Circularity
How do we transform cities and societies together?
Increased circularity – a vital consideration to tackle the climate crisis, prevent biodiversity loss and address crucial social needs. By providing tools and knowledge required for the transformation towards circularity, we empower cities to progress towards net zero and to become leaders in the circular economy.
Did you know?
- The global economy is calculated as being only 8.6% circular
- A city the size of Paris must be built every week for the next 30 years to accommodate global population growth.
- A circular economy holds particular promise for achieving multiple sustainable development goals
Report: Circular materials in infrastructure
Today, the European aggregate sector is only 7 per cent circular – but according to the European Aggregates Association, it is possible to reach 20 per cent in the long run.
In the new Urban Insight report “Circular materials in infrastructure – The road to a decarbonised future”, Sweco shows that by going from a 7 per cent circular use of aggregates to 20 per cent it is possible to reduce virgin material costs of up to EUR 6 billion, saving 546 million tonnes each year. This is almost the same quantity that Germany produces every year.
Each year Europe produces 4.2 billion tonnes of aggregates. This volume is equivalent to covering an entire country the size of Denmark to a depth of 33 cm every year, and is the size of 33 Matterhorn peaks.
Report: Circular City Transformation
In this report we show that we can save as much as 75% of the total energy needs in the future circular city, according to experts’ scenarios and calculations made by Sweco. The key is a system perspective that makes it possible to share resources, energy and means of transport through cooperation across sectors and property boundaries.
What our experts think about circularity
“What would happen if there were no endings, only beginnings?”
Amanda Borneke is a specialist in circular economy at Sweco Sweden. She describes herself as a powerhouse and a personal trainer in sustainability: “You hire me when your project needs a climate diet.”
“To an architect, circularity is about innovative design.”
Carlo Negri is an International Director for overseas projects at Sweco Architects in Sweden. As an architect, he works on building projects, urban design and masterplan projects, where the focus has been on China and the Middle East or wherever there are interesting challenges.
Report: Building the future through circular data
The latest IPCC report is a call to action. Our rate of consumption is a major cause of the increase in greenhouse gases. A growing population means that fewer resources need to stretch further. Managing our resources responsibly is more critical than ever before.
How’d you like to save 3,600 tonnes of carbon emissions, or EUR 11.5 million, or EUR 750 per square metre, in a single building? That’s just what we did.
Article: Circular construction – an opportunity we can’t waste
To scale up the impacts of greater circularity, we need to shift away from individual projects to a systems mindset. This report identifies 3 key trends. It presents case studies on circular activities and puts into focus the circular use of materials and digital tools, and identifies the steps taken to accomplish greater circularity.
Webinar: Towards circularity – sharing and scaling up the accelerators
Associated event to the UN conference Stockholm+50, welcome to Sweco´s panel discussion.
The aim is to address global challenges, such as climate change and resource scarcity, with the circular economy as a catalyst for transformative change in societies and economies around the world.
