RESOURCE EFFICIENCY, MATERIAL PRODUCTIVITY, RESOURCE CONSUMPTION, WASTE GENERATION,LIFE CYCLE,MATERIALFLOW, CIRCULAR DESIGN, CIRCULARITY INDICATORS, SYSTEMIC APPROACH, CLOSED-LOOP SYSTEM, RESOURCE-EFFICIENT CONSTRUCTION, URBAN MINING, BUILDING STOCK REUSE, ADAPTIVE REUSE, DESIGN FOR DISASSEMBLY, DESIGN FOR REUSE, DESIGN FOR RECYCLING, MODULAR CONSTRUCTION, MATERIAL PASSPORTS, CRADLE-TO-CRADLE, CRADLE-TO-GATE/GATE-TOGRAVE, REGENERATIVE DESIGN, MATERIAL MANUFACTURERS, PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, RECOVER, UPCYCLING, DOWNCYCLING, ZERO WASTE, COMPOSTING, ENERGY RECOVERY, DISPOSAL IN LANDFILL, PRIMARY MATERIALS, SECONDARY MATERIALS, INTERNAL RECYCLED RAW MATERIAL, PRE-CONSUMER WASTE, POSTCONSUMER WASTE, RECYCLED CONTENT, RENEWABLE CONTENT, RECYCLABLE, REUSABLE, RECOVERED MATERIAL, BY-PRODUCTS, CONVERTERS, ISO 14021, LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA), EMBODIED CARBON, MATERIAL INTENSITY, CIRCULAR MATERIAL USE RATE (CMUR), ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATION (EPD), RESOURCE DECOUPLING, SUSTAINABLE SOURCING, EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY (EPR), GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS, SECONDARYRAWMATERIALMARKETS,CIRCULARBUSINESSMODELS Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Governed by the international standard ISO 14025, the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a document that lists the environmental impacts of a given product or material. It includes detailed and accurate information on negative externalities generated throughout the product’s life cycle, such as the production of nonrecyclable waste, water pollution, CO2 and ozone emissions, and water consumption. An EPD is valid for five years. It is used to communicate the results of the life cycle assessment. Depending on the formulations used to produce concrete with a lower carbon footprint, known as “low-carbon” concrete, it is possible to achieve reductions in the carbon footprint of concrete of up to 60%. Virgin raw materials These are resources extracted directly from the environment (soil, subsoil, forests, seas) that have never been used, processed, or recycled. They are obtained through extraction (non-renewable resources) or harvesting (renewable resources). Examples include iron ore for steel, sand for glass or cement, timber for frames or insulation, oil for plastics. Their use generally results in higher environmental impacts (extraction, transportation, processing) and a bigger carbon footprint than reused or secondary materials. According to the Helen McArthur Foundation, adopting circular economy principles could reduce emissions by up to 50% in the construction sector by improving material efficiency, increasing recycling rates, and reducing waste. Secondary materials These are materials derived from recycling or recovery of waste or end-of-life products. They replace virgin raw materials in the production cycle, with reduced environmental impact and less pressure on ecosystems. These secondary materials can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of products. Industrial by-products also fall into this category: produced as a result of a manufacturing process without being the main product, they become secondary raw materials when they can be reused in another industrial process, such as blast furnace slag used in the manufacture of cement or stone wool. In Europe, recycling steel would reduce energy consumption by nearly 72% compared with steel produced from ore. Circular material utilization rate (CMUR) This is an indicator developed by the European Union that assesses, for a given production cycle, the proportion of secondary materials in the total inputs. A high CMUR indicates economic use of virgin raw materials in the cycle, and efficient circulation of resources. In the construction sector, it is a measure of the degree of circularity of the materials used and their effective recovery. The European Environment Agency reports that the CMUR across the European Union was 11.8% in 2023, an increase of 1.1 points compared with 2010. Do you speak circular? GLOSSARY The vocabulary of the circular economy is now becoming established in the construction sector. From upcycling to CMUR, from secondary materials to EPDs, this glossary explains a few key concepts to help you better understand and implement the circular transition in construction. Upcycling This is the process of transforming waste or by-products into new products or items of higher quality than the original material or product. There is no deterioration in the physical or chemical properties of the material. The aim is to enhance the value of used products by giving them a new, higher-quality life. In other words, it gives the original material (timber planks, old tarpaulins, fabric, cardboard, plastic packaging, etc.) a new, topend lease of life, often far removed from its original purpose. In doing so, it reduces demand for virgin resources and helps limit the environmental impact. For example, transforming worksite pallets into furniture: commonly found on building sites, and often thrown away even though they are still structurally sound, pallets can be used to make furniture (e.g. benches for break areas, coffee tables, or office shelving, etc.). Downcycling In contrast to upcycling, this refers to a process in which materials are transformed into products of lower value than the original material. The material loses some of its functional or mechanical properties, reducing its potential for future reuse. As a result, the life cycle of the material is rarely extended further. For example, crushing glass to turn it into road aggregate results in deterioration of the material, limiting its reuse to between 10% and 20%. 111 110
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