Project description
The hidden effects of going circular construction on carbon emissions
Europe’s push for a circular economy promises major carbon savings, especially in construction and demolition waste (CDW) management. But while replacing virgin materials with reused ones seems green, the full impact is more complex. Circular practices influence carbon emissions not just in construction, but across sectors like transport, power and manufacturing. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the CECECDW project is using an environmentally extended input-output (EEIO) model, enhanced by life cycle analysis. This model maps the carbon footprint of circular CDW strategies across Europe’s diverse industrial landscape. By identifying where emissions are cut or inadvertently increased, the project aims to guide smarter policy and help the EU stay on track towards its net-zero carbon goals.
Objective
The EU's circular economy (CE) initiatives, which encourage material recovery and recycling, would inevitably affect the trajectory towards EU's goal of Net-Zero carbon by influencing material and energy flows. Ideally, the CE of construction and demolition waste (CDW) could yield substantial carbon savings by fulfilling the material demand in the building and infrastructure sector with reduced emission-intensive material production activities. However, the adopted CE measures may also affect carbon emissions through indirect channels. For example, the CE of CDW exhibits an economy-wide impact on several emission-intensive industries, including transportation, power generation, and manufacturing, among many others. Given the complexity of the material and energy flows, a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the carbon emission impacts of CE of CDW is essential for policymakers and enterprises to promote climate neutrality and efficient CE management. In this context, this proposed research aims to assess the carbon emissions (or savings) potential of the EU's CE measures for CDW using an environmentally extended input-output (EEIO) model coupled with updated evaluation parameters from a developed LCA model. The EEIO model, considering the diverse industrial mix in EU member states, can characterize how the CE of CDW affects carbon emissions across different industries and regions. By conducting rigorous empirical analysis and refining the modeling of complex material and energy flows, this research will uncover the gravity of the issue and inform policy frameworks, contributing to the EU's strategic environmental objectives and its path to Net-Zero Carbon.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes recycling
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
EH14 4AS Edinburgh
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.