Benchmarking Circular Economy Measures in Buildings Along the 11R Framework: A Systematic Review of Quantified Impacts on Material Use, Energy Consumption, GHG Emissions, and Costs

Abstract

Due to the growing demand for materials on the one hand and the advancing climate crisis on the other, the Circular Economy (CE) is globally gaining momentum (Kirchherr et al., 2023). The CE is an umbrella concept for various material-related strategies (Blomsma and Brennan, 2017), which initially focused on the cycling of materials (Boulding, 2011). However, recent studies have broadened the scope, including material efficiency and substitution strategies. In this context, CE frameworks, such as 10R (Kirchherr et al., 2017) or 11R (Çimen, 2021), are increasingly popular, allowing for prioritising various CE strategies. Accordingly, reducing the demand for materials and reusing products is more circular than the cycling of materials itself. While the CE consequently envisages a transformation of the entire economy, individual value chains are particularly relevant. Considering the large quantities of energy-intensive materials and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the building value chain is among the most impactful sectors (Circle Economy, 2023; Hertwich et al., 2020; Material Economics, 2018; United Nations Environment Programme, 2022).