On-demand webinar

Circular economy: strategies for concrete buildings

There is a growing recognition that we urgently need to transform our throwaway take-make-dispose economy into a circular one, in which resources are kept in use for as long as possible.

Case Studies

Space House, London

The rebirth of 1960s icon Space House as a 21st-century office inventively reuses both its pioneering hybrid structure and its precast cladding.

Circle House, Denmark

Denmark’s first circular housing scheme has precast concrete components that can be configured and reconfigured in different ways, writes Pamela Buxton

YouTube library

Thermal Mass, AKT II, Bennetts Associates & Arup

Thermal mass in concrete and masonry can help us to tackle the challenges of a changing climate. We've been working with AKT II, Arup and Bennetts Associates to bring this essential technical concept to life. The result is pretty cool.

Sustainability Series
Week 3: Concrete's evolving role in a circular economy 

Enabling greater circularity across the built environment using concrete and encouraging the retention of concrete's value throughout all stages of its life cycle is one of the five core commitments of the UK concrete industry‘s refreshed sustainability strategy. This week will highlight resources which demonstrate concrete's role in a circular economy under the themes of reuse, recycling and dematerialisation. 

__________________________________________________________________

Live interactive event: Developing concrete to support a more circular economy

This event brings together experts instrumental in evolving greater understanding in this area of development, helping to highlight opportunities for further improvement, as part of the development of a Circular Economy Action Plan for UK concrete. Join us to hear about some of the activity taking place and to help prioritise further action. 

Catch up on-demand: The event was recorded and is available as an on-demand resource. The webinar is available here.

__________________________________________________________________

Spotlight on: Circular economy strategies using concrete 

There are numerous ways in which concrete can be used effectively to support a more circular economy.

  • A new Concrete Compass for Circular Economy directs to current and evolving resources, guidance and case studies provided by The Concrete Centre to help designers and specifiers make informed decisions regarding their projects.   

Spotlight on: Reduce 

Doing more with less or ‘dematerialisation’ is a fundamental principle of circular economy and key to achieving lower carbon buildings. Concrete frames can take a wide variety of forms and adopting the most materially efficient option for a given layout and building type can lead to significant resource and carbon savings. The inherent durability, fire resistance and thermal mass of concrete can also lead to material savings beyond the frame – offering opportunities to omit finishes that may be required for alternative materials or reduce the equipment needed to heat and cool the building, where thermal mass is utilised. 

  • More information on concrete frame types and material efficiency is available in the recently published Concrete Frames Explained.  
  • A new version of Concept is now available. This free tool enables users to quickly compare embodied carbon of a wide range of concrete frame options, based upon material quantities required in design. Version 5 of includes the addition of a waffle slab option. Concept version 5 is available to download here
  • More information on Concept including a step-by-step user guide is available here

Spotlight on: Reuse 

The inherent low maintenance and durable nature of a concrete structure together with its resilience to fire and the impacts of climate change, mean that it can remain in use over a long period, with the potential to be repurposed and reused multiple times during its lifetime.  

Spotlight on: Recycle 

The supply chain for demolishing and recycling concrete is well established in the UK but new technology is evolving to provide new opportunities. This includes the manufacture of a new cementitious material, carbon capture use and storage and the manufacture of new concrete whether as enhanced recycled aggregate or recycled concrete paste as a cement replacement.  

  • This new paper Making Better Use of Recycled Concrete summarises the presentations and discussions of the online conference ‘Making Better Use of Recycled Concrete’ held in November 2023 in collaboration between The Concrete Centre and Cambridge University.  

Spotlight on: Recycled Aggregates 

The use of recycled aggregates for use in concrete, or elsewhere in construction, is well established in the UK, with around a third of all aggregate use provided by recycled products. But standards and practice are evolving. 

  • New guidance, ’Aggregates in concrete – definitions’  has been developed to explain the correct terminology to use when describing and specifying aggregates for use in concrete, including those related to recycled aggregates. 

Making Better Use of Recycled Concrete

Material Efficiency

Whole-life Carbon and Buildings

Cost and Carbon: Concept V5

Concept is a free, spreadsheet-based tool from The Concrete Centre that enables designers to compare the cost, embodied carbon and construction time of a range of concrete frame options.