TEA talks | Material Reuse and Material Passports 3rd November 2023 | Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster University

This session will bring together experts from academia, practice and industry to present and discuss what are the key measures to accelerate material reuse in construction, use material passports and create a circular economy.

Embodied carbon in the construction phase of a building's life typically equates to 50%/70% of its total life cycle emissions. Therefore, the focus on embodied carbon is a fundamental step towards meeting the Net Zero targets defined by the UK government. Since 80% of buildings that will exist in 2050 have been already built, it is imperative that we make the most of the material already in existence and avoid exploration of raw materials. Re-use of construction materials is the most energy-efficient solution for a circular economy, ensuring material value is preserved as long as possible. The use of reused materials in construction has the potential of reducing the embodied carbon of construction and could minimise the extraction and production of virgin materials as well as reducing construction waste.