Client: Client from the retail sector.

Project: Implementation of the circular economy in a refurbishment project.

Project scope:

Analysis of how to integrate circularity principles into a refurbishment project to reduce waste generation during the deconstruction, construction and end-of-life phases, preventing waste from ending up in landfills. Maximising the value of recovered materials and minimising environmental impacts.

Results:

1. Circularity in deconstruction and construction.
Objective: to recover waste. 

• 217 tonnes of materials managed.
• 89.56% recovered to avoid ending up as waste.
• 31.31 tonnes of CO2 eq. Avoided.
• Result higher than the requirement of the European Taxonomy (classification system established by the EU to determine whether an economic activity can be considered sustainable), which requires a recovery rate of more than 70% in a renovation project.
• 3 major sources of waste with a recycling rate above 90% were identified (wood, glass and mirrors and plasterboard) and solutions were sought to prevent them from ending up in landfill. Creation of an ecosystem of collaborators for the recycling of materials removed during demolition and refurbishment with the shop in operation.
• 21 tonnes of glass and mirrors have been recycled and transformed into new glass.
• 32 tonnes of plasterboard have been recycled and transformed into new raw material through the following steps:
  • Demolition and selective extraction,
  • Logistics organisation.
  • Transport to a waste manager.
  • Treatment contract and report

2. Circularity at end-of-life stage

• 190.6 tonnes of installed materials quantified.
• Identification of 24 manufacturers.
• 324 materials passports created, enabling:
  • Inventory all materials and products installed.
  • Measure the impact in terms of health, carbon footprint, cyclability, etc.
  • Manage traceability over time