The quantity surveyor's role towards a circular construction industry

The construction industry is one of the largest industries contributing to the global economy. Being the largest contributor to many countries’ economies, there is no surprise that the construction industry consumes most resources and raw materials from nature and is one of the most resource- intensive industries. In percentage terms, this consumption accounts for about 50% of total global raw material use and 36% of total global energy use. On the other hand, the construction industry generates millions of tonnes of solid waste and has high embodied energy requirements, which results in substantial CO2 emissions all over the world. According to the Australian National Waste Report (NWR) 2020, 27 million tonnes of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste are produced in Australia annually along with 25% of the total yearly carbon emissions. These facts have made it urgent for the construction industry worldwide to find more sustainable alternatives. The main problem with the construction industry is its ‘take, make, dispose’ approach, where materials are used to build structures and then thrown away when they are no longer needed, even though they could be reused in another project. Transforming into a circular economy model would be ideal to become more sustainable, where resources are circulated at their highest economic value. Therefore, a circular economy model will minimise impacts on the economy, society and the environment.