Advancing Circular Construction: Analysing Australia's Policy Shift
What is it about?
Did you know that Australian's generate around 3 tonnes of construction waste per person every year? We've explored the country's circular economy policies to understand how a transition to more sustainable practices in the sector could be achieved. Our analysis shows that while there's a strong emphasis on recycling, there's not enough focus on optimising the use of existing buildings and infrastructure. We argue that a shift towards circular practices should begin at the design stage, not just waste management.
Why is it important?
As a sector the construction industry spends $2 billion on waste services, the highest any industry spends. Construction and demolition waste accounts for 44% of the total waste generated annually. Although per capita waste generation declined by 3.3% over the last decade construction waste increased by 32% . We found that most of the policies aim to increase recycling of construction waste with minimal focus on reducing or avoiding waste. If real progress on circular economy is to be achieved, policy targets should measure criteria such as the reuse of existing building components and use intensity of buildings.