Circular but Confusing: Inconsistencies in Measuring Building Sustainability

As the global community intensifies efforts to address environmental degradation, the construction sector emerges as a significant contributor to ecological harm—responsible for approximately 40% of annual CO₂ emissions, raw material consumption, and global waste generation. In response, the concept of a Circular Economy (CE) has gained momentum. CE promotes strategies such as reuse, recycling, and repair to reduce waste and optimize resource efficiency across a building’s entire life cycle.