ASSA ABLOY: Circularity principles applied to construction sites

ASSA ABLOY group company Biosite is enabling contractors to incorporate circular economy principles into the construction phase of building projects.

As the construction industry accelerates its transition towards more sustainable practices, attention is shifting to the temporary infrastructure used during construction, beyond just permanent building materials. The focus is on reducing waste, lowering embodied carbon, and keeping valuable materials in use for longer periods.

Biosite's approach involves recovering temporary site infrastructure, such as turnstiles, at the end of a project. These assets are then inspected, serviced, and upgraded if necessary before being redeployed on future sites. This practice extends product lifecycles and maximizes the use of existing resources, thereby reducing the demand for new equipment and minimizing waste.

While green building certifications like BREEAM and LEED primarily assess sustainability at the building level, they also encourage resource efficiency and lifecycle thinking. The use of recirculated temporary site infrastructure supports these objectives and demonstrates a commitment to circular construction practices. This initiative underscores that sustainable building begins on the construction site itself.