2. Introduction

[Nordic Networks for Circular Construction]

This project is part of Nordic Networks for Circular Construction (NNCC), a multi-annual programme by the Nordic Council of ministers to drive circularity in the construction sector. The programme assesses the current state of circular construction, develops metrics for measuring progress, and engenders change in the industry through the development of networks and platforms for spreading knowledge and experience (NNCC, u.d.).

The programme runs from 2021 to 2023 with the following components:

This report is the final deliverable for WP2.

Construction is responsible for a significant portion of both raw material use and waste generation in the Nordic countries, with around 45 per cent of total waste generation in the Nordic countries coming from construction and demolition activities (Eurostat, 2023). Construction and the built environment are (Regeringens klimapartnerskaber, 2019) also responsible for approximately one third of Nordic greenhouse gas emissions. As the energy efficiency of new buildings has increased in recent years, thus minimising emissions from the use-phase of a building’s life cycle, the GHG emissions embodied in the construction materials becomes increasingly relevant. The transition to a more circular construction industry has the potential to save raw materials and help minimise the emissions related to construction and the built environment.

The national Nordic authorities have all identified the transition to a circular construction industry as an important component of the broader green transition. This is mirrored at the EU level, where a raft of strategies and regulations over the last decade have highlighted the role of the circular economy in moving toward a sustainable Europe, while at the same time identifying the construction sector and the built environment as important focus areas.

While many of the activities related to circular construction are already present in the sector, such as renovation, repair, and maintenance, the industry is currently geared as a linear system.

This report provides the foundation for the rest of the Nordic Networks for Circular Construction project. This includes providing an overview of circular construction today, the framework conditions for circular construction in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, and the barriers and opportunities to circular construction along the construction value chain.

This project develops an overview of circular construction in the Nordic countries in 2022 and the main avenues that can be exploited to support further transition to a more circular construction sector in the future. Specifically, the project: