A New Framework for Circular Refurbishment of Buildings to Operationalize Circular Economy Policies

Abstract

The current policies aimed at promoting the decarbonization of existing buildings under the principles of the circular economy are in need of practical measures tailored to local conditions to increase their effectiveness. The lack of standard practices for assessing buildings’ refurbishment strategies toward energy efficiency and CE principles reflects this reality. To tackle this issue, a new framework for refurbishing circular buildings, is proposed in this paper, based on circular procurement and incorporating a lifecycle perspective. This framework articulates a dialogue between local authorities and private stakeholders through a set of steps that encompass building mapping, selective disassembly, (re)design, and (re)build practices, providing opportunities to implement policy-based incentives. The application of the framework within the Portuguese context demonstrates the potential to identify critical moments within the refurbishment process that can materialize in a new set of CE policy actions to be implemented at the building level. These policies are aligned with local construction permitting procedures and take advantage of the resources and incentives offered by the local administration, such as tax incentives.

Framework for Dynamic Circular Economy in the Building Industry: Integration of Blockchain Technology and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach

“…Challenges related to existing regulations and guidelines in the construction industry hinder the adoption of CE principles [97][98][99]. These regulations were typically designed without considering a CE's resource efficiency and waste reduction goals.…”

Climate Change Mitigation through Modular Construction

“…The building components in modular units are highly standardized in size and specifications. As a result, defective components can be refurbished or replaced conveniently with an element from a recycled module, which contributes to creating a closed-loop system that enables resource efficiency [103]. Moreover, MC is highly compatible with novel materials like recycled plastics, geopolymers, and bamboo, which can further lower the embodied GHG emissions prevalent in the CI [55].…”

Reviewing the critical factors for circular building design and construction

“…This lack of a recognized and accepted definition will pose a challenge for broad collaboration [31]. Although there is considerable attention towards the development of CB through scholars and policymakers, the majority of CB research articles contribute to only material preservation, energy reduction, and carbon emissions assessment [27,32] and the big picture for achieving CB, including comprehensive studies that encompasses a variety of aspects of CE in buildings and the implementation of the core strategies for the design has been neglected dramatically [31,33].…”