The construction industry has enormous potential to promote the circular economy, but it will only be realized when the entire value chain of the industry, including the public sector that orders construction, is involved in the change, reminds Rakennusteollisuus RT. RT has also decided to participate in the circular economy green deal, the first wave of which was announced today.
RT would target the measures to accelerate the circular economy where they have the greatest impact: large material flows. In Finland, 55 percent of raw materials are used in construction.
"The circular economy cannot be realized in Finland without the extensive participation of the construction industry. Broad participation will not be possible if the public sector ordering construction and especially the municipalities are not making the change with us", director responsible for circular economy issues at RT Juha Laurila says.
Within construction, the largest masses move in land and water construction, i.e. in the infrastructure sector, which uses approximately 60 percent of construction raw materials. The sector produces, processes and transports earth and stone materials, which are consumed in large quantities in Finland in all construction and maintenance. Clearly more than half of the consumption is related to municipal projects and state highway construction.
"The public customer determines in its procurement documents how the circular economy is realized in infrastructure. Municipalities also have influence through zoning," emphasizes Laurila.
Reducing the use of virgin aggregates and reusing and replacing earth and aggregates with materials generated as industrial by-products is an important prerequisite for a circular economy.
"Things progress when the customer also commits to promoting the circular economy. We especially challenge large municipalities with us to the circular economy green deal. Above all, we expect R&D investments from the state to find recycling materials that work for basic and applied research."
Two big ones – Skanska and GRK – leading the way
RT will itself join the green deal of the circular economy with the first-wave pledgers. RT's goal is, within the framework of its own commitment, to reform the industry from within.
"It is not possible to commit to exact tonnage or time limits on behalf of almost 3 member companies, but we challenge the members to commit to the green deal themselves and increase their knowledge of the circular economy", standardization manager Tuuli Kunnas promise. The municipality coordinates the sustainable construction group assembled by RT's member companies.
"In the deal, we also commit to collecting data on the state of the circular economy in the sector. When we make the development of the circular economy and our own impact visible, eyes will be opened", believes Kunnas.
In its circular economy deal, RT focuses on four sets of measures: improving the members' knowledge base, developing the procurement criteria for the members' own purchases, improving the utilization rate of the members' own resources, and reducing the members' environmental impacts.
"The main target is SMEs, where the development potential is the greatest. The big ones, on the other hand, have the opportunity to act as a spearhead and pull others along. Among our members, Skanska is the first to commit to the circular economy green deal, and the decision to commit has also been made in GRK", Tuuli Kunnas is happy.
Additional information:
Juha Laurila, director
juha.laurila@rt.fi, +358 50 412 3637
Tuuli Kunnas, standardization manager
tuuli.kunnas@rt.fi, +358 40 172 0073
What the hell is a green deal?
The green deal of the circular economy is a voluntary strategic commitment in which participating actors undertake to reduce the use of natural resources and set impressive goals and take actions that promote a low-carbon circular economy. Read more on the website of the Ministry of the Environment.
