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Circular Economy becomes concrete - Peikko White Paper: In search of a bright, circular future

April, 5, 2018

Construction accounts for around 40% of the material and energy consumption in Europe, but natural resources are becoming scarce. We need to rethink, says Kasper Guldager Jensen of 3XN Architects, Denmark.

Until now, the world has been used to taking the resources for granted. But that’s a luxury we don’t have any more. Circular Economy is needed to meet the sustainable development goals.

– In the next 50 years, we will build as much as we have done this far. If we continue the current linear take-make-waste model, we will end up in severe economic and ecologic difficulties. Being circular is high on both political and business agenda, Guldager Jensen says.

Kasper Guldager Jensen is an avid proponent of the circular building movement.

– We use a lot of resources and talent to make the buildings look great and fit for purpose. But when the life-span of the building is up, the demolishing process is unprecise and not very pretty. Deconstruction results in a great value loss.

With the dwindling resources and new-found scarcity, material prices are on the rise. This opens the door for new business models. According to Guldager Jensen, we have reached a tipping point where the ecologic and economic benefits meet.

– Buildings should be seen as material banks. It’s a totally new way to look at the construction ecosystem. We must learn from the nature, where everything has a purpose and everything is a resource. Nature wastes nothing, why should we, Kasper Guldager Jensen asks.

ROADMAP FOR A CIRCULAR BUILDING SYSTEM

To make an impact, industrial scale solutions are needed. That’s why Guldager Jensen was invited to join Peikko Group’s Board of Directors in 2017. In addition to that, Kasper Guldager Jensen leads the internal innovation unit of 3XN, GXN Innovation.

Dedicated to the Circular Economy, GXN Innovation and Peikko have started a research program to develop new solutions for transforming the precast industry.

– We are working together on a roadmap that will lead to a circular building system. Soon we’ll be ready to get concrete, says Topi Paananen, the CEO of Peikko.

– This is quite unique in the concrete industry, which has had a hard time finding its place in the sustainability band wagon. We are going to show what can be done not only today, but also tomorrow, Guldager Jensen adds.

 

In search of a bright, circular future?
Download our whitepaper to get there.

Petri Suur-Askola

Business Director

Connections

Peikko Group Corporation

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