Circular economy metrics for buildings

A deep dive into best practice approaches for measuring circular economy principles in the built environment by the Circular Economy Forum.
Climate Change Mitigation Resource Use Advancing Net Zero Circular Economy Deep Dive

Member written

Transitioning to a circular economy is key to helping reduce our global resource use and will help to reach net zero and reduce our impacts on biodiversity and nature. UKGBC’s system enablers for a circular economy report listed Metrics, benchmarks, and indicators and one of the 8 enablers which will help the build environment transition to a circular economy.  

Over the past 2 years members of the UKGBC Circular Economy Forum have formed a working group to investigate current circular economy metrics and collate their thoughts on how they could practically be used on built projects. This deep dive is the result of an industry review of best practice guidance, tools and indicators, which has formed the basis for the building circularity metrics discussed in this paper. 

Currently there are no widely agreed circular economy metrics for the build environment. This paper aims to stimulate the conversation on consistency in measuring and reporting circular economy metrics by collating some of the suggested metrics for the building level.  

There are many benefits of measuring and benchmarking circular economy as outlined in this metrics report, including helping to establish what successful circular economy implementation can look like. This report looks at seven potential metrics for the building level and why it is an important consideration at a building level.  

Metrics examined in the deep dive

1

Dematerialisation (Upfront)

Kg/m2 GIA
2

Dematerialisation (Life Cycle)

Kg/m2 GIA
3

Design for Disassembly & Reuse

% (tonnes)
4

Material

Re-used % tonnes, Remanufactured % (tonnes) and Recycled % (tonnes)
5

Material Database and Passport

% (tonnes)
6

Design for Adaptability

% (area)
7

Embodied Carbon

kgCO2e/m2 GIA

Download the Deep Dive

Circular Economy Metrics Paper

Download the deep dive collated by our Circular Economy forum.
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Advancing Net Zero Partners

Our Advancing Net Zero work is made possible thanks to our programme partners

Circular Economy Project Partner

We’d like to thank our 22/23 Circular Economy Project Partner for their support which makes our Circular Economy work possible.

Circular Economy Forum

We’d like to thank the 21/22 Circular Economy Forum Partners for their support which made this deep dive possible.

Circular Economy Forum

The Circular Economy Forum (CE) brings together industry professionals who are actively working on the implementation of circularity to share learnings, find solutions, and make practical progress in implementing circular economy principles on live projects.
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