SUMMARY

The project aims at developing a joint Nordic monitoring framework for circular construction. 

Implementing new indicators for circular construction involves a multifaceted challenge encompassing academic, political, and technical dimensions. This complexity may be a critical reason that macro indicators on circularity are often limited to simplified metrics such as recycling rates. The consequence is that most policy targets are likewise limited to the same simplified metrics; more ambitious policy targets lack from not being monitored.

The academic challenge is that available definitions of circularity are so broad that they define everything and nothing at once, much like sustainability. The political challenge is that new metrics may prove advantageous for society while concurrently posing challenges for specific groups. Finally, the technical challenge is collecting and ensuring high-quality data across national borders.

Findings from screening potential indicators, a systematic literature study of the impact of circularity strategies, a Nordic policy review, and stakeholder engagement activities have suggested eleven new voluntary indicators to measure circularity in the Nordic building sector. These cover a range of circularity strategies, time dimensions, and lifecycle stages. When evaluating them with the EU RACER criteria, they all receive a fairly robust score (around 4-6 points out of a maximum of 7 points).

Each indicator is elaborated in individual sections. Here, valuable metrics are suggested, and considerations for harmonising the monitoring approach across the Nordics are proposed. Existing data sources are also pointed out, and their limitations are discussed.

In the final section of the report, a Nordic draft implementation strategy is proposed to determine the steps required to reach the overall objectives with a new monitoring framework, being that “the Nordic countries utilise a joint monitoring model for circular construction, enabling harmonised and periodic benchmarking of progress against national policy targets”. Key strategy activities include establishing a Nordic Steering group and proposing a 5-year interval roadmap with benchmark values for each indicator proposed. Overall, the strategy activities suggest improved monitoring of the sector’s ability to preserve the function of existing building stock. Finally, it is suggested that circularity scores from building certification schemes be utilised as critical proxies and that the required criteria and minimum weightings of the circularity criteria be introduced to building certification schemes and upcoming standards.