Circularity in Selected EU Countries: The Case of Construction and Demolition Industry

Recovery rates do not tell the whole circular story

In this publication, we examined what a more ambitious circular approach to construction and demolition can look like in practice. Construction and demolition create Europe’s largest waste stream by volume, yet much material is still incinerated for energy or downcycled into low-value uses such as road fill. We compared selected projects in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and Denmark—countries that generate large waste volumes but have also moved early on circular-economy thinking.

European policy sets recovery targets, but a high recovery rate does not automatically mean that materials retain their value. Recycling concrete into aggregate or burning material for energy may keep it out of landfill, but these sit lower on the circularity ladder than prevention, reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacture and high-quality recycling. Closing the loop means making decisions about design, materials, business models and policy throughout a building’s life, not just processing waste after demolition.

Comparing five real projects across Europe

We assessed five cases through four construction-specific determinants: their stage on the waste hierarchy and circularity ladder, the design principles used, the life-cycle phases addressed and the presence and reach of circularity policy or strategy. The projects were SUPERLOCAL in the Netherlands, the Circular Retrofit Lab in Belgium, the Open Air Library in Germany, the Rehafutur Engineer’s House in France and Upcycle Studios in Denmark.

The framework also avoids reducing success to environmental performance alone. Circular construction has to balance environmental, economic and social sustainability. A project may conserve materials but still struggle when its business model fails, specialist skills are missing or local communities do not benefit. Policies and designs that support repair, reuse, traceability and long-term value can also create space for enterprises, jobs, skills and social cohesion.

Our comparative view shows that circular construction is not one checklist used identically in every country. Policy, supply chains, building traditions and project ambition all matter. By relating real projects to the waste hierarchy, design principles, life-cycle thinking and public strategy, we identify how construction can move beyond waste management towards genuinely regenerative practice.