Help lay the foundations we need to achieve circularity in architectural design, the construction industry, and our structures, communities, and cities with these inspiring resources, including materials from changemakers featured in Circular Economy Magazine.
Climate crises are all around us. We urgently need to embed circularity into everything, especially in the structures we build, renovate, and tear down.
Right now, the built environment in Canada and many places around the world contributes massively to waste generation, carbon emissions, and harm to our collective wellbeing. But it’s not too late to change course and start remodelling the industry into something regenerative, nature-positive, and healthy for all.
How can we achieve this? By transitioning to the circular economy.
And while this transition will not happen quickly or easily, there are plenty of actions we can start taking today to implement circular principles and strategies, reimagine design, and rethink how we handle construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) waste. If we begin now, we can lay the foundation for a built environment that is truly circular.
Keep scrolling for resources you can use to help educate, advocate, innovate, or directly build a more circular world across the spaces where we live, work, and play.
Check out these resources from individuals and organizations that have been featured in Circular Economy Magazine.
Carbon Leadership Forum BC — Resource Library: Browse through this curated library for resources that can help businesses, policymakers, designers, consultants, and building owners reduce embodied carbon.
Carbon Leadership Forum BC — Carbon Storing Buildings: A Gateway to Justice and Belonging Event Replay: Take a critical look at how we can embed justice and belonging alongside building health and carbon storage, and how to scale this work to address climate justice.
Circular Construction Canada (formerly CELC) and CSA Group — Mobilizing Circularity in Canada’s Built Environment Webinar Recap: Watch this on-demand webinar on mobilizing a circular built environment in Canada and advancing a national action plan, presented by Circular Construction Canada (formerly CELC) and CSA Group.
Circular Innovation Council — In Conversation: Accelerate Circularity of Construction, Renovation, and Demolition Materials Webinar Recap: Tune in to this discussion focused on transforming circular ambition into action across CRD materials. Presented by Circular Innovation Council.
Circular Innovation Council and COIL — Developing a Circular Building Materials System and Fostering Innovation From Construction, Demolition and Renovation (CRD): An Ontario-Based Systemic Policy Analysis and Blueprint for Change Document: Examine tangible ways Ontario (and other provinces) can actively shift to a circular system, build up infrastructure, and empower on-the-ground innovation.
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute — Building the Business Case for Circularity in Built Environment Interview: In this interview with Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, learn about the business case for circularity in the built environment, including impacts to economic performance, implementation, valuation, and more.
CSA Group — The Circular Built Environment in Canada: A Review of the Current State, Gaps and Opportunities Report: This report examines the current state of the circular built environment in Canada, identifies gaps, and recommends actions the construction sector can take.
CSA Group — The Circular Built Environment in Canada: A Strategic Framework for Future Action Report: Discover how organizations can help mobilize Canada’s circular built environment, including first moves that lift barriers and take small actions, and second moves that widen the circle.
Circular Construction Canada, Generate Canada, and Co-operators — Our Circular Construction Future Webinar: Watch this on-demand replay for an exploration of key topics in Canadian construction, including the value of deconstruction and reuse, embedding circularity into insurance industry practices, and driving demand through policy and societal change.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation — Circular Buildings Toolkit: Learn how to integrate circular economy strategies and principles into built environment projects with this continually updated resource, launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) in partnership with ARUP.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation — Building Prosperity: Unlocking the Potential of a Nature-Positive, Circular Economy for Europe Report: Demonstrating the value of a nature-positive circular economy for the built environment, this report includes an analysis of Europe’s built environment, six circular economy strategies, and more.
Light House — Construction Plastics Initiative Report: Uncover the findings of Light House’s 14-month pilot, along with 27 recommendations that will help the construction industry move from linear to circular.
Light House — A Blueprint for Change: Preventing Demolition Waste Through Home Relocation and Deconstruction Report: Address barriers to home relocation and deconstruction and discover a new model for making homes slated for demolition available to communities.
VEMA Deconstruction — Deconstruction Guides Library: Get tips, engage with tools, and examine impacts and statistics with the deconstruction guides in this resource library.
Zero Energy & Emissions Buildings (ZEB) Learning Centre — Explained Animations Video Series: Check out this animated video series for explanations of key terms, concepts, and systems related to zero energy buildings.
Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC) — Better Homes and Workplaces – Understanding the Zero Carbon Step Code Document: Deepen your understanding of zero-carbon building codes, new practices and technologies, industry preparedness, and more.
ZEIC and Carbon Leadership Forum BC — Where Embodied Carbon Meets Circular Economy Podcast: Get a clearer picture of the relationship between embodied carbon and circular design principles, and how these principles can help reduce carbon in this on-demand event replay.
Architecture Today — Circularity in Architecture – Designing for a Zero-Waste Future Webinar Replay and Article: Dive into this replay and accompanying article for takeaways exploring the urgent need for circularity in architecture and construction; rethinking material sourcing, reuse, and recovery; and how to adapt existing buildings to extend their useful life.
ARUP — The Reuse Playbook: Gain step-by-step guidance for embedding material reuse across the buildings industry.
ARUP — Unlocking Value in Buildings: Developing the Business Case for Building Circular Report: Supported by Ellen MacArthur Foundation, this report explores five strategies that showcase how long-term value can be unlocked by embracing circular economy principles and practices in the built environment.
BSI Group — The Circular Economy - A Pathway to Net Zero Webinar Replay: Watch this replay for an introduction tailored to the architectural, engineering, construction, and built environment sectors, and gain insights into how the circular economy can help achieve net-zero goals while benefitting business, people, and the environment.
BSI Group — Building Trust in Circularity in the Built Environment White Paper: Examine the role of trust in the adoption of circularity in the built environment, and understand current drivers and barriers.
Coast Waste Management Association — CDR Resources & Education Directory: Find inspiration or services for your project with this directory of building reuse resources and services, education and training, and solutions around North America.
Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction — Enabling Circularity in the Built Environment Session Replay: Tune in to this session reply for an insightful discussion on accelerating the shift toward circular buildings, the role of innovation, and scaling the global transition.
Government of Canada — Explore Circular Economy Initiatives Resource Library: Scroll down to the Construction, Renovation, and Demolition section of this resource library for built environment circularity research and innovations, including a deconstruction case study.
Ivey Business School — Impact Live — Building Tomorrow: Circular Strategies for Canada’s Urban Future Panel Session Replay: Watch this panel replay for a discussion about what's preventing the shift to a circular built environment model and how to overcome these obstacles.
Materials Hub, Whole Life Cycle Policy Coalition, and Circular Built Environment — 10 Whole Life Cycle Recommendations for the Buildings Breakthrough: Shared by the UN Environment Programme, discover 10 consensus-driven recommendations for near-zero emissions and resilient buildings, and learn how to get involved.
McKinsey & Company and the World Economic Forum — Circularity in the Built Environment: Unlocking Opportunities in Retrofits Report: Gain insights into how retrofits can achieve net-zero emissions in the built environment, offering a cost-effective decarbonization solution.
Partners in Project Green — Moving Towards Circular Construction, Renovation and Demolition: Where to Begin Session Replay: In this session replay, members of Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's Partners in Project Green and built environment industry experts discuss how to support the transition to circular construction, renovation, and demolition.
Partners in Project Green — Decarbonizing Buildings: What is Holding Us Back Report: Review key takeaways from Earth District and Partners in Project Green’s event, “Decarbonizing Buildings: What’s Holding Us Back?”, including challenges, policy gaps, workforce development, and collaborative approaches.
Thrive in Construction Podcast — “There’s No Such Thing as Waste – Just Resources Waiting to Be Reused” | What Is A Circular Economy Episode: Gain insights into innovative approaches to circular construction, the role of policy, potential embodied carbon regulations, and how cities can become material banks from Duncan Baker-Brown, sustainability expert and architect.
UN Environment Programme’s Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction — Sustainable Building Materials Hub: Browse this hub for resources that will help policymakers address environmental and sustainability issues within the building materials and construction industries.
UN Global Compact Network UK — Transitioning to a Circular Economy – Built Environment Webinar Replay: This session replay explores the benefits and roles of key actors in a building’s value chain in implementing circular economy principles and highlights best-practice case studies.
UN One Planet — Global Framework for Action Report: Check out this framework for harnessing sustainable and circular public procurement to drive demand for near-zero emission in the built environment.
UN One Planet — Scaling Circular Construction to Realize the Right to Adequate Housing for All: Policy Pathways Report: Using a global analytical perspective, this report examines how to scale circular construction through policy frameworks that also advance the right to adequate housing for all.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) — A Guide to Alignment in the Built Environment Report: Get actionable step-by-step recommendations for using Building Information Modelling (BIM) to improve transparency, accuracy, and consistency of carbon assessments in building projects.
WBCSD — Driving The Ambition Loop: A Stocktake on Critical Levers for Net Zero Transformation in the Built Environment Report: Examine current net-zero progress and emerging action that has resulted from the Market Transformation Action Agenda, how collective action can be scaled, and recommendations to strengthen alignment.
World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company — Circularity in the Built Environment: Maximizing CO2 Abatement and Business Opportunities White Paper: Serving as a call to action for private and public sector leaders, this paper offers strategies for a sustainable built environment transition that will help tackle CO2 abatement, and assesses the impact of circular strategies on six key building materials.
World Green Building Council — The Circular Built Environment Playbook Report: Delve into circular economy solutions for the built environment, including market-leading principles and strategies in action, and get guidance for circular decision-making.
Circular Economy Magazine: Discover what’s possible for the circular economy in Canada with the stories of organizations, initiatives, and programs driving circular innovation in the built environment, and learn how you can help contribute to awareness and acceleration through sponsorship and advertising opportunities.
Ready for the world to know your circular economy story? Sparx is here to make sure your voice is heard, loud and clear. Contact us today for a free consultation.