Building sustainable futures: A circular construction economy
By ‘closing the loop’, a circular economy will make the construction industry more resilient and minimise its impact on our planet.
Circular economy principles promote sustainability by decoupling economic growth from resource consumption. Instead of the ‘take-make-waste’ approach of a linear economy, circularity favours reuse, repair and recycling - prioritising high-quality, long-lasting materials that reduce reliance on raw materials. By transitioning to a circular construction economy, the construction sector can drive down carbon emissions and accelerate progress towards Net Zero.
A circular economy approach can be achieved on your next development project by using:
Bio-based construction materials
Durable, lightweight and strong, bio-based building materials are produced from biomass like trees, plants and vegetable oils, so they’re renewable and store CO2. By specifying bio-based construction solutions over traditional ones, the construction industry can significantly minimise its carbon footprint - project by project, part by part.
To support this shift, we’re continually expanding our bio-based portfolio to create high-quality solutions that deliver durability, lightness, strength and longevity to developments.
Low-carbon construction materials
As construction professionals become more mindful of Scope 3 emissions, low-carbon building solutions will become increasingly important. By requiring less energy or raw materials to produce, low-carbon materials minimise the carbon footprint of a project and – where they incorporate recycled materials – can make a positive environmental impact by keeping used materials out of landfill.
Tested against traditional standards to ensure mechanical properties and longevity, our portfolio of low-carbon materials helps ‘close the loop’ by designing out waste and building-in quality.
Discover how our low-carbon solutions can minimise the footprint of your next project.
Recyclable pipes and fittings
Sustainable development looks beyond the construction phase to consider the environmental impact of a structure’s entire lifecycle. To minimise the environmental impact of a development, substances and additives that could limit recyclability can be avoided. Even products that are underground for a lifetime should be carefully selected to ensure they can be repurposed or recycled at end-of-life.
To create products that support a sustainable future, we embed circular economy principles in our research and development to optimise recyclability.
Closing the loop with competitive circular construction materials
By opting for high-quality, low-carbon and recyclable building materials, the construction industry can promote a sustainable, regenerative approach to natural resources.
At Orbia Building & Infrastructure (Wavin), we’re committed to developing sustainable construction solutions that stand-up to all traditional quality standards, including mechanical properties, chemical resistance and thermal stability.
Advancements in shredding, washing and separation equipment are continually improving the quality of our low-carbon and bio-based materials, ensuring these effectively replace virgin materials in every aspect of performance.
And we’re also promoting circularity principles through our Wavin Take-Back Service, which collects and recycles used plastic pipes and fittings.
Calculating circularity: measuring sustainability progress
We're ensuring our sustainability progress is meaningful and impactful via an ongoing programme of analysis and reporting. More information on this can be found in our annual Impact Report.
To learn more about how we’re working to build a more sustainable future, take a look at our dedicated sustainability homepage.