Our guide, 'Full Circle, Full Potential: British Land's Approach to the Circular Economy', details our comprehensive approach to the circular economy, emphasising the importance of circulating materials within the built environment to maximise their potential. Our focus on materials reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and repurposing has led us to develop a standardised approach for each stage of the materials lifecycle.
We share our strategies, findings, and insights on data capture, which are crucial for understanding the requirements at every stage - from collaborating with manufacturers to working with architects. Our ambition is to drive the circular economy forward within the wider built environment, recognising that widespread adoption is essential. This guide aims to provide valuable guidance not only to our supply chain but also to other industry stakeholders, serving as a foundational step towards creating a common language and approach for materials reuse.
The Circular Economy
What is it?
The Circular Economy aims to eliminate waste by keeping materials in use for as long as possible, decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources and addressing multiple global challenges. Circular construction focuses on minimising waste and raw material demand through reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling. This approach includes: reusing existing assets through redevelopment, designing new buildings for prolonged lifespan and planning to recover materials at the end of building lifecycle.
Why is it important?
Construction and demolition waste accounts for approximately 62% of the UK's total waste, equating to nearly 138 million tonnes. That's why adopting circular economy principles in our projects is crucial to maximising material value and reducing waste. While progress has been made in diverting waste from landfill, most construction and demolition waste is downcycled, losing value. British Land aims to deliver 4.5m sq ft by the end of the decade, requiring around 638,000 tonnes of construction materials.
Our pathway to a low carbon future
We commit to reducing embodied carbon emissions in our office developments by 50% and operational carbon emissions across our portfolio by 75% by 2030. We will also increase energy efficiency by 25% and offset residual emissions using our internal transition vehicle. To achieve these goals, we prioritise reusing existing structures and materials, designing for longevity and flexibility, increasing the use of recycled materials, and using low carbon materials wherever practical.
Learn more about our approachOur Approach
Our Approach
What is Embodied Carbon?
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Why use less materials
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Full Circle, Full Potential - in conversation
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