Reimagining circularity: actions for optimising the use of existing buildings

Rebecka Lundgren; Riikka Kyrö; Saija Toivonen; Lassi Tähtinen

doi:10.5334/bc.578

Figures & Tables

Table 1

Workshop participants.

WORKSHOP	DATE	MODE	COUNTRY	EXPERTISE	ORGANISATION TYPE
Offices to housing (WS1)	25 October 2023	Virtual	SE	Construction	University
			SE	Sustainability	Research institute
			AU	Real estate	University
			IT	Sustainability	Research institute
Vertical extensions (WS2)	16 October 2023	Virtual	SE	Construction	University
			UK	Sustainability	University
			UK	Construction	University
			SE	Architecture	University
Relocatable buildings (WS3)	22 March 2024	Virtual	FI	Construction	Industry
			SE	Construction	Industry
			SE	Architecture	University
			SE	Sustainability	Industry
Collaborative spaces (WS4)	27 September 2023	Virtual	SE	Workplaces	Industry
			SE	Workplaces	Industry
			DK	Sustainability	University
			FI	Real estate	University
			FI	Workplaces	Public sector
Temporary use (WS5)	18 March 2024	Virtual	FI	Culture	Public sector
			FI	Architecture	University
			FI	Architecture	University
Rural Hubs (WS6)	5 May 2023	Face-to-face	SE	Urban studies	University
			SE	Real estate	University
			FR	Real estate	University
			SE	Real estate	University
			FI	Real estate	University
Hybrid & virtual spaces (WS7)	13 June 2023	Virtual	IT	Workplaces	University
			SE	Real estate	University
			SE	Artificial intelligence	University
			FI	Workspaces	Third sector

Table 2

The themes and categories that emerged from the seven workshops.

THEME	CATEGORY	WORKSHOP
THEME	CATEGORY	WS1	WS2	WS3	WS4	WS5	WS6	WS7
Policy	Incentives	×	×	×		×	×
	Carbon targets and true cost economy	×	×		×	×	×
	Restricting new construction		×	×	×
	Restricting vacancies				×	×
Organisational	Regulation—general	×	×	×	×	×		×
	Building code	×	×	×	×	×	×
	Urban planning		×		×	×
	Heritage		×				×
	Opportunity identification and pilot projects		×			×	×
	Risk, planning and feasibility	×	×	×	×	×	×
	Methodology and technical	×	×	×	×	×	×	×
	Skills	×	×	×	×		×
	Business models and organisational change	×		×	×	×	×

Table 3

Overview of the rapid evidence assessment (REA) results: ‘policy perspective’.

CATEGORY	ACTIONS	GENERAL	BUILT ENVIRONMENT	ACADEMIC	INDUSTRY	PERIOD	LOCATION	COUNT
Incentives	General incentives	×	×	×	×	1987–2024	Global, EU, US	7
	Prioritisation/fast lane for the process with a municipality for circular projects		×	×	×	2018–20	Amsterdam (NL), Copenhagen (DK), SE	4
	Rewards (tax reductions, subsidies, free advice, funds)	×	×	×	×	2014–24	Global, Europe, EU, Hong Kong (CN), IT, AT, SE, NL	13
Carbon targets and true cost economy	Heavy carbon targets on all the building industry	×	×	×	×	2020–23	EU, Helsinki (FI)	3
	Mandatory whole-of-life assessments with benchmarking and targets		×	×	×	2020–22	Global, EU, SE	4
	Ambitious environmental requirements for new builds		×		×	2019–24	FR, California, New York City (both US)	3
	Targets relating to all planetary boundaries, including carbon and natural resources	×	×	×	×	2009–24	Global, EU, DE, FR, UK, US	10
	Production and consumption targets—not just production	×			×	2000–22	EU, JP	3
	Tightening requirements and targets		×	×	×	2016–24	Global, NL, Beijing (CN)	3
	True cost economy is implemented, including tax reform	×	×	×	×	1987–2024	Global, SE, California (US)	11
	Price on carbon used to fund interventions and climate-related damages	×		×	×	2024	Global, EU, CA	4
Restricting new construction	Real estate valuation to account for temporary buildings		×		×	2021	Global	1
	Temporary use and more efficient use of space to reduce the need for new construction		×	×	×	2023–24	Global, EU, SE	4
	Construction on greenfield prohibited		×		×	2012–24	EU, DE, UK	4
	Regulation prohibiting demolition and new construction		×		×	2022–23	SE, DE	2
Restricting vacancies	Regulation prohibiting vacancies for over a certain amount of time		×		×	2018–23	US, IE, Paris (FR), Vancouver (CA)	4
	Real estate valuation to value a vacant building as zero rent		×		×	2018–23	US, Paris (FR), Vancouver (CA)	3
	Key performance indicators (KPIs) to reflect utilisation and not just per m²		×	×		2020–24	Global, EU, SE	5
	Temporary use to highlight the value of a space		×		×	2023	Global, US	2
	Fee for vacant building—wasting embodied carbon		×		×	2018–23	US, IE, Paris (FR), Vancouver (CA)	4
	Mapping and evaluation of vacant space		×		×	2024	Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit, New York (all US)	4
Regulation	Regulation to favour circular measures	×	×	×	×	1987–2024	Global, EU, US, NL	6
	Labour legislation to favour more flexible working		×		×	2024	EU, UK, NL	3
	Regulation to give more weight to temporary buildings		×	×		2018	Bremen (DE)	1
	More flexible renting regulation		×	×	×		Global, EU, SE	4

[i] Note: EU = European Union.

Table 4

Overview of the rapid evidence assessment (REA) results: ‘organisational perspective.

CATEGORY	ACTIONS	GENERAL	BUILT ENVIRONMENT	ACADEMIC	INDUSTRY	PERIOD	LOCATION	COUNT
General	General transition of the sector	×	×	×	×	1987–2020	Global, EU, NL	3
Opportunity identification and pilot projects	Mapping and evaluation of potential projects							0
	Support for pilot projects		×	×	×	2020–24	EU, NL, DE, Skive (DK)	7
	Examples and cases that highlight benefits		×		×	n.d.	NL, DK, DE, BE	4
	Pioneers and start-ups showing the way	×	×	×	×	2022–24	NL, BE	6
Risk, planning and feasibility	Municipalities strive for relocatable buildings to lower the risk of demographic changes		×	×	×	2016–24	Scandinavia, FI, AU, NZ	4
	Risk of the true cost economy taken into account		×	×	×	2023–24	Global, SE	2
	Building renovation passports		×	×	×	2016–24	Global, BE, FR, AT, DE	6
	New costing approaches for more realistic cost estimates for interventions in existing buildings		×	×	×	2019–24	Global, SE, Zürich (CH)	4
	Longer economical horizons		×		×	2017–21	NZ, CA	2
	Investing in measures making relocation and intervention in existing buildings more favourable/feasible		×	×	×	2019–23	Europe, EU, Flanders (BE), Beijing (CN)	5
	New financing models	×	×	×	×	2021–24	Global, CA, US, ES, FI	8
	Understanding the social value created		×	×	×	2021–24	Global, Europe, CA, SE, Ghent (BE)	8
Methodology and technical	Technical guidance		×	×	×	2021–24	Global, EU	2
	Funding for finding solutions and materials that are safe, affordable and sustainable		×	×	×	2021–23	EU, CA, IN, NG	4
	Range of low carbon materials; light weight, strong, stiff		×	×	×	2018–24	Global, Nordics, Fuji (JP), US	10
	Digital solutions to enable better utilisation of space and reuse of materials		×	×	×	2017–24	Global, EU, UK, SE	8
	Certifications incorporating all circular measures		×	×	×	2022–24	Global, US, DE	7
	Smart and feasible solutions		×	×	×	2019–24	Global, SE, US	5
	Methods enabling high reusability (all levels)		×	×	×	2004–24	Global, US	5
	Increased occupancy rates		×	×	×	2023–24	Global, LU, SE, NZ	6
Skills	General skills	×				1987	Global	1
	Developing/constructing/designing the reuse of existing buildings is regarded higher than new		×	×	×	2020–23	Global, Europe, SE, IT	4
	Educational providers to train new professionals and trades on circular measures		×			2022–24	Global, ID, CH	3
	Training/education in circularity for those enforcing building and planning regulation		×		×	n.d.	Global, US	3
	More renovation/adaptation specialists		×		×	2022–24	Europe, EU, Delft (NL)	4
	Professionals specialising in the digitalisation		×		×	2021–23	Global, EU, SG	5
	Industry embracing the shift from new construction to reuse and renovation—not shrinking the sector → transitioning		×		×	2022–24	EU, SE, US	4
	Educational providers give training in future-fit technology and skills and not obsolete ones		×		×	2021–23	Global, SG, IT	5
	Up- and reskilling programmes		×		×	2024	EU, SE	3
	Training for how to operate a building properly to prolong its life and reduce in-use emissions		×		×	2007	SG	2

[i] Note: EU = European Union; n.d. = no date.

Table 5

Synthesis of the findings.

CATEGORY	NOVEL ACTIONS	INCREMENTAL	RADICAL
Policy
Incentives	General incentives	×
	Prioritisation/fast lane for process with a municipality for circular projects	×
	Rewards (tax reductions, subsidies, free advice, funds)	×
Carbon targets and true cost economy	Ambitious environmental requirements for new builds	×
	Targets relating to all planetary boundaries, including carbon and natural resources	×
	Production and consumption targets—not just production	×
Restricting new construction	Real estate valuation to account for temporary buildings		×
	Temporary use and more efficient use of space to reduce the need for new construction	×
	Construction on greenfield prohibited	×
	Regulation prohibiting demolition and new construction	×
Restricting vacancies	Regulation prohibiting vacancies for over a certain amount of time		×
	Real estate valuation to value a vacant building as zero rent		×
	Key performance indicators (KPIs) to reflect utilisation and not just per m²	×
	Temporary use to highlight the value of a space		×
	Fee for vacant building—wasting embodied carbon	×
Regulation: general	Regulation to favour circular measures	×
	Regulation to give more weight to temporary buildings		×
	Requirements away from new builds and if new build then relocatable	×
Building code	Restrict proportion of building permits for new builds		×
	Clear directives and regulation for building adaptation	×
	Building code to favour circular designs and durability	×
Urban planning	Municipalities’ visions to make better use of the existing stock	×
	Regulation for maximum height to be increased if a vertical extension	×
	No allowance for new construction in urban planning		×
Heritage	Better understanding of what should be preserved—prioritisation		×
Organisational
Opportunity identification and pilot projects	Mapping and evaluation of potential projects		×
Risk, planning and feasibility	Municipalities strive for relocatable buildings to lower the risk of demographic changes	×
	Investing in measures making relocation and intervention in existing buildings more favourable/feasible	×
	Understanding the social value created	×
Methodology and technical	–
Skills	Training/education in circularity for those enforcing building and planning regulation		×
	More renovation/adaptation specialists	×
	Industry embracing the shift from new construction to reuse and renovation—not shrinking the sector → transitioning	×
	Up- and reskilling programmes	×
Business models and organisational change	Clear circular business models developed and implemented—adapting to a true cost economy	×
	Business models for operating temporary use need to be developed and tested	×
	Business models reflecting more than profit	×
	Competition	×