10. Recommen­dations

The Nordic Network for Circular Construction can help overcome many of the challenges facing circular construction in the Nordic countries. It can:

Developers and owners can help overcome the lack of knowledge and experience as well as any economic and cultural challenges by taking the lead and commissioning CC projects, and by including induced benefits in calculations. They can help overcome risk and responsibility challenges by engaging with the value chain to develop new negotiated responsibilities. To do so, they should plan for a long-term future, embed CC at the start of the process, and support the CC process by synchronising construction and demolition activities.

Architects, designers, and engineers can support developers in the move toward CC by proposing and developing CC solutions, supporting the negotiation of risks and responsibilities, and developing new norms for sourcing more sustainable and/or reused materials. They can also work on integrating CC into existing tools and methods and supporting the integration of CC into existing certification frameworks, all with the clear goal of narrowing, slowing, and closing cycles.

Construction companies can support the transition to CC and reduce the knowledge and experience gap by engaging with their peers and learning from pilot projects, networks, and knowledge centres, as well as engaging with all stakeholders throughout value chain to increase collaboration, negotiate new allocation of risk and responsibility, and develop new sourcing routines. They can also support manufacturers in the development of circular tools and products while actively engaging in the revision and guidance of building regulations and product recertification initiatives.

Manufacturers of construction products can support the design of circular buildings by developing solutions that enable flexibility and adaptation, and they can play a key role in providing product information and supporting certification efforts. They can also develop methods for remanufacturing or preparing reclaimed products for reuse, as well as ensuring that construction products are suitable and ready for future cycles.

Demolition companies will play a key role in implementing and defining the necessary process and data standards for pre-demolition material mapping and help build a robust market for reused construction products. This needs to be done in cooperation with developers, the design team, and construction companies. They can help overcome knowledge and experience gaps by engaging with the industry, the value chain, industry networks, knowledge centres, and they will need to build new competencies.

Public authorities are a vital node that can set the CC agenda, ease economic challenges, provide a favourable framework for CC, and coordinate the growth of knowledge and experience within the sector. They can help overcome regulatory barriers by leading the revision of national building regulations. They can also lead the negotiations related to recertification and the integration of reuse into existing product certification, as well as implement coming EU legislation on construction products and digital product passports. They can help steer the industry culture toward CC by developing national CC strategies and integrating CC-relevant content into national education curricula. They can also define a favourable economic landscape for circular construction by introducing taxes on carbon or other natural resources and reducing or removing VAT on reuse-related activities and reused products. Better enforcement of existing waste regulations would also provide an economic boost to circular construction.

Research institutions can support the transition to CC by helping bridge the knowledge and experience gap through participation in or hosting knowledge centres and developing educational materials. They could also support sector networks as knowledge partners and support the public authorities in creating methods for recertification as well as the implementation of the digital product passports. They can take a leading role in developing standards for calculating induced benefits of CC while supporting the integration of CC into existing methods and certification schemes.

Industry bodies can help overcome knowledge and experience gaps by acting as central nodes for industry networks and facilitating cooperation between value chain actors. They can also form knowledge centres, help develop and disseminate education materials, and run further education courses. They are also an ideal focal point for developing new norms and standards (data and process) around pre-demolition material mapping and reused product information, and they can support the integration of CC into existing industry routines. Similarly, they can help develop and disseminate guidance on CC in the current building regulations and positively influence the revision of building regulations.