Written by: DR. Duygu Erten, P.E. Green Building Specialist | Academician Yeşil Bina Uzmanı | Akademisyen

The environment in which people live today has an impact on a huge area, leading to the most important and harmful issues in our world right now. Most importantly, it is slowly escalating to a point where human life is in danger. Numerous flood disasters brought on by climate change, the devastation of the natural world we have caused, and countless other destructions brought on by mindless production and development are all on the rise (Tekeli and Ataöv, 2017).

Buildings and construction account for 39% of global carbon emissions, with construction work and materials accounting for 11% of this total (Architecture, 2030). While significant progress has been made in improving building operational energy efficiency, there is growing concern about the embedded or pre-carbon that goes into material extraction, processing, transportation, and construction work Construction materials account for half of all raw materials used in Europe, while demolition and construction waste account for roughly one-third of all waste. Building materials reveal enormous potential and opportunity for a circular economy due to their high volume (Mazria, 2020).

Between 2020 and 2050, new buildings are expected to emit roughly half of their emissions from underground sources and half from operational sources over their entire lifecycle. This ratio, however, in medium term has skewed toward embedded emissions, which account for 72% of building emissions over a 10-year timeframe - roughly the amount of time we have before we cross the 15 °C global temperature change threshold (World GBC, 2021).

The European Commission published the "European Green Deal" in December 2019, outlining the first roadmap of key policies and measures required to implement both the United Nations' 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The European Union's (EU) aims to achieve net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 also promises to "leave no one behind" in the race to establish a climate-neutral economy by that date (EU, 2019).

The European Green Deal, which will have transformative effects on the EU within the framework of the Customs Union, will undoubtedly have an impact on Turkey's commercial integration into the EU, both as a candidate nation and as a partner in the Customs Union. To eliminate potential negative effects and turn the policy changes targeted by our country's harmonization into opportunities for our country, all institutions, particularly building material manufacturers exporting to the EU, should closely monitor the main aspects that stand out within the scope of the European Green Deal and that may affect our country.

On the other hand, in addition to the extensive changes envisioned in EU policies with the European Green Deal, in light of the transformation in global trade and commerce, ensuring the transformation that will support the transition to a sustainable, resource-efficient, and green economy in line with the development goals of our nation, Turkey's exports after 1980, is of significant importance in terms of maintaining integration with the global economy (YMEP, 2021).

European Green Deal Targets 

To reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the entire EU structure policies and enforcement required to be reviewed.

Switching to energy-efficient materials and smart building techniques to improve energy efficiency.

With building renovations, it is possible to reduce energy consumption by 5-6% and carbon emissions by 5%. However, only 1% of renovations can currently be made annually; aims to at least double the energy renovations.

In order to achieve sustainable development, generate employment through development, and end income inequality, nations must use resources wisely. The circular economy uses resources for a longer time through recycling as opposed to the linear economy, which produces everything from scratch (TSE, 2020). Here, it is important to emphasize that Cyprus has a real opportunity to contribute to the circular economy.

Re-Use of Materials

In general, construction industry strategies are based on three principles: reduce, re-use, and recycle. The first refers to the design of buildings with minimal material use. Construction materials account for roughly half of all raw materials used today. Reducing raw material consumption thus entails protecting our natural resources, reducing land consumption, protecting biodiversity, and acting responsibly within the planet's boundaries. It is important to emphasize that recycling is beneficial, but I also believe that we should start reusing materials and products in their current state.

According to the 2020 Report, prepared by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the ARUP company, financial performance will increase by 18% in 12 years simply by changing how fields are used. Circular real estate approaches will address issues such as unused space, rising tenant costs, and costly renovations. It will be possible to develop solutions for the growing needs associated with global displacement. Asset managers will benefit from collaborating with all partners to develop flexible solutions. Tenants' access to services will improve as a result of performance-based contracts. Additional service areas for relocation services will emerge. The confidence generated by this transformation will increase both the market value and the property value.

Globally Implemented Prominent Pilot Project Topics Of Circular Construction

Public authorities - as managers of large real estate asset portfolios and in charge of urban infrastructure, as well as regulators through zoning and permitting have a key role in implementing the circular economy in the built environment. To list the most prominent pilot project topics in the world of circular construction that have been implemented globally:

1. Social urban mining approach of collaborating with social economic businesses to extract, sort, and transform secondary building materials (social inclusion and focus on green jobs for the unemployed or underemployed).

2. Fostering market innovation for less resource-intensive materials (for example, bio-based building materials or low- carbon concrete), with the ultimate goal of lowering the embedded carbon of building materials and the environmental impact of raw material demand.

3. Pilot project selective destruction to recover materials and components.

4. Coordination of all city construction sites under the leadership of the municipality.

5. Conversion of old concrete on-site for new recycled aggregate.

6. Creating a 'cyclicality index' to compare contracts in procurement, for example, when concrete infrastructure is maintained, taking sustained value into account.

7. Recycled materials and components are used in new construction or renovations (doors, technical ceilings, bricks, floorboards, furniture).

8. Testing digital tools to monitor material composition, quantity, and quality (material passports/buildings as material banks).

9. Environmental product declarations (EPDs), environmental cost indicators (ECIs), and life cycle assessment (LCA) calculations for building material procurement requirements.

10. Using existing materials while preserving their value and avoiding waste.

WHAT IS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

The circular economy aims to maintain materials, components, and products at their highest utility and value at all times. It is an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design (EMF). The construction and demolition industries have advanced significantly in recent years, switching to a recycling economy and disregarding a linear economy. Large portions of construction, demolition, and excavation waste are now habitually sent to the landfill. These conversion rates have developed into a practice that has significantly boosted the economies of many nations. To take the next step toward a circular economy, we must place reuse above recycling in the circular economy hierarchy. The use of products or components multiple times for the same or different purposes without reprocessing is referred to as reuse.

FINANCE FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY 

To support the growth of a sustainable, resource-efficient, and green economy, it is essential to strengthen the ecosystem that will allow green finance to develop in Turkey. The banking industry, which accounts for a good proportion of the Turkish financial sector, is exposed to the risks associated with climate change and the shift to a sustainable economy. However, because of its important role in resource allocation, it is also presented with some opportunities in this process. For instance, under this framework, banks must provide housing loans with significantly lower interest rates in order to boost the number of green homes.

The guidelines set by the "Green Homes & Green Mortgage" program, funded under H2020 in the EU and prepared for potential home buyers or homeowners whose homes are built in accordance with the guidelines set by international green housing certifications of greater quality, comfort, energy efficiency, and other environmental performance, provide affordable, discounted mortgage pricing for potential home buyers looking to buy. By purchasing a sustainable or green home, homeowners can reduce their monthly costs (Smarter, 2019).