Closing the loop
The built environment industry is currently one of the worst polluters. A circular model ensures that materials never become waste and nature is regenerated.
Key principles to achieving a circular economy are:
- Design out waste and pollution.
- Keep products and materials in use.
- Regenerate natural systems.
Together we can shift the built environment to reduce waste and emissions, creating more liveable, connected and regenerative places
There are still major barriers to circularity across government, industry and society.
We always do our best for our clients and the environment, however there are barriers outside of our control that inhibit closing the loop and excluding landfill totally. We are passionate about raising awareness around these issues to improve and evolve toward closing the loop.
These barriers include:
Government/ Local Council level
Limited waste management sites in Sydney to accept building materials for upcycling and recycling.
Government/ Industry Council level
Cost of Landfill versus labour costs to separate and recycle materials.
Industry level
Lack of resale value from commercial fitouts.
Industry level (+ Client re-purchasing power)
Use of un-recyclable materials and chemicals in furniture manufacturing.
Industry level
‘Business-as-usual’ de-fit and make-good tenancy requirements.
Industry level
Resistance from the design community to reuse workstations and furniture.
Industry/Client level
Apprehension about how to reuse and recycle in an easy, timely and cost- effective way.
Client level
Perception of reuse and lack of awareness of high-quality adaptable reuse outcomes.
Operating within a circular model is essential.
We recognise the need to drastically shift from the current industry approach that enables toxic waste, extreme carbon emissions and pollution to continue to impact our environment.
We are seeing a strong shift globally and locally towards circularity within the built environment, including:
UN sustainable development goals
- Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.
- Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
NSW state government policy & plans plan
Including the NSW Circular Economy Policy which guides resource use and management to transition to the circular economy, and the NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041 which is a $356 million strategy to reduce waste and carbon emissions.
Industry sustainability bodies and accreditations
Industry bodies and organisations focusing on improving sustainable outcomes including:
- Green Star
- LEED
- NABERS
- WELL
- Living Building Challenge
Australia’s national waste policy & action plan
Includes national targets to reduce the waste by 10% per capita by 2030 and ban waste exports; reach an average resource recovery rate of 80% by 2030; and increase government and industry use of recycled content.
NSW built environment policy & guidelines
The state environmental panning policy now mandates embodied emissions reporting and taking action on climate change and the Circular design guidelines for the built environment directs circularity, embodied carbon and waste reduction within the industry.
Thought leadership and advocacy
Increased advocacy and knowledge-sharing through organisations and initiatives such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation x ARUP built environment information & toolkit and Construction, Architects & Suppliers Declare bringing together industry to tackle climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse.
We envision the possibilities for our industry to evolve to circularity.
Commercial fitouts need to adapt to organisational needs and the changing landscape of work-but adapt shouldn’t mean waste.
We want to make sure that re-furbished furniture is considered as much of an option as buying completely new furniture. We will also continue to advocate to remove the barriers to circularity at a government and industry level as we strive for collective circularity.
