There’s No Such Thing As Waste – Making Circularity Happen

Simon Guy • 20 July 2023

Founded in 2019, London Climate Action Week (LCAW) is one of the world's largest

independent climate change events. It brings together representatives of businesses,

NGOs and civil society on a global platform to explore and promote solutions to

climate change for London and beyond. As part of this year’s activities, Reusefully

hosted a very well attended online event to explore new thinking in circularity for

buildings under the heading

“There’s No Such Thing As Waste – Making Circularity

Happen”.

Katherine Adams of Reusefully opened the session and reminded everyone that whilst the title of the event said there is no such thing as waste, the truth of the current situation is that the total UK waste in 2018 was 222 million tonnes, with 138 million tonnes of that coming from construction, demolition and excavation.

Even though a lot of construction waste is recovered, it is often downcycled and if you look at annual figures over the last 10 years or so, there has been little improvement. Circularity, she said, is not just about reuse and recycling, it is about increasing the productivity of materials by doing more with less. It is about maintaining or increasing the value of materials from both a financial and environmental point of view.

She outlined the idea of ‘buildings as material banks’, whereby existing buildings could become ‘donors’ for recipient buildings in the future. There are now a few examples of where this is being achieved, but there is a need to escalate and accelerate this.

There is a lot of thinking around the material value retention hierarchy, which aims to provide an indicator of the value of reuse and recycling at different levels from retention, down to reuse on site, to reuse off site, recycling on site, and then off site. Reusefully are also working on an EU project looking at the circularity indicators that are helpful at different life cycle stages of a construction project.

The importance of accurate and reliable data pervades just about every stage of this life cycle, and with this in mind, Reusefully are currently working on an Innovate UK funded project to explore the use of AI and image recognition to recognise materials and components in-situ in a building with the goal of accelerating the process of creating material inventories of existing buildings.

There is also a lot of work going on to create standards for circularity, and an EU-level Circular Economy Action Plan, which was originally published for construction in March 2020, with the hope that some of this will still translate into the UK market. The Green Construction Board’s Routemap for Zero Avoidable Waste in Construction provides a valuable tool for understanding the barriers and opportunities in construction circularity and the ASBP (Alliance for Sustainable Building Products) has a number of projects and initiatives such as the DISRUPT toolkit to help scale and promote structural steel reuse, and a Reuse Now campaign to encourage greater reuse.

Lauren Allan is Strategic Development Manager for Revitalite, an organisation dedicated to remanufacturing, taking old light fittings from projects and repurposing them using as much of the original materials as possible. Lauren described how towards the end of last year parent company Synergy were approached to undertake lighting retrofit projects. They are now embracing more circular lighting projects, which includes upgrading old fluorescent lighting to more energy efficient LEDs.

She provided a number of examples of successful installations, but also gave a couple of examples whereby reuse might not always be the best or most cost-effective option. However, in general reconditioned lighting will have cost advantages and, of course, reduce waste and improve energy efficiency. Revitalite are also exploring extended warranties when they repurpose and upgrade lighting systems. They will also test to ensure repurposed systems meet safety standards.

Darcy Arnold-Jones of Marks Barfield Architects described how they are working on circularity projects by using the donor and recipient building concept. They began work on their 22 Baker Street office refurbishment project in 2021, and decided at the start to focus on retrofit and reuse. Three main routes for reuse were curated, with the ideal scenario to reuse materials in-situ, failing this to relocate within the building or donating to a recipient building; a local nearby charity project in Stockwell. This was with a view to avoid downcycling and enable upcycling wherever possible. From their experience, often the term ‘recycling’ in demolition refers to a process of devaluing the existing materials with carbon intensive re-purposing processes.

MBA conducted extensive site investigations and auditing at 22 Baker Street, creating a material inventory of the building, then identifying routes for reuse, and in the process developing a system for material passports. They are currently working with an industry working group who are looking to standardise in this area. They estimate they spent an extra +20% of time on systematising the process of reuse upfront in RIBA Stages 1-3, which was partly funded by the client and partly by their own R&D. However, moving forwards they foresee considerable time and economic savings on other projects, as new material costs rise, lead in times are extended causing programme uncertainties, circular infrastructure starts to be established and by initiating a process of pre-occupancy material auditing.

One of the early challenges in the project was the issue of availability of physical storage space to store materials in between building programmes. Certification and warranty issues also caused potential barriers to reuse which had effect on the costs and time spent trying to facilitate reuse; particularly with regards to internal fire doors. However, the importance of cross-industry collaboration ensured the project was ostensibly a success; working with an excellent deconstruction – not demolition – contractor and industry experts. They are now working with Lawmens, the deconstruction contractor, to create a ‘pocket book’ providing tips and tricks for specifying materials for reuse and evaluation the feasibility of on-site reuse.

The project recorded a number of big successes, in both carbon and cost terms, particularly around the reuse of raised access floors and MBA have created a material reuse pathway for critical items, including potentially problematic items such as fire doors.

Sandra Sezgin is sustainability manager for British Land. She described their approach to circularity and work that is being undertaken on material passports. British Land have a strategic objective of reducing carbon, and, to achieve this, they recognise they will have to embrace circularity, making much more use of existing buildings and materials.

This can include retaining the shell and core of buildings, or retaining whole structures and only undertaking light touch refurbishments when absolutely necessary. Examples include 1 Triton Square, where British Land worked with the original contractor to carefully remove, refurbish and replace a worn-out façade in the building, reinstalling with the same glass. For the refurbishment of Exchange House, they secured a supply of reused raised access flooring. They have also reused marble flooring and granite cladding on other projects. They have disassembled structural steel and worked with the supplier to use on other buildings or offer as a reused product. They have made extensive use of material reuse portals such as Globechain.

Repurposing a building starts with an understanding of what is in a building, and treating that building as a material bank, she said. However, Sandra highlighted lack of data on buildings as a major challenge. Material passports will help with this and are an important development especially as British Land are starting to experience shorter lease periods and higher turnover rates in the buildings and spaces they let.

Whilst they are currently internally collecting and storing information on their own buildings , they are looking to more public shared sources of data such as the Madaster platform. Sandra potentially sees a future whereby building owners can share and trade materials in future, but this will need a strong collaborative approach.

Daniel Doran of Lifecycle Sustainability described how LCA (life cycle assessment) can support more circular design. Circularity and carbon go hand-in-hand, and if you are more circular in your design and thinking, you will produce less carbon. Daniel outlined how an LCA analysis will produce a lot of numbers and indicators for you, many of them related to circularity and resources, which can provide a strong motivation and driver for clients to embrace circularity. LCA will also give you a genuine cradle to grave ‘whole picture’. However, there are challenges in using LCA to support circularity, one of them being the lack of information on ‘end of life’ and demolition/deconstruction, which often does not help in modelling reuse options. LCA has a well-defined and standardised approach, which is not yet the case with circularity although that is starting to change he said.

A lively discussion and debate followed the speakers’ presentations, with a discussion on issues such as providing products such as lighting systems as a service on a lease or rental basis, to the challenges of logistics and providing storage space, and the need for more comprehensive data and material inventories for existing buildings. Attendees reaffirmed their commitment to working together to share the principles and positive benefits of circularity for the construction sector, and work collaboratively in areas such as data sharing and standards which are crucial for success.

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Planning for Circular Construction

by Gillian Hobbs • 4 December 2025

How can planning policy positively advance the cause of circularity for the construction sector and what are leading municipalities doing to try to create an environment where reuse and circularity can thrive? Join us on January 29th 2026 for an online webinar principally aimed at planners and planning consultants that will delve into planning policy and explore how it can influence and support the development of a more circular construction sector. You will hear from Hrabina Nikolova-Laxness of Westminster City Council , who are playing a prominent role driving sustainability standards for one of London’s largest boroughs, and from Pernille Kernel of the Capital Region of Denmark , who will be showcasing some of the construction circular economy interventions that now affecting more than 2 million Danes in Copenhagen and surrounding areas. This will be a great meeting of minds between the UK and Denmark, in an event chaired by our Gilli Hobbs , who chairs the British Standards committee for Circular Economy in Construction and is co-lead for the European Working Group considering standards for pre-deconstruction and pre-redevelopment audits and evaluation. For more information and to sign-up for the event register here on Eventbrite.

COP30’s Final Day: A Story About Homes, Climate and Lessons from Brazil

by Gillian Hobbs • 21 November 2025

As COP30 closes today in Brazil, most headlines have centred on forests and energy. But there’s another critical question we must ask "where will people live in a climate-safe future? Gilli Hobbs of Reusefully and Ana Quintas of Sustenuto reflect on affordable housing, sustainability and quality. Affordable housing isn’t only a social priority, it’s a climate imperative. Sustainable development can only succeed if construction, housing, and social impact move forward together. Around 11 years ago, whilst at BRE, we were invited to a pan government and industry workshop to discuss affordable housing and priorities to improve sustainability and quality in the next (highly ambitious) phases of the Minha Casa Minha Vida programme. There had already been around 3 million homes built over 7 years. An impressive feat that resulted in millions of Brazilians having formal housing for the first time. However, there were issues arising from these developments that needed to be resolved prior to the next wave of developments. In 2015, we launched a programme with Caixa Econômica Federal and UNDP to strengthen sustainability in Brazil’s social housing sector - Advancing the Sustainability of Social Housing Developments in Brazil. The goal was to raise environmental performance and building quality in Brazil’s Minha Casa Minha Vida programme, which has provided millions of homes for low-income families. These earlier housing developments offer important lessons, while future programmes present opportunities to embed higher sustainability standards from the start. To support this evolution, our team and partners developed a set of tools and methodologies: Sustainability Standard for Social Housing : A framework to support governance, tools, training, and guidance to programme managers and operators. Balanced Scorecard : A holistic evaluation approach covering infrastructure, services, and the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of communities. Post-Occupancy Evaluation : A robust methodology adapted to the Brazilian context, enabling consistent data collection on housing performance and resident experience. Impact Assessment : Although data gaps limited a full evaluation, we provided strategic guidance to strengthen future assessments. Dissemination Phase : Workshops with industry, associations, and residents, supported by CAIXA, UNDP, and the Ministry of Cities, ensured wide engagement and knowledge sharing. This work marked the beginning of a long-term journey: embedding sustainability not just in buildings, but in governance, urban planning, and community development. Watch this short video on how Brazil approached sustainable housing challenges a decade ago. Why this matters today Buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy-related emissions. Every affordable home built without sustainability locks in decades of inefficiency, higher costs, and increased climate risk for families who can least afford it. As COP30 ends, the real work begins. Climate justice isn’t only about forests and energy transitions . It’s also about homes—where people live, raise families, and build their futures. Sustainable development only succeeds when housing, construction, climate resilience, and social impact move hand in hand. COP30 reminds us of a simple truth: climate justice starts at home. What did we learn? Our project was quite intense, involving many stakeholders from across Brazil. The level of collaboration and determination to provide more sustainable and resilient homes for the poorest segment of society was very impressive – for which it won an award as you can see below.

45 Waterloo Street – Reuse in Action in Glasgow’s Financial Services District

by Simon Guy • 13 November 2025

45 Waterloo Street is a 95,500 sq ft office building acquired by RoundShield and CEG Group earlier this year which is currently undergoing refurbishment by the new owners. This includes a full internal refurbishment, refreshed external elevations, a new external roof terrace and removal of the large, glazed atrium to the rear of the building. The building is situated in Glasgow’s busy financial services district.

Driving Reuse – Emphasising the Positives

by Zoe Culverhouse • 11 November 2025

Part of driving the transition to a circular economy is highlighting the truth about the effect that we’re having on the environment, the challenges we are facing, and the issues that need to be addressed. Reusefully's Zoe Culverhouse reflects on some of the learning from the recent ASBP Reuse Summit, and the need to focus on the positives we are starting to see. For most of us, and certainly for those of us who attended the ASBP Reuse Summit, the scary truths are enough to make us change our ways and work to find solutions. It is also true however, that for some having access to this information is not enough to spur them to create change. So, the question I’m sure we all want answered is, what will? Leading by example, highlighting the benefits, sharing successes, and proving possibilities were key themes and drivers discussed throughout many of the talks. There are lots of positive things happening in the world of circularity and sustainability; global risks for climate change are being recognised, there has been growth is renewables, embodied carbon legislation is improving, we are seeing successful reuse of numerous materials and products, and The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion that climate inaction can be a breach of international law, to name a short few. Potentially one of the most exciting things to see is that there is so much innovation in this space, many of the speakers spoke about the idea of ‘possibilism’ and these innovative projects are showcasing just that. At Euston Tower, Arup and 3XN GXN are extracting panels of the concrete floor for reuse in another structure. At the Brunswick Centre Hub, Heyne Tillett Steel are jacking and lowering floor slabs to increase floor to ceiling heights, and at Resource Rows, Lendager cut out and reassembled old cement-mortar brick facades into new facade modules. Reusefully were involved with one of these projects, proving the initial pre-demolition audit for Euston Tower. Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer to our question of what will drive change, but I can share with you some of the topics shared at the ASBP Reuse Summit. Salvatore Gangemi and Ivo Kolchev, sustainability managers at McLaren, spoke about some of the risks of inaction around sustainability and circularity that organisations may be facing now and in the future. These include regulatory, reputational, and operational risks and may be key drivers for those who I fear will otherwise make no attempt at change. Though risk is a big driver it is not ideal to force people into change, so how do we make them want to? Many of the speakers shared ways in which we might do so; we need to get them involved, we can challenge norms around procurement and business as usual, lead by example and share our successes and possibilities, share the benefits (like winning awards, professional pride, and faster planning processes), and one of my favourite suggestions, we can trick them! Well not really, but this idea stemmed from discussion around renaming reuse and shifting terminology to change perception, dubbed ‘sneaky reuse’. Some suggestions included renaming reused materials as ‘carbon free materials’, ‘pre-loved’, or ‘extended life products’. A great example of success is Durley Chine Environmental Hub, designed by Footprint Architects. It is an amazing building that has the power to get people excited about reuse. When Philip O’Leary, Director at Filros Timber Consultancy and Board Member of Woodknowlege Wales, shared this case study with the group you could hear the amazement at its beauty. Some may be surprised to know that it is partially constructed and clad with reclaimed timber. You may not think you’re interested in ‘timber reuse’ but I have no doubt that this building interests you, the reuse of the reclaimed timber alongside other sustainable elements don’t just make it beautiful, they give it a story. It is now an exemplar and award-winning building for sustainability. Though it may sometimes feel like it, most people aren’t actively trying to push against circularity and reuse. Ben Holmes Associate Director & Head of Sustainability at Elliott Wood, spoke about how giving people the tools to succeed is key. His implementation toolkit shows us that to be successful project teams need, capability, motivation, and opportunity. Capability can be built by providing tools that can be used to reduce the information gap. Opportunity can be created by processes such as getting an audit done as early as possible and following up through the project. Motivation can be sustained through storytelling, gamification, workshops and competitions. So, my main takeaways from this event are, to focus on the positives and the successes we have already seen, share the bright and beautiful side of reuse, remember to stay excited about progress and innovation, and base your world view around what is possible. Some further reading and information: Euston Tower , Arup and 3XN GXN Heyne Tillet Steel Lendager’s Resource Rows Durley Chine Environmental Hub , Footprint Architects ASBP’s Reuse Now campaign You can connect with Zoe Culverhouse on LinkedIn

A Vision for Greater Circularity for Fit-Outs and Interiors

by Katherine Adams • 27 October 2025

We spend 80-90% of our time indoors, and the workplaces, leisure spaces and retail outlets we use are of fundamental importance to our lives, our health, wellbeing and our economy. However the market that supports the creation and management of interior spaces is highly wasteful and carbon heavy.

Using Circular Economy Thinking and Industrial Symbiosis to Support Net-Zero

by Simon Guy • 18 June 2025

A pioneering scheme to create a pathway to net zero carbon emissions for a North Yorkshire industrial estate is providing a viable model for decarbonisation in rural industrial estates. The Decarbonising Dalton project was supported with funding from Innovate UK and match funded by Dalton Business Partners, carried out a 12-month feasibility study at Dalton Industrial Estate near Thirsk. The study examined emissions associated with power, heat, transport and the circular economy, developing strategies to reduce them effectively. The study provided individual assessments for each business on the estate, resulting in a tailored action plans to achieve net zero while minimising the need for carbon offsetting. The initiative was delivered in five key phases: business needs assessments, quick-win reductions, shared onsite opportunities, offsite interventions, and collation and knowledge sharing. Following the circular economy work package undertaken by Reusefully (which focused on the individual business’ material procurement needs) the Dalton Industrial Estate Exploitation Plan highlights that in 2026 partners should promote industry symbiosis across the estate. The Plan highlights how businesses can collaborate to agree on common material requirements, enabling them to share resources more efficiently. By aligning their procurement strategies and identifying opportunities for material reuse, businesses can significantly reduce waste and reliance on external suppliers. This cooperative approach would not only enhance sustainability but also create a more resilient and interconnected industrial ecosystem, driving further progress towards the Estate’s decarbonisation goals.