UKGBC launches new toolkit to accelerate the transition to a circular built environment

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has published a toolkit to enable the construction industry to accelerate the shift from a linear to a regenerative, circular economy.

Published in January this year, the toolkit is called ‘System Enablers for a Circular Economy’.

It highlights systemic barriers and the policy and market-based solutions to enable the built environment industry to shift from a linear to a circular system.

Plus, it identifies eight enablers that will encourage the shift from our current linear economic system.

In doing so, it builds a foundation for a circular economy across the built environment so it becomes the default way of operating as we transition to net zero.

Eight ways the toolkit enables a circular economy

1. Greater collaboration and early engagement between industry stakeholders
2. Establishing a marketplace for secondary construction materials
3. Architecture practices characterised by circular economy design principles.
4. Expanding the use of green contracts and leases
5. Tax, legislation, and policy systems that direct industry and markets towards circularity.
6. Scaling up green finance to stimulate business support for a circular economy.
7. Enabling the industry to measure progress by having a set of consistent metrics, benchmarks and indicators.
8. Educating practitioners and decision-makers with the necessary knowledge to be able to implement circular economy more widely.

“A fundamental change”

The toolkit highlights how the transition to a circular economy will require a fundamental change in our economy.

In fact, all levels of government, industry, and civil society must rally behind the common goal to shift from our current extractive and wasteful linear economy towards a regenerative, circular one.

It also reveals solutions to deliver a circular economy in today’s market. What’s more, it can be implemented immediately.

For example, the greater use of circular economy design principles ensures a deconstructable and reusable approach to architecture that keeps construction materials in use.

To read the story in full and download a copy of toolkit click here.