Business case

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

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

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

Reduced use and withdrawal of water and rate of recycling and reuse of water

Save Water (SDG6)

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

Reduce Energy Consumption

Contributing to the improvement of biodiversity including species diversity, total number of protected species, and ecosystem health

Biodiversity

Producing agricultural products and processing them into food and beverageproducts for consumption

Agri/Food

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

Transportation and Logistics

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


Construction and Infrastructure

Providing public and private education and support services at any level or for any profession, and governmental and public administration services, including judicial, regulatory, and legislative activities, taxation, defence, public order and safety, immigration services, foreign affairs and the administration of government programmes

Education and Government Services

Providing electricity and gas services, including traditional and renewable energy generation, natural and manufactured gas and operating gas networks

Energy Utilities and Independent Power Producers

Providing water and sewage services, including water collection and distribution, water treatment systems and sewage treatment facilities

Water and Sewage

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

Engaging in discussions with industry stakeholders to share circular economy best practices and push the industry towards greater circularity

Guidance, dialogue with industry stakeholders

Engaging in discussions with government bodies and policymakers to push for regulations that support the circular economy

Advocacy for circular economy policy

Participating in government programmes that support and advance the circular economy

Government programmes

Other

Impacts

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Industries

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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

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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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Een circulair gebouw wordt ontworpen, ontwikkeld, beheerd en gebruikt volgens het systeem van de circulaire economie. Het verminderen van grondstofgebruik en maximalisering van hergebruik zijn centrale aspecten. Partijen die deelnemen aan de Green Deal 178: Circulaire Gebouwen willen zo min mogelijk nieuwe grondstoffen gebruiken én producten en grondstoffen zo lang mogelijk (hoogwaardig) in de keten houden. Daarnaast willen ze circulaire aspecten meetbaar en duidelijk maken door middel van een gebouwpaspoort.
Beoogd resultaat
Partijen willen een gebouwpaspoort realiseren. Daarbij is de circulaire economie het uitgangspunt. In drie fasen geven zij de Green Deal gestalte: Fase 1: start januari 2015. -Onderzoeken, inventariseren, selecteren en bepalen welke gebouwkenmerken bepalend zijn voor de circulariteit van een gebouw. -Bepalen hoe de sociale, economische en ecologische waarden vastgelegd worden. -Ontwerpen en ontwikkelen van een gebouwpaspoort. Fase 2: start maart 2015 tot begin 2016. -Uitvoeren van pilots. -Bepalen hoe de gebouwkenmerken en circulaire waarde worden vervat in het gebouwpaspoort. Fase 3: start begin 2016. -Op basis van de pilots worden referentiewaarden herleid. Deze worden gebruikt voor een benchmark en waardering van de mate van circulariteit van een gebouw.


Government of the Netherlands

Rijksoverheid

<p>The Green Deal approach in the Netherlands is an accessible way for companies, stakeholder organizations, local and regional government, and other interest groups to work with the national government on green growth and social issues. The aim is to remove barriers in order to help sustainable initiatives get off the ground and to accelerate this process where possible. The central government plays a key role in this area. Initiatives often start from the bottom up, in response to societal dynamics. Green Deals cover nine themes: energy, bio- based economy, mobility, water, food, biodiversity, resources, construction and climate. Green Deal C-178 refers to a deal for circular buildings.</p>