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Circle Economy and ICLEI have partnered up to initiate the go to knowledge hub of case studies about the circular economy in cities. The Cities Collection is a repository of case studies that demonstrate the role of cities in the circular transition, and includes policies, business cases and research articles. Cases in the Collection flow into an ecosystem of digital products which support users in transitioning cities to circularity, for example [Ganbatte](https://ganbatte.world/cities/) and <a href="https://circulars.iclei.org/" target="_blank">ICLEI Circulars</a>, both part of the <a href="https://circulars.iclei.org/circle-lab-for-cities/" target = _blank">Circle Lab for Cities Programme.</a>

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Circular Cities

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Policy case

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Extracting resources and processing them to produce materials for use bysociety

Materials and Fuels

Producing transporation equipment and providing services for thetransportation of goods and people

Transportation and Logistics

Producing and providing business and consumer goods and services

Goods and Services

Societal Services

Producing building materials and providing services to create residential and non-residential infrastructure and real estate


Construction and Infrastructure

Ensure renewable, reusable, non-toxic resources are utilised as materials and energy in an efficient way

Prioritise regenerative resources

Biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic solid waste can be used as an energy source for cooking, lighting and generate electricity, replacing thus other fuels. Moreover, the treatment of organic waste alleviates the solid waste crisis in urban and peri-urban area if the developing world.


Use biogas

Locally produced food has to travel shorter, which means less fuel is consumed and less greenhouse gases are generated. Moreover, buying locally produced food helps local farmers and markets and creates more jobs in the local businesses. 


Produce locally

Other

Roadmaps and strategies and targets

High-level changes to policy and practice (such as taxation systems, investment and procurement guidelines and criteria) that disincentivize activities that perpetuate linear economic systems, as well as vision-setting (goals, roadmaps) to catalyze
action on circularity across the city

Eliminate linear incentives and set goals and incentives for circularity

The food system nourishes populations and employs 50% of the global workforce, but:
- it currently drives a quarter of the overshoot on the climate change planetary boundary due to its greenhouse gas (GHG) production, 
- animal farming alone uses over one-quarter of all land, equivalent to the size of the Americas,
- nearly a quarter of freshwater resources are lost due to rampant food waste, and
- it is the single largest driver of biodiversity loss.

A circular food system must address the whole value chain, from production to consumption to waste management. The four key solutions for the food system are:
- Put healthier, satiating foods first: Prioritise satiating and healthy foods with a lower environmental impact—ideally shifting calories from meat, fish, and dairy towards cereals, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
- Go local, seasonal, and organic: Prioritise the production and consumption of local, seasonal, and organic produce (sometimes in combination with GMO to reduce pests and disease loss on crops), which can lead to a significantly reduced need for chemical inputs, fuels, and processing services that contribute to environmental impacts.
- Mainstream regenerative agriculture: Scale up agricultural practices that regenerate ecosystems, recirculate nutrients and sequester carbon by design. 
- End avoidable food waste: Minimise food loss and valorise waste following the food waste hierarchy along the supply chain and at the consumer level through better management of transport and storage, more refrigeration and smart planning, and technology at the consumer and food service levels.



🍏 Food Systems

Cities consume about 75% of global energy and emit between 50% and 60% of global greenhouse gases (UN-Habitat). To reduce the negative impact of their energy consumption, cities need to shift away from fossil fuels and move towards renewable energy sources. Such a shift will help cities work towards their climate change mitigation and adaptation action plans. Renewable energy technologies such as wind, water, solar, and geothermal can also help improve access to energy in vulnerable and marginalised neighbourhoods through, for example, decentralised, off-grid solutions.

Renewable energy technologies can harvest the energy in nature’s processes, such as wind, and solar radiation and geothermal heat, that can be replenished within a human lifespan. In contrast, fossil fuels are materials that are not replenished within a human lifespan and are combusted for energy, losing the fuel material and resulting in emissions.

Local governments can develop sustainable energy plans, considering different energy resources and requirements, to develop a robust strategy for the development of renewable energy technologies and infrastructure throughout the city. They can also institute specific legislation and tax systems to regulate energy production and consumption, incentivise research and development of cleaner, more efficient technologies. Via Power Purchase Agreements cities can buy renewable energy from green energy providers and fix the price in order to provide security to financial institutions to finance renewable energy infrastructure. Furthermore, increasing awareness and facilitating capacity-building on planning urban sustainable energy projects can help the uptake of clean energy across the city by different stakeholders—from citizens to businesses and institutions. Facilitating collaboration, then, will be crucial, since private companies operate most of the world’s energy systems.


⚡ Energy Systems

The demand for transport is rising globally—but current modes are heavily material- and fossil-fuels-intensive. Emissions from the transport system could grow by 60% by 2050, and transport is the number-one user of oil worldwide. GHG emissions result not only in warming global temperatures, but also in ocean acidification, which has severe consequences for entire ecosystems and further destabilises our climate. The transport system also drives land-use change and biodiversity loss through the development of infrastructure—also releasing harmful pollutants into the ocean. Key circular solutions:

- Embrace and enable car-free lifestyles
- Invest in high-quality public transport
- Rethink unnecessary air travel
- Electrify remaining vehicles

🚌 Mobility Systems

Businesses

Governments

Regenerate strategies phase out hazardous or toxic materials and processes and substitute them with regenerative biomass resources. A circular economy aims to mimic natural cycles—by shifting to more regenerative farming practices, for example—while also maximising the share of circular biomass that enters the economy. Regeneration can happen both at the systems level (by designing regenerative processes) as well as at the product level (by switching synthetic to organic fertilisers, for example).

Regenerate

Impacts

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Industries

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A framework of policy instruments that enabled and encourage the transition to the circular economy

Policies

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A framework of policy instruments that enable and stimulate the transition to the circular economy

The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

Urban Opportunities

The Circular City Actions Framework provides urban changemakers with five complementary strategies they can use to start working towards a more circular system. 

The framework is action-based to provide users with concrete strategic directions and showcase the desired outcomes of each strategy. 
The framework consists of five complementary **strategies**, under which **sub-strategies** provide further detail. Finally, each sub-strategy consists of a diversity of tangible **solutions** which are framed in relation to key thematic areas. 

Note: solutions are currently focused on:
- 🍏 **Food systems**
- 🏢  **Built environment**
- 👕📱  **Consumer goods**
- ⚡ **Energy Systems**
- 🚌 **Mobility Systems**
- 💧 **Water Systems**

More thematic areas are coming soon...

'Click through each of the five strategy cards below to explore the framework and circular economy case studies in more depth!'



This framework was developed in collaboration with ICLEI, Metabolic and Ellen MacArthur Foundation with support from the MAVA Foundation. Read more about it [here]( https://circulars.iclei.org/action-framework/). 



Circular City Actions Framework

An action-based framework for local governments working towards circular cities

Thematic Areas

City Stakeholders

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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  Copenhagen is to be carbon neutral by 2025 as the first capital in the world. We will achieve these goals through a transition of our energy supply, building retrofits, waste management, public infrastructure and mobility, as well as other key initiatives to support the transition on both a short-term and long-term basis.
It is our vision that the ambitious goals are implemented in a way that secures and improves the quality of life in Copenhagen and creates opportunities for innovation, jobs and green growth.
The transition to a green economy in Copenhagen cannot happen in one year or through the efforts of each individual stakeholders alone.
Therefore, Copenhagen is collaborating with companies and knowledge institutions to find new solutions to specific challenges. The City of Copenhagen is also striving to increase documentation of its green efforts and to target new initiatives based on available data and evidence.
In 2014 the London School of Economics showed in a report based on extensive analysis why they consider Copenhagen to be a “green economy leader”. Even to those familiar with the Copenhagen story, it makes impressive reading. Among many other things, the report shows that Copenhagen has managed over a long time horizon to develop into a very compact and transport-effective city, even compared with other cities such as Stockholm and London.
LSECities: Copenhagen Green Economy Leader Report  

Copenhagen

City of Copenhagen

The Climate Plan is the City of Copenhagen’s plan for achieving carbon neutrality by 2025. In addition to transferring relevant initiatives from the 2009 Climate Plan into CPH 2025, the CPH 2025 Climate Plan contains objectives, main efforts and initiatives oriented towards carbon neutrality.“In 2025, Copenhagen will be the world’s first carbon neutral capital and the city’s business and universities will be spearheading the development of green solutions generating employment and green growth.” It involves a collaborative effort of business, knowledge institutions and organizations.The Plan focuses on energy and transport, energy consumption and production, green mobility and City Administration initiatives.

Copenhagen's Climate Plan

Impact on the availability of resources as well as their effect on living organisms, ecosystems, and components of the environment.

Ecological Impact

Impact on increased knowledge and understanding as a result of the case study

Increase Awareness

Scalability

Reduced use of virgin materials and/or an increase of the use of secondary and bio-based materials

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

Minimise waste through diversion: Instead of sending waste to landfill, it is redirected into other industrial processes for handling, treatment, recycling, recovery, or reuse in various forms. 

Minimise waste through design: At the outset of a process of project, plan and design such that there is zero waste or minimal waste during production, use, and at end of life. 

Minimise Waste (SDG12)

Reduced use of fossil fuel energy sources and/or increased use of renewable energy

Reduce Energy Consumption

Producing electrical equipment and machinery for industrial use

Capital Equipment

Utilise waste streams as a source of secondary resources and recover waste for reuse and recycling

Use waste as a resource

Replace energy sources with less impactful alternatives and enact energy efficiency measures

Regenerative energy

Deliver products through business models that ensure maximum value

Product business models

Converting fossil fuel based operations to electric

Electrification

Collection programmes that process products and parts for reuse or recycling within the same industry

Closed loop collection

Transforming waste products into materials and lower value products within the same industry

Closed loop downcycling

Collection programmes that process products and parts for reuse or recycling within other industries

Open loop collection

Transforming waste products into materials and lower value products within other industries

Open loop downcycling

Make collected and sorted recyclables available for use by citizens, small businesses up to large scale industrial processes. 

Use recyclables

Implementation of strategies to collect recyclable waste in order to make it accessible and available to be used as an input in industrial processes (big or small). These are door-to-door collection (higher recovery rates but more costly intensive), drop-off schemes (cheaper but less effective, more common in cities with high housing density), or a combination of the two, and their corresponding incentive schemes. 

Collect recyclables

Infrastructure for citizens or cities to sort waste and extract recyclables, including incentives and pay-as-you-throw policies, as well as clear and targeted communications campaigns.

Sort recyclables

Collection of waste arising from commercial and industrial actors

Collect non residential

Collect organic waste generated by households and related businesses for use in, for example, composting and anaerobic digestion facilities.

Collect organic

The circulation of materials and products may result in an increased demand for energy usage overall, therefore it is especially important to provide energy from regenerative sources, and to utilise regenerative and cyclable materials in the production of parts and the required infrastructure.  Energy efficiency is an important step but does not bring about a fully circular economy at a bigger scale or in the longer term. 

ENERGY

Waste is often the entry point for discussing a circular economy. However, in a fully circular economy, waste does not exist as it has  been designed out of the system from the outset, either through avoidance (reduction of materials) or because outputs are such that they can be re-used as inputs into other production and consumption processes. Studying existing waste streams allows us to trace the problem back to its source and design an appropriate intervention. 

WASTE

The Value Chain opportunity space covers the activities of businesses across the whole value chain in the creation of a circular city that aids circular consumption. Municipalities create enabling conditions for businesses to offer circular products and services, and can become familiar with the range of solutions available to businesses that will encourage circular consumption and production in their locale. 

VALUE CHAINS

Cycle strategies aim to cycle and reuse materials at their highest value: they maximise the volume of secondary materials re-entering the economy, ultimately minimising the need for virgin material inputs and therefore also narrowing flows. Of course, virgin materials will always be needed to a degree: all materials degrade and can’t be cycled infinitely, use energy, and require blending with virgin materials to maintain strength and functionality.

Cycle

The City of Copenhagen has implemented a circular economy programme, whereby it aims to improve waste management within the city. The programme has identified a number of barriers to effective waste segregation by residents—such as lack of space in the household for numerous bins, or confusion as to how to recycle composite products—and intends to tackle them with strategic work on waste data, which will then be shared with Copenhageners. The intention is to create and maintain motivation by sharing the environmental impact of increased recycling. The programme also plans to introduce electric collection vehicles, provide more swap and reuse options and increase the recycling rates of industrial and commercial waste.

Copenhagen circular economy programme

Impacts on the financial condition of a company, as well as the the economicconditions of its stakeholders and on economic systems at local, national, andglobal levels.

Economic Impact

Direct and indirect reduction in economic costs

Cost Savings

Utilise bio-based, reusable, non-toxic and non-critical materials

Regenerative materials

Engage with the government on circular policies and programmes

Government collaboration

'Mobilise' sets the direction of and builds momentum towards long-term change, while also determining how this direction is determined and governed.

Mobilise

 Convene Towards Action

Advocate for circular change

Voluntary agreements around circular ambitions

Redesign systems to lay the foundation for circular activities and enable the transition to a circular economy 

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Rethink

The built environment, including housing, commercial buildings, and the necessary infrastructure for mobility, is essential for our livelihoods, but:
- the extraction of minerals used to produce construction materials is responsible for a quarter of global land use change,
- approximately 40% of global GHG emissions can be attributed to buildings’ construction, use and demolition, and
- construction and demolition processes drive nearly one-third of all material consumption. 

Making the built environment more circular must prioritise a heavy reduction in material use—while also closing the loop on materials and bringing secondary and renewable material choices to the fore. Our four key solutions for the built environment are:
- Make the most of what already exists: Make the most of existing materials by reusing, repurposing, upgrading and renovating following circular approaches. Where new builds are needed, use secondary materials and be as efficient as possible with urban planning solutions that follow circular design principles so that buildings can be reused, repurposed, and easily disassembled in the future.
- Be as energy efficient as possible: From the design phase, utilise circular strategies to create material- and energy efficient buildings. Couple these designs with a rollout of clean energy solutions, and prioritise energy-efficient appliances and retrofitting. 
- Utilise secondary materials: Maximise the high-value reuse of buildings and components where possible. Ideally, enable the utilisation of construction and demolition outputs and ensure that as much of it as possible is recycled to avoid the need for virgin materials, such as sand and gravel.
- Prioritise circular materials and approaches: Transition to using renewable wood, timber or cross-laminated timber instead of steel and concrete, or move to other locally available materials. Utilise mainstream modular construction and prioritise lightweight frames and structures to reduce cement and steel use, as well as green roofs where possible.



🏢 Built Environment


C40 research reveals changes to the construction industry could cut the emissions generated from buildings and infrastructure 44% by 2050. Copenhagen, Denmark (08 October 2019) — Research released today reveals changes to the construction industry could cut the emissions generated from buildings and infrastructure 44% by 2050. The report, published by C40 Cities, Arup and University of Leeds, Building and Infrastructure Consumption Emissions urges action in 6 key areas to reduce the climate impact of construction in cities:  Implementing efficiency in material design Enhancing existing building utilisation Switching high-emission materials to sustainable timber where appropriate Using lower-carbon cement Reusing building materials and components Using low, or zero-emission construction machinery  As well as reducing GHG emissions, the research reveals the additional economic, social and health benefits that ‘clean’ construction could generate. The interventions identified in the research would reduce air and noise pollution, providing health benefits for citizens and the environment. They would also spark change within the growing construction economy, providing opportunities for new jobs and skills. Cities are starting to take action on construction to address the climate impact of their consumption. Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm will now reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from construction sites, in the effort to solve the climate crisis and improve public health. Frank Jensen, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen and Raymond Johansen, Governing Mayor of Oslo, today announced their ambition to reduce the use of fossil fuels in construction sites and civil works. The mayors pledged to enact regulations and/or planning policy to ensure they: Purchase biofuels and emission free machinery for the city’s own use Demand fossil-and emission-free solutions in public procurement and city supported projects In Oslo, all city-owned machinery and municipally or owned construction sites will operate with zero emissions by 2025. Copenhagen’s CPH2025 Climate Plan, roadmap 2017-2020, includes a goal for the City to use fossil-free fuels in its own non-road mobile machinery. In the budget for 2020 Copenhagen have decided to promote a transformation from fossil fuels to sustainable biofuels, and to fossil-free non-road mobile machinery in its own machines and strengthen efforts that municipally commissioned construction sites and civil work will be fossil-free. “Copenhagen will work to purchase fossil-free fuel for its own machinery and heavy vehicles, pilot projects with tender requirements for fossils-or emission-free construction machinery in construction projects,” said Frank Jensen, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, and C40 Vice Chair. “We will also collaborate with market players to make them use fossil-free fuels.” “In Oslo, construction sites generate as much as 7 percent of total emissions, equivalent to an additional 30,000 petrol cars on the road,” said, Raymond Johansen, Governing Mayor of Oslo. “New kindergartens, schools, sports halls will in future be built emissions-free and with low climate materials. The building industry is our closest ally and an enthusiastic supporter. We are confident that by 2030 Oslo’s air will be cleaner, emissions lower and environment healthier thanks to the actions we are taking today.” Both cities have also pledged to reduce the indirect emissions generated from building works, through the prioritisation of retrofits and refurbishment of their existing stock, de-incentivizing demolitions, and encouraging the use of low-carbon and reusable materials. Stockholm is taking a holistic approach to reach the City’s goals to be fossil-fuel-free and climate positive by 2040. Together with the Swedish Construction Federation and the Swedish Environmental Research Institute IVL, Stockholm has developed a Life-Cycle Analysis tool to evaluate all aspects of the building process from a climate point of view – from the choice of materials and the use of machinery to the construction processes. Being now piloted the city aims at using it citywide form 2021. "Together with the building industry and academia Stockholm is creating a powerful tool to scrutinize the climate impact of the whole building process. Using it will help us steer towards the most climate efficient solutions”, said Anna König Jerlmyr, Mayor of Stockholm. Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm also commit to take a leadership role in creating a global market for low-emission construction materials and zero-emission machinery, working through the C40 Clean Construction Forum. Launched in Oslo in May 2019, the Forum brings together major cities from around the world to use their purchasing power to shift markets within the construction sector. "The world’s cities are growing fast, with an area the size of Milan being built every week. It may be a boom time for builders but the construction industry is a major contributor to the climate crisis,” said Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities. “The mayors of Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm recognise that without urgent action to cut emissions generated in the construction of buildings and infrastructure, there is no chance of delivering on the Paris Agreement and preventing catastrophic climate change. As C40’s research demonstrates, citizens will ultimately benefit from cleaner air, quieter streets and lower prices. Now it is up to businesses and industry to recognise the risks of inaction and work with mayors and consumers to make sure everyone benefits from the huge opportunities that lie ahead from clean construction.” Ben Smith, Energy and Climate Change Director, ARUP said: “As the sector responsible for the largest share of consumption-based emissions in C40 cities between now and 2050, it’s clear that the construction sector must do more to reduce its carbon impact. Our research shows that there are significant opportunities to act, but we need to rethink the way buildings and infrastructure are delivered. Making that change a reality will rely on working with all those with responsibility for delivering development. We believe that the construction sector can embrace this change, if it invests in necessary skills and training and seeks to promote innovation. Where this happens, the benefits go beyond emissions reduction – they are social, environmental and economic, cleaner air in cities, less noise and new job opportunities.” "Buildings are a cornerstone of our society. We spend over 90% of our time in buildings; people rely on them to survive; and they depend on the world’s finite resources to be built and operate. As they are responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, they also represent enormous potential in managing our remaining carbon budget” said Cristina Gamboa, CEO of the World Green Building Council. “At World Green Building Council, we are encouraged to see this important research from our partner C40. The opportunities it identifies for cities to address emissions from buildings and construction will support the sector's critical response to the climate emergency. Through our continued collaboration and World Green Building Council call for coordinated sector action to tackle embodied carbon, we believe there is a future of better and greener buildings for cities all over the world." Consumption-based emissions including construction, as well as food, clothing, aviation, building and others, from nearly 100 of the world’s big cities already represent 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Without urgent action, those emissions will nearly double by 2050. The full findings were laid out in a major piece of research  The Future of Urban Consumption in a 1.5°C World. This research was made possible with generous support from Citi Foundation. Mayors of more than 70 cities will meet in Copenhagen for the C40 World Mayors Summit 2019, October 09th-12th, to develop solutions to the global climate crisis. 

Stockholm

Oslo

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City of Stockholm

City of Oslo

Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm released a joint pledge to reduce the greenhouse have emissions and air pollution from construction sites, in the effort to solve the climate crisis and improve public health. Six are the key areas to reduce the climate impact of construction in cities:- Implementing efficiency in material design- Enhancing existing building utilisation- Switching high-emission materials to sustainable timber where appropriate- Using lower-carbon cement- Reusing building materials and components- Using low, or zero-emission construction machinery (Source: C40's Clean Construction Policy Explorer)

Commitment to Clean Construction in Nordic cities

 Public Procurement

Eliminate waste by maximizing the recovery of resources at the end of the use phase so that they can be reintroduced into production processes


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Recover

"On all city projects, all materials suitable for recycling must be source-separated and cleaned." (Source: C40's Clean Construction Policy Explorer)

Source separation and recycling requirements for construction - Copenhagen

Direct and indirect effects that increase revenues or the potential for new revenues, for example from new products, customer segments, partnerships or business models

Revenue Potential

Collecting waste from households and businesses by means of refuse bins, wheeled bins, containers, etc., and providing treatment, incineration, materials recovery and reclamation, and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste

Waste Management

Producing building materials and finished and semi-finished building products for construction

Construction Materials and Products

While resources are in-use, maintain, repair and upgrade them to maximise their lifetime and give them a second life through take back strategies when applicable

Stretch the lifetime

'Manage' influences the use and function of physical and material elements within the urban environment. 

Manage

Infrastructure

'Regulate' changes the rules of the systems to achieve compliance through enforcement. 


Regulate

Ensure that household and business waste is collected and appropriately sorted (by type, label, etc.) to allow for maximum recovery of value.


Collect and sort waste to facilitate recovery

Cities can directly support the transition towards a circular economy and emission reduction targets by leading by example through their public procurement activities. This is especially true regarding the built environment, as cities manage a sizable portfolio of buildings and infrastructure. Through procurement, local governments can help to develop the market for circular products and services, including circular materials as well as product-as-a-service or leasing models for building components (such as flooring, elevators and lighting). They can also manage the existing and future building stock in a way that contributes to closed energy and material loops within supply chains, whilst minimising—and ideally avoiding—GHG emissions across the entire life-cycle of procured construction materials and activities. 

Local governments have several levers at their disposal: investing in renovation and maintenance work, retrofitting and repurposing (if necessary) existing building stock to avoid new construction, and specifying circular criteria in public tenders for the design, construction and management of buildings. These criteria could, for instance, include mandatory requirements for the use of secondary or bio-based materials in new development projects, or specify design for adaptability, deconstruction and reuse. Additionally, the uptake of ‘green contracts’—agreements that require the contractor to develop and implement a site management plan and favour certain types of resources—can also stimulate circular operations by integrating circularity in the legal relationship between building owners, operators and users. Furthermore, to increase the use of secondary materials, local governments can deploy staging areas, in which recovered construction waste can be temporarily stored for reuse. 

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🏢  Circular public procurement for new buildings and infrastructure

The City of Copenhagen has developed a strategic document "Sustainability in Construction an Civil Works" (2016), to ensure that the substantial investments by the City of Copenhagen in construction and civil works are managed in an environmentally responsible way. The City has therefore chosen to take the lead with environmental requirements that go beyond the existing laws. These requirements apply only to construction and civil works commissioned or supported by the City and include, for example that:- On all city projects, all materials suitable for recycling must be source-separated and cleaned. In construction or civil works that involve demolition and/or renovation, all materials suitable for recycling should be sorted at source and cleaned. This will ensure that the materials can be reused or recycled and not sent to landfill.- Uncontaminated construction rock material must be crushed and reused on site, unless the Municipal Environmental Protection Department determines that this is not acceptable for the local environment.