Circular Cities: determinants of closed circulation of building materials.

Urszula Kozminska, PhD. Eng. Arch.

Exeter Symposium: Circular Economy Disruptions, Past, Present, Future.

Introduction

Raw material consumption (UNEP 2011)The increasing amount of waste in OECD countries (UNEP 2011)

•In 2030, cities will be inhabited by 80% of the human population.

•The urban metabolism of cities is constantly increasing (Kennedy et al., 2011) as well as the material-consumption of urban areas (Barles, 2010).

•Constructionwasteconstitutesasignificantfractionintheglobalwastestream: 10 -15% of all waste (UNEP, 2011) and 34% in Europe (Eurostat, 2015).

Urban Metabolism• (Wolman, 1965; Kennedy et al. 2007)

FOOD

ENERGY

RESOURCES

CITY

ORGANIC WASTE

EMISSIONS

INORGANIC WASTE

inputs outputs

Linear urban metabolism

Cradle-to-cradle and circular economy

plantsanimals

product use

degradation

nutrients for the soil

biological cycle

manufacturingindustry

product

use

materials

technological cycle

Circular urban metabolism

•decoupling of economic growth and development from the consumption of finiteresources

•innovations,effectivedesignanduseofmaterialscanoptimisetheirflowand maintain or increase technical and natural resource stocks

•Material andenergy fluxeswithin acitydepend on economic, environmental, social and infrastructural determinants (Kennedy et al. 2011, Barles 2010, Andenberg 1998, Agudelo-Vera 2012)

•Urban metabolism harvest depends on local technological determinants, urban typology and time (Agudelo-Vera, 2012):

UMTH = PUH x Øtech x Øurban x Øtemp

active

passivebuffer

ambivalent

activ

enes

s

passiveness

landfill price

innovative technologies

communication

distance

energy cost

cotractors will

demand for reused materials

law and standards

social perception

amount of wastepotential pollution 

Main determinants of metabolism of construction waste in Zurich (Spoerri et al., 2009)

Determinants of urban metabolism

•pro-environmental policies and plans (Chong i in., 2010; Qian i in., 2013; Zaman, 2014)

•sustainablecertificationsandotherstateincentives(Barles,2009;Tayloriin.,2009;Chong i in., 2010; Qian i in., 2013; Zaman, 2014; Westerlo, 2011)

•flexibilityoflegalsystem(Hinteiin.,2007,Westerlo,2011;Qianiin.,2013)

Determinants of urban metabolism: systems and law

Determinants of urban metabolism: systems and law Determinants of urban metabolism: infrastructure and planning

•urban density (Barles 2010, Deilmann 2009)

•urban function (Hammer et al. 2003, Agudelo-Vera et al. 2012)

•building typology

•building’sdimensions,volume,age,technicalandaestheticcondition(Kennedy et al. 2007, Agudelo-Vera et al. 2012, Spoerri 2009)

•the quality of transport and infrastructure incl.: selective waste collection points, or-ganisation of demolition companies (Brunner 2011, Chong et al. 2010, Zaman 2014, Agudelo-Vera et al. 2012)

•the processing abilities of a region incl. distances between infrastructure, disposal and construction site (Brunner 2011, Chong et al. 2010)

•second-hand stores, online exchange platforms and systemic information

•thecountry’slevelofeconomicdevelopment(Nizaetal.2009)

•the demand for reused materials (Chong et al. 2010, Zaman 2014)

•the presence of economic incentives (van Hinte 2007, Zaman 2014)

•popularity of pro-environmental solutions (van Hinte 2007, Zaman 2014)

•thecostofthematerial’sextraction(Chongetal.2010)

•the cost of transportation (Chong et al. 2010)

•the cost of processing (Chong et al. 2010)

•the cost of performance (Chong et al. 2010)

•the cost of dismantling (Chong et al. 2010)

•the cost of non-standard design and construction process(van Hinte 2007)

•thecostofdetailedspecificationofmaterials(Chongetal.2010)

Determinants of urban metabolism: economic aspects

Determinants of urban metabolism: economic aspects•air pollution (Chong et al. 2010, Zaman 2014)

•energy consumption (Chong et al. 2010, Zaman 2014)

•water consumption (Chong et al. 2010, Zaman 2014)

•materials’recyclingpotential(Chongetal.2010)

•impact on human health

•the amount of CO2 emissions generated during construction process

•the use of shrinking natural resources

Determinants of urban metabolism: environment

•pro-environmental policies (Andenberg 1998, Barles 2010, Zaman 2014)

•human customs and daily practices (Binder 2009, Quian et al. 2013)

•consumerist motivations (Binder 2009)

•environmental awareness (Andenberg 1998, Spoerri 2009, Zaman 2014, Binder 2009, Quian et al. 2013, Radkiewicz 2009, Bregier 2010)

•social perception (Andenberg 1998, Spoerri 2009, Zaman 2014, Binder 2009, Quian et al. 2013, Radkiewicz 2009, Bregier 2010)

•authorities’awareness(Zaman2014,Binder2009,Quianetal.2013)

•social status incl.: income, age, level of education (Binder 2009, Quian et al. 2013, Radkiewicz 2009, Bregier et al. 2010)

•the level of social engagement (Radkiewicz et 2009, Bregier 2010)

•the ICT index and access to online databases (Quian et al. 2013)

Determinants of urban metabolism: socio-cultural context

Level of recycling of C&D waste (Tojo 2011)

2000 2050

49  141 mln t / year

98,1%86,3%

28,3%

Holland Germany Poland

Determinants of urban metabolism: socio-cultural context What is the situation in Europe?

Countries with high recycling rate: policies and regulationsWaste legal acts with the objective:

•to create closed substance cycles - Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz vom 24. Februar 2012 (BGBl. I S. 212), Germany

•to create material chains - Landelijk afvalbeheerplan 2009-2021. Naar een materiaalketenbeleid, Den Haag, 3.12.2014, the Netherlands

•conform to Waste management hierarchy (Directive 2008/98/EC)

•a life cycle approach to policy making, planning and construction

•promoting circular economy

Waste treatment:

•Commercial Wastes Ordinance (CWO): Ordinance on the Management of Municipal Wastes of Commercial Origin and Certain Construction and Demolition Wastes 2003

•Landelijk afvalbeheerplan 2009-2021. Bijlage 6; Invulling beleidskadervoor specifiekeafvalstoffen(sectorplannen),DenHaag,3.12.2014

German construction and demolition waste ordinance and Dutch sector plans set strict rules for the optimal waste treatment by establishing:

•minimum standards (a required type of recovery)

•targets (recycling levels)

Berlin: examples of C&D waste collection and processing

Countries with high recycling rate: policies and regulations

•National Raw Material Strategy. Securing of a sustainable supply with non-energetic minerals in Germany 2010

•A Green Growth Strategy, the Netherlands, 2015

According to these strategies:•Sustainability is seen as a cross sectoral task (green economy).

•The development of the country is based on: conservation of natural resources, preventing environmental burdens, increased material efficiency,lifecycleapproachandinnovation.

•Sustainable metabolism of building materials is promoted.

Countries with high recycling rate: national strategies

•inRhineland-Palatinate:thefocusisonoptimisationofmaterialandwasteflowsandon creating durable recycling society:

The Circular Economy State of Rhineland-Palatinate, Mainz 2008

•in Limburg: Cradle-to-Cradle principles are incorporated to the regional policy frameworktoconformtoaneco-efficiencygoal-tosaveresourcesandenergy:

C2C Network: Perspective study: Area Spatial Development, 2015

Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Limburg, the Netherlands

Countries with high recycling rate: regional development

•sustainable procurement

•pro-environmental taxes

•national programs concerning sustainable innovation and waste (German Environmental Innovation Programme or Dutch Waste as a Resource Programme)

•institutions, which conduct research on material efficiency, Cradle-to-Cradle and new technologies (DEMEA, VDI ZRE, Circular Economy Foundation, C2C Centre Venlo)

•producer responsability

•voluntaryagreementsforSME’s

•green investments

•eco-design

Countries with high recycling rate: tools

•MaRess - The Resource Efficiency Network; an online platform for networking in Germany

•Oogstkaart Nederland - an online database (harvest map), which informs about available construction and demolition waste in the Netherlands

Countries with high recycling rate: tools

•integration of processing infrastructure within urban areas (close distances)

National and regional guidelines for the environmental zoning of industrial plants:

•The Dutch guidelines for the environmental zoning of industrial plants (four categories of burdens: odour, emissions of other substances, noise and danger of explosion)

•Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control – TA Luft

•German regional guidelines for industrial sites by the Federal Land North Rhine-Westphalia

Guidelines show separation distances and facilitate closing urban flows of buildingmaterials.

Countries with high recycling rate: infrastructure

The Polish context

•the rising GDP (1,6% in 2009, 1,9% in 2012)•purchasing power parity lower than in the European Union•a non-innovative economy •problems with transportation and the processing infrastructure•the highest domestic material consumption in Europe (798 mln t in 2011)•rising consumption of non-metallic resources (incl. building materials)•low productivity of the Polish environment (2,1 gha/inhabitant)•the high amount of generated CO2 emissions•air pollution higher than allowed by European norms•scarce water resources •economy based on non-renewable energy (40% from coal)

*source:GIOŚ,StanśrodowiskawPolsce.Raport2014

The Polish context

•poor environmental awareness (Raport TNS OBOP 2011)

•lack of adequate pro-environmental knowledge among authorities and professionals

•low level of social engagement (Bregier et al. 2010)

•negative perception of waste and reusing practices (Grubbauer 2012)

•detachment from natural and local materials (Basista 2001)

•a non-innovative approach to the design process

New legal act on waste (2012)

•reduced amount of communal waste (9,6 mln t in 2012)

•stable amount of industrial waste (120 mln t in 2012),

•decreasing amount of recovered waste (since 2006)

Conclusions•It is necessary to undertake multi-level actions concerning national and

regional policies, development strategies, pro-environmental programs and institutions, legal regulations, economic incentives and other instrumentspromotingsustainability,materialefficiencyandinnovation.

•An integrated approach to urban planning and planning tools are indispensable to create resilient urban units and sustainable waste management systems.

•The urban planning needs to incorporate adequate siting procedures for waste processing facilities and adequate management of deconstruction companies, production, cleaning plants, storage and repurposing workshops.

•It is necessary to take under consideration life-cycles of urban infrastructures and buildings as well as related environmental burdens.

•Adequate education of future users and trainings for professionals are important for the closed circulation of materials.

Thank you.

Urszula Kozminska, PhD. Eng. Archukozminska@gmail.com

Exeter Symposium: Circular Economy Disruptions, Past, Present, Future.