Eight recommendations to adopt materials passports and accelerate material reuse in construction : insights from academia and practice

Costa, Ana Rute and Hoolahan, Rachel and Charef, Rabia (2025) Eight recommendations to adopt materials passports and accelerate material reuse in construction : insights from academia and practice. npj Materials Sustainability, 3 (1): 33. ISSN 2948-1775

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Abstract

The construction industry is not only one of the most resource-intensive industries, but is also responsible for nearly 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. In this perspective paper we present eight recommendations to adopt materials passports and accelerate material reuse in construction. This approach will enable us to reduce embodied carbon expenditure and address Net Zero Targets. We should: 1) Prioritise the reuse of the whole building; 2) Complete a pre-redevelopment and pre-demolition audit; 3) Prioritise deconstruction over demolition; 4) Prepare a deconstruction plan; 5) Adopt a clear materials passports framework that allows interoperability between platforms and databases; 6) Produce a materials passports database according to the life stage of the building: existing, proposed and completed; 7) Incorporate reused materials in new buildings; 8) Promote regulation that supports a cultural shift to address the economic, social and environmental value of materials. In all of these cases, the involvement of all stakeholders across the industry is crucial to enable material reuse and extend the lifecycle of materials.