In order to achieve more impact and efficiency on the route towards a circular economy, new business models are introduced in the value chain of construction. It is suggested that lease and performance contracts will stimulate producers to improve quality and lifetime of building products, thereby ameliorating use and reuse of products and their materials. This, since these companies know the origin and composition of the materials, and the history of use and service of the products. The advantages seem to be obvious: the user only pays for use and performance of the product e.g. light, energy, vertical transport or protection against water and wind. The producers remain the owners of products and resources, and have the possibility to reuse and recycle materials and products in an efficient manner. This requires that they provide service during the lifetime of the products, and have the obligation to take care of the perfor- mance of their products over a certain period of time.In the Netherlands these circular business models (CBMs) are already implemented at a small scale. The introduction of these models raises some fundamental questions however, which, ideally, need to be addressed before such models are implemented at a larger scale. The aim of this paper is on the one hand to describe some of these business models, and on the other hand to reflect on some fundamental questions that can be raised in relation to a shift of ownership of materials. What may be the consequences of this shift of ownership? What are the risks of agglomeration of building materials by larger companies? Among other things such a shift could potentially influence the diversity and flexibility of choice available for tenants and building owners. It may also limit future possibilities of SME’s in the supply chain of construction. Are there ways to minimize some of these risks if we decide to implement these business models at a large scale?
The construction and transport sectors both have a substantial impact on the environment. The construction, maintaining and renovating of roads involves both these sectors and the environmental impact of this work can be reduced. The basic principle of a circular economy is to close material loops and so retain the highest utility, quality and value of products, components and materials as possible. An important question in this respect is how to qualify and quantify material flows. Material and project passports seem to be part of the solution to improve insights and sharing information on quantities and qualities of materials used in construction projects. This paper has used a literature study on material passports and has taken into account current project management software used by a municipality, in order to share a framework for organising and collecting road construction data. Furthermore, various scanning equipment and procedures were employed onsite in an experiment in collecting actual road data. This resulted in a large amount of different data files that have been interpreted and incorporated into the existing database structure of the municipality. The insights gained may help other researchers, principals and contractors in the road construction industry in collecting and storing reliable data necessary to renovate roads circularly.
MULTIFILE
Network Applied Design Research (NADR) made an inventory of the current state of Circular Design Research in the Netherlands. In this publication, readers will find a summary of six promising ‘gateways to circularity’ that may serve as entry points for future research initiatives. These six gateways are: Looped Systems; Extension of Useful Lifetime; Servitisation; New Materials and Production Techniques; Information Technology and Digitization; and Creating Public and Industry Awareness. The final chapter offers an outlook into topics that require more profound examination. The NADR hopes that this publication will serve as a starting point for discussions among designers, entrepreneurs, and researchers, with the goal of initiating future collaborative projects. It is the NADR's belief that only through intensive international cooperation, we can contribute to the realization of a sustainable, circular, and habitable world.
