offers credits based on the selection of products with verified limits regarding volatile organic compound (VOC) outputs. Material selection transparency will help architects offer optimal solutions to problems the customer may not be aware of, and ensure projects are up to code.

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Conclusion
Planning for the reclamation of building materials in the demolition phase is a priority because it directly reduces contributions to landfills and increases the likelihood reclamation is done properly within time restrictions.

Design professionals can further support a circular economy by selecting sustainable products, including researching those with recycled content and avoiding those with possible VOCs. HPD, EPD, and the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Greenguard certifications can be a valuable resource when evaluating products. Striving for LEED certification and the WELL standard will also place higher emphasis on selecting transparent and sustainable materials. Utilizing programs such as EPR and Cradle-to-Cradle will increase the ability for materials to be reclaimed. It is important to implement all of these aspects in the design process.

The circular economy is a holistic solution, and can only be implemented if all factors are fully addressed. Consumers who do not consider sustainability will not address reclamation. If waste materials are not properly reclaimed, manufactures cannot utilize them for future production. Further, when material selection does not involve transparency, it burdens reclamation efforts and may be problematic for consumers.
A circular economy is an evolving model necessitating design professionals correctly vet and execute decisions for continued sustainable optimization.

Following through with decisions is, ultimately, the only way to ensure a sustainable approach for construction projects. The role of design professionals in sustainable construction cannot end with the specifications document. Emphasis on onsite sustainable operations and decision-making with contractors and subcontractors will help to ensure circular economic processes are followed completely.

Sean Ragiel is president of CarpetCycle and serves on the Carpet America Recovery Effort’s (CARE’s) board of directors. Ragiel was named CARE’s Person of the Year in 2012. He has more than 18 years of experience in the daily operations, management, and analysis of waste management processes. Ragiel can be reached at sean@carpetcycle.com[22].

Robert Phillips is product manager at CarpetCycle. Phillips is an active participant and researcher for sustainable trends and practices in the construction and demolition industry. He has a bachelor’s in communication with a focus in qualitative research studies from Western Connecticut State University. There he received the Lamda Kappa Eta Academic Achievement. He can be reached at robert@carpetcycle.com[23].

Source URL: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/the-circular-economy/

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