Overarching goals for 2030
Global resource consumption exceeds the limits of our planet by a factor of three. On a European level, the built environment is responsible for around half of all raw material extraction and over 35% of all waste generated in the EU. In Germany, according to the Federal Statistical Office construction and demolition waste even accounted for more than 50% of nationwide waste in 2021. Many materials found in waste can be recycled or reused, offering major potential to improve the extent to which materials are reused or recycled on a national level by different member states. In addition, the building sector is responsible for 5 to 12% of total greenhouse gas emissions caused by the extraction of raw materials, the production of building materials and the construction and renovation of buildings. Using efficient materials offers the potential to cut these emissions by 80%.
The 2030 vision presented in the New European Circular Economy Action Plan is to decouple economic growth from the use of finite resources and reduce the depletion of renewable resources. In its Resource Efficiency Programme III, Germany has set itself the goals of increasing overall raw material productivity by an average of 1.5% annually by 2030, of reducing the consumption of raw materials and of increasing the use of secondary raw materials. According to the New European Action Plan, economic growth should be independent of resource consumption by 2050. The action plan includes interlinked initiatives that will require a strong framework for sustainable product policies, a change in consumption patterns, the promotion of waste prevention and strengthening of the circular economy. Sustainable product policies also address the core value chains of production, such as those found in the building and property industry, covering both the design of sustainable materials and production processes themselves. These form the basis of goals for reducing consumption-led material footprints, doubling the share of materials entering the circular economy and halving residual municipal waste by 2030.
Our Objectives
9.1 Valuing existing buildings
As far as possible, existing buildings are retained, or if deconstruction is unavoidable, they are used as a source of materials for use on or close to the site.
9.2 Minimum resource consumption
In line with overarching circularity targets, resource consumption for measures applied to buildings or their external surfaces is demonstrably minimised over the entire life cycle.
9.3 Resources from material cycles
At least half of resources used for modernising, converting, renovating or erecting buildings come from zero-loss, low-cost circular processes or from renewable primary materials sourced through demonstrably fair and environmentally friendly supply chains.
9.4 Waste-free management
Waste-free management is applied to the manufacture of components and materials, processes followed on building sites, and the operation and maintenance of buildings.
9.5 Buildings that support post-use circularity and component/recyclable material mining
Buildings are easy to convert or deconstruct, materials are properly documented for establishing 'urban mining', and materials can be applied to post-use circular processes according to high standards.