PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Construction and demolition waste forms the largest stream of waste in the EU, accounting for approximately one-third (over 370 million tonnes in 2016, excluding excavated soil) of the total. Extraction and transformation of resources are estimated to be responsible for half of greenhouse gas emissions and more than 90% of biodiversity loss. Most construction and demolition waste is sent to dumps or landfill, resulting in pollution (ground, water and air) and a loss of reusable resources, in addition to the economic cost.
In France, construction generates over 40 million tonnes of waste each year and public works more than 185 million tonnes. In Toulouse Metropole, the construction sector has a materials footprint from imports of over 2.6 million tonnes and a carbon footprint of almost 1.8 million tonnes. In addition, the footprint from imports of minerals and construction materials is equivalent to more than 1.5 million tonnes of materials and over 310,000 tonnes of carbon.
Numerous European initiatives have tested solutions to develop the circular economy, but these have been limited to one or two specific construction materials (the I-LOOP LIFE project - fibreglass), electrical and electronic waste (LIFE Turn to e-circular), and glass and ceramics (LIFE ECO TILES). Or they have been limited to recycling and sorting of this waste, without envisaging its reuse (CDW-recycling).
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE WASTE2BUILD project aims to develop new circular construction and public works streams, and to prevent at source construction and public works waste based on local resources, by using the levers of public ordering and refurbishment policies. The project will set up an innovative system to optimise resources and recover waste from the local construction and public works sector.
LIFE WASTE2BUILD will be based on the EU Construction and Demolition Waste Processing Protocol, which fits within the European 2020 construction strategy, with the aim of covering all construction materials, the value chain and the demolition, construction and development materials waste stream.
The specific objectives include:
- Reducing the impact of construction and public works on resource consumption and waste production by 35% on the territory of Toulouse Metropole;
- Changing practices in the building sector thanks to new tools and processes;
- Systematising the circular economy in the public procurement construction sector; and
- Disseminating the circular approach of construction.
The project is in line with a range of EU policy and legislation, including the European Green Deal, the circular economy action plan, the strategy on climate change adaptation, the roadmap for a more resilient Europe in the use of resources, the Waste Framework Directive and the Green City Accord, which aims to make cities greener, cleaner and healthier.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- 85% of construction waste recycled across the Toulouse metropolis (corresponding to a volume of 2.3 million tonnes);
- Waste reduction of more than 140,000 tonnes/year from 2026;
- Savings of over 25,000 tonnes of CO2/year from 2026;
- Circular economy criteria included in 80% of works contracts in Toulouse Metropole;
- 60% of businesses responding to calls for tender for public contracts in 2025 to have knowledge of and use local value-added processes (against 25% currently);
- 80% of businesses responding to calls for tender for public contracts in 2025 to have a circular demolition/renovation proposal with a strategy for reusing resources (against 37% currently);
- 60% of employees of companies responding to calls for tender for public contracts in 2025 to be aware of the circular economy thanks to changes in training plans (against 13% currently);
- An online platform created for circular construction based on local resources, used by at least 200 users/year;
- Implementation of the following aspects of the Small Business Act (SBA):
- 100% of building and public works contracts launched by SBA signatories will be analysed in terms of circular economy
- 100 % of public building procurements above 1 million Euros will include circular economy clauses. (52public procurements, 100 millions €).
- 40% to include criteria related to the circular economy
- A sustainable governance model developed to facilitate replication of the project results; and
- A “tiny house” built with 100% of materials originating from reuse as a demonstration of the project results.
