UKGBC launches guide on Materials Passports

UKGBC Launches Guide to Promote Circularity in Construction

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has released a new practical and technical guide on Materials Passports, an innovative digital tool designed to promote circularity, reduce waste, and minimise emissions in the built environment. With the construction, demolition, and excavation sectors accounting for 60% of material use and waste generation in the UK, Materials Passports aim to address the over-extraction and under-utilisation of building materials.

Materials Passports digitally track construction materials and products throughout their life cycle, storing key information that can support their recovery and reuse at the end of their life. This approach encourages a circular economy, ensuring that materials are reused, recycled, or repurposed rather than disposed of. UKGBC’s new guide explains how these passports can help improve the efficiency of material use and reduce the environmental impact of construction projects.

UKGBC highlights that the built environment sector needs to rethink its approach to materials, from design to end-of-life planning. By using Materials Passports, businesses can make better decisions on how to manage materials throughout a building’s life cycle, helping to reduce waste and support climate mitigation efforts.

The guide outlines the key principles behind Materials Passports, including why they are important, the key stakeholders to engage with, and the steps needed to implement them in construction projects. By using this tool, companies can improve sustainability in their operations and contribute to a more circular economy.

The launch of this guide follows the growing recognition of the role Materials Passports play in reducing waste, mitigating climate impact, and enabling material reuse in the built environment.