Ms Marion Jammet:

I thank the Chair and the committee for the invitation to present today.

The Irish Green Building Council is a registered charity, with over 400 members drawn from all parts of the construction value chain. Our role is to provide leadership for a more sustainable built environment. While there are inspiring examples of circularity in the Irish construction sector, Ireland has one of the lowest rates circular material use in Europe. Many construction materials are technically reusable, but less than 2% of building elements are currently reused. The circular economy can be described as an economic system in which the value of products and other resources is maintained for as long as possible.

Circularity is not just about recycling. It requires a fundamental shift from the current linear economic model of make, use and dispose. A circular approach to construction can reduce carbon emissions, while preserving natural resources and creating economic value. Embodied carbon emissions account for 14% of Ireland’s national emissions. There is no decarbonisation without a circular economy. Competition will intensify as demand grows for finite natural resources, leading to further increases in the price of construction materials. Circularity is key to improving resilience in the supply chain. Buildings and construction materials can be circular if they are designed to be easily shared, maintained, repaired, reused, remanufactured and, the least favourable option, recycled. For instance, it is better to reuse a steel column as it is, as opposed to melting it down and recycling it into a new column, particularly as this process requires a significant amount of energy. Renovations are almost always lower impact than new builds. Extending the use life of buildings and, more specifically, the elements with a high environmental cost, such as structures and facades, is critical. When we do build new, we must design out waste at all stages of the building life cycle.

Leaner designs are key in addressing carbon emissions and waste. For instance, off-site prefabrication can reduce waste during production and construction. Elements and spaces that may not be essential for the functioning or efficiency of a building must be reassessed. Buildings must be designed for optimum use by facilitating alternative uses at different times and over the lifespan, while retaining the value. It can be as simple as allowing enough leeway within the building design that when occupants need change, the building can be easily adapted.

We can re-imagine how our homes can be designed for life, by using a modular approach to easily transition from a one-bed property to a three-bed home and vice versa. Designing homes for adaptability would allow us to respond more quickly and efficiently to demographic changes, such as the trend toward smaller households. Just like structures fitting together like Lego, products, services, and entire buildings must be designed to be deconstructed and their components reused.

Reducing waste and supplying high value secondary materials suitable for reuse and recycling at a later stage, requires designs that support ease of deconstruction. For example, screws and fixings can be used rather than adhesives, to facilitate reuse. Digitalisation and material passports can further support this process. They provide a structure to collect information on a product, its safety, environmental impact and reusability.

To conclude, we cannot tackle the three environmental crises we are facing without transitioning to a more circular construction industry. By keeping assets at their highest value for longer, this transition can also improve the resilience of the supply chain and add value to our society and economy. Despite challenges, the construction sector holds immense potential to implement circularity. To support this transition, a full set of co-ordinated actions are needed. More specifically, circular approaches must be fully integrated into public procurement to drive changes in the market. We also need more financial incentives, including for pilot projects, to support innovation.

The certification and licensing system must continue to be streamlined to increase the credibility and widespread use of pre-used products and material. Improving quality assurance is key in increasing trust in the process and in supporting circularity. The circularity principle must also be integrated into planning, which could be through a requirement for larger projects to demonstrate adaptability and that deconstruction has been considered in the design and through pre-demolition audits as a condition for demolition.

Finally, upskilling in circularity must be further encouraged. We thank the committee once again for the invitation to inform its work.