MSc Thesis AMS Institute - InCIRC: Opportunities to Close Resource Loops in the Construction Sector of Singapore

1 oktober 2019

AMS Data Steward

MADE Student Project

In the case of an import-dependent country like Singapore, the built environment can serve as a valuable reservoir of secondary resources, underlaying fundamental importance for the nation's circular economy ambitions. This paper argues that linking supply and demand estimations to the drivers behind downcycling and upcycling of construction and demolition waste is necessary, in order to unveil realistic opportunities for secondary resource utilization. The primary motivation in this study has been to deploy a bottom-up approach to quantify the entire stock and flows of concrete for buildings and roads within Singapore, in a quest to unveil windows of opportunity where closing resource loops is realistic.

References can be found inside the document.

Fast urbanization has led to significant extraction of material resources, which end up stocked for a long time in the built environment. The circular economy (CE) approach is gaining increased attention in the sustainability agenda for its framework focused on decoupling economic growth from the consumption of finite resources. This paradigm shift towards a circular, resource-efficient economy requires a comprehensive knowledge of the flows and material stocks (MS) in buildings and infrastructure. Studies often are restricted to building infrastructure, despite the qualitative relevance of roads. Roads are a significant driver behind the demand for low-value reuse of construction & demolition waste (CDW) with direct effects over the overall supply and demand of secondary resources.

Author: Anthony Meijer

Please find the link to this document on our Figshare repository here.

Afbeelding credits

Header afbeelding: Circularity in Urban Regions

Icon afbeelding: AMS Institute logo vierkant rood

Media

Documenten