On 10 November 2016, the European Commission (DG GROW) issued a protocol which provides guidance on managing construction and demolition waste (C&DW). Developed by Ecofys, the protocol aims to increase industry's confidence in the waste management process and the quality of recycled C&DW materials.
On 18 January 2016, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report entitled “Circular economy in Europe - Developing the knowledge base”. According to the authors, fundamental changes throughout the value chain (from product design and production processes to new business models and consumption patterns) are required in order to create a circular economy. In this respect, recycling will turn waste into a resource and extending product lifetimes will help preserve natural resources.
Commissioned by The Concrete Initiative, this study by the European Cement Research Academy (ECRA) entitled “Closing the loop: What type of concrete re-use is the most sustainable option?” looks at the different options for recycling concrete.
Country: UK
Type: Sports facilites
Concrete was the material of choice for much of the infrastructure built for the 2012 London Olympics. For example, for the Olympic Stadium Precast beams supporting the lower tiers were cast on the stadium site, there is 9,250 m3 of precast concrete within the stadium bowl. This 'on-site prefabrication' method produced some very high quality finishes. The Olympic Stadium used pre-cast elements and recycled aggregates as cement replacement to achieve a sustainable and robust home for the Olympic Games.
Unable to join the Circular Economy conference on 5 March? No worries - Here you will find a series of highlights of the key points raised!
The European Commission has embarked on several initiatives to analyse and improve construction and demolition waste (C&DW) recycling rates across Europe. According to the Commission, construction and demolition waste accounts for a third of the EU’s total waste production per year, amounting to some 450-500 million tonnes.
Bridging the gap between technical feasibility & policy needs (upon invitation only)
On 2 July 2014, the European Commission adopted its Circular Economy package. This package includes a Communication on Resource Efficiency Opportunities in the Building Sector. One of the key areas within this communication is the recycling of construction and demolition waste (C&DW).
On 5 March 2015, The Concrete Initiative had the opportunity of participating in a panel debate on the hot topic of the Circular Economy. As readers are aware, a Circular Economy package was launched in the summer of 2014. However, with a new Commission comes a new perspective, resulting in the scrapping of the existing package infavour of a new, much broader initiative due by the end of this year.
Country: UK
Type: Educational/Leisure
The Forum is a £27 million project that comprises municipal and academic libraries, a research and teaching facility, arts venue and café.
