Strategies for implementing the circular economy in construction with concrete

Concrete is the most widely used building material worldwide. However, CO2 emissions from cement and concrete production must be reduced, production methods improved, and concrete compositions adapted. While the demand for concrete is increasing, fossil fuel reserves and the availability of mineral raw materials are decreasing. In addition, new mineralogical phases are formed during concrete production, which makes true recycling difficult. Implementation of strategies that are in line with circular economy, such as the extension of the use phase and design to re-use, require a holistic view of the building. Here, digitally networked and model-based planning, as well as robot-assisted production of components, offer high potential as they enable the ecologically and cost-efficient generation of easily detachable connections, easily deconstructable, multifunctional, or flexible structures that are optimized in terms of durability. Technically, many projects could already be implemented in practice, but standards and guidelines must be adapted. The aim of this article is to raise awareness of the necessary change from linear to circular economy in concrete construction, and to provide the planner with simple guidelines for the design to contribute to the responsible use of increasingly scarce resources.