The construction sector in the EU is a major contributor to carbon emissions and waste generation, with unsustainable practices pushing the sector past critical global warming limits. However, applying circular economy principles through a 'Circular Building Scenario' alongside industry decarbonisation has the potential to significantly reduce the sector's CO2e emissions by 4.15 Gt, keeping the 2°C global warming scenario within reach, and reducing material consumption by 6.7 Gt between 2024-2050.

The built environment is responsible for producing 35% of all waste in the European Union, and its carbon budget is rapidly depleting. Accelerating the transition towards a circular economy in the built environment is a key way to reduce our impacts. This report examines the systemic challenges to accelerating the circular transition in the construction sector in Europe, and what can be done to overcome them.

^{Revision note: The current available version of this report contained a mistake. Whereas the report estimates average annual impact 2024-2050 of the construction sector to be 277 Mton CO2e, a recent review suggests that this should have been 245 Mton CO2e. Furthermore, page 21 suggests that this is the impact of construction and renovation. This should have been construction only. A revised version of the report will be uploaded on 2 May 2024. A more detailed breakdown of the impact for each year is presented in the report Four Circular Building Pathways towards 2024.}

To achieve our goal of a circular built environment, we invite industry frontrunners to share their ideas on overcoming existing barriers or creating demand for their solutions. We fund blueprint projects of organisations keen to contribute to widening the market for their solutions, or solutions like them, to benefit all while contributing to the public good of accelerating the transition towards a circular built environment. Find out which blueprint projects are eligible for funding!

Details on submitting blueprint projects, our selection process and criteria of our open-call.