Given the European building stock’s current size and state, its potential to be renovated up to an energy-neutral quality is getting much attention, contributing to energy transition and other sustainable and societal benefits. To tackle this potential, both the number of buildings that undergo renovation and the amount of the resulting energy savings need to increase. Industrialization and prefabrication of renovation are effective strategies to improve productivity, achieve high energy performance and minimize on-site construction time. This chapter investigates current practices and future potential for industrialized renovation of the building envelope. The definitions and application of industrialized techniques in the design and construction of renovation are discussed, particularly regarding the renovation process and design concepts. Finally, the chapter provides an outlook on essential aspects for the future implementation of industrialized building envelope retrofit. Understanding current practices and how to improve industrialized renovation is instrumental to the upscaling of renovation that leads to the decarbonization of the building stock.@en

Deze leidraad gaat over circulair ontwerpen, hét moment waarin circulaire ambities vorm krijgen. De keuzes die dan worden gemaakt, hebben immers een grote invloed op het resultaat. Maar dan moeten we er natuurlijk wel voor zorgen, dat de juiste keuzes worden gemaakt. En ook moeten alle betrokkenen bij het ontwerpproces dezelfde doelen en dezelfde oplossingen nastreven. Het zal duidelijk zijn dat goede afspraken hierover de ruis in de communicatie aanzienlijk vermindert en er uiteindelijk een effectiever ontwerpproces ontstaat. Met deze leidraad ‘Circulair ontwerpen’ leggen we die afspraken vast. Het gaat daarbij om afspraken die geschikt zijn voor de bouwsector in de breedte (woning- en utiliteitsbouw en GWW/infra), met, waar relevant, specificering naar de deelsectoren. En ook om afspraken die zich niet alleen richten op ontwerpers maar ook op alle andere rollen die een bijdrage kunnen of moeten leveren aan een circulair ontwerp en de realisatie daarvan. De afspraken aan ontwerpers moeten uiteraard voldoende vrijheid geven en geen belemmering vormen voor innovatie.@en

Circularity potential in the construction sector, a quality that quantifies the contribution to carbon and resource neutrality, is to be standardised in Europe yet. In order to do so, a harmonised definition and method of calculation that offers transparency is crucial. Simplicity in construction methods, a low-tech approach, and a limited variety and pure use of materials support the development of innovation towards a Circular Economy (CE). The state-of-the art in architecture features both simple and complex constructions, which need to be quantified with respect to their circular performance in light of the European norm. A clear European standardised method and accompanying tool(s) to assess the circularity potential of a building or element will encourage designers to use secondary material, to limit waste production, and to enable multiple life cycles of buildings and elements to preserve primary natural resources. In order to meet the target of a successful CE, firstly, a method to quantify success and inform the architectural design process have to be developed and adopted across Europe. Subsequently, the development of practical assessment tools to measure the circularity potential of building components is an essential step towards the implementation of CE. As a matter of fact, several methods are ready or under development, but none has reached the level to be implemented as a European standard. This study aims to provide answers on what characteristics a harmonised method and practical design tool should contain. Two assessment metrics for circularity, one from Germany and one from the Netherlands, are reviewed to compare their applicability in the design process and point out opportunities for a harmonised European method. Five case studies, comprising prefabricated concrete façade elements, are assessed using both metrics. The results will be used to analyse the metrics’ transparencies and abilities to holistically measure the amount of reused and recycled material in a building’s substance and quantify the recyclability of building products in light of their intended recycling path in the future. The third aspect that is integrally analysed is, therefore, applicability in a design process.@en

The circular economy is a widely accepted concept that various governments have started to adopt. Still, a major consumer of resources, the construction industry, struggles to implement business models that answer to the opportunity and generate value beyond economical. At the same time, the industry is at a threshold of intensifying their production by industrialized manufacture. This type of construction offers practical benefits and should be developed whilst prioritizing a sustainably built environment. A circular economy business model (CBM) offers all stakeholders long term value and revenue whilst moving towards a sustainable environment. The business model canvas (BMC) is a tool to shed light on the essential characteristics of a CBM, its value, and alignment in a multi-life cycle perspective. It can contribute to accelerating circular innovation in construction. This study aims to provide an overview of archetypical CBMs in construction based on a literature review and a systematic coding exercise using the BMC. The archetypes found are used to describe the characteristics of industrialized manufacture in the various circular economy construction scenarios. @en