Lazari launch new sustainability film
The circular economy in construction is not new; in fact there are many examples in some of our most iconic historic buildings dating back hundreds of years.
Stone from castles has been used to repair and extend stately homes. When ships were taken out of service and dismantled, their timbers were used to build roofs in substantial properties. So the big question is: why has it become so difficult to do it now in the modern world?
We are today challenged by increasing legislation and regulation that seem to promote the ethos that unless it is new, it is likely to fail. Couple that with the desire to build everything faster and the need not to take on any risk whatsoever, and things start to become more difficult very quickly.
Despite all of this, the construction industry as a whole is trying to embrace the desire to put the circular economy into action. Leading developers are working with their supply chains to embed the reuse of material into initial project briefs. This will drive change that will see more building retention in whole or in part, leading to less demolition. Where this isn’t possible and buildings are being taken down, they are now being dismantled and considered as material banks for reuse rather than landfill.
The big question is: how do you create the circular economy so that it is optimised and contributes to the construction industry? The main challenges facing the industry are clear: the continuing desire to introduce legislation; logistics and storage; certification; lack of incentivisation; and over-regulation.
