Circular economy for the decarbonisation of basic materials: Multi-method insights for buildings and associated materials in the European Union

Abstract

The European Union agreed to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, which requires to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors. The industry sector and particularly the production of the basic materials steel and cement are responsible for a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions. Buildings are one of the main demand sectors for these materials. To decarbonise the production of steel and cement, new production processes must be established, which are related to diverse challenges, such as economics and import dependencies. A circular economy in build-ings can contribute to decarbonise the industry sector efficiently by reducing basic material de-mand. This thesis assesses the contribution of a circular economy in buildings to decarbonising basic material industries. It combines multiple methods to provide comprehensive insights to guide policy making.