This research is based on analysing the recovery of materials.
As part of the European Commission's Green Deal initiative, the construction sector is increasingly required for the transition to circular economy models. Mineral construction materials represent the largest waste fraction in terms of volumes. For a sustainable recycling of concrete and other mineral construction materials, a comprehensive characterization of the existing mineral stock is essential. In an initial research approach, a methodology was developed to assess the mineral building stock.
This methodology combines geo- and image analyses with historical topographic maps to assign buildings to specific age groups and typologies. In this way, not only the currently used volume of mineral construction materials can be estimated, but also a forecast of future mineral construction and demolition waste (CDW) can be made, based on various stochastic scenarios.
Although this methodology has so far been applied as an example to the country of Luxembourg, the approach is intended to be further developed and applied to different materials and regions/cities in Germany. The insights gained could provide representatives and stakeholders with a solid foundation for developing a reliable circular economy concept for concrete as a construction material, as well as for mineral construction materials in general. The aim is to increase the recycling rate and sustainably improve resource efficiency in the construction industry.
