09/11/2026
Is the circular economy the future of construction? Reusing materials, reducing waste and rethinking the way we build: according to Sébastien BOURDIN, who teaches Economic Geography at IÉSEG, this approach goes far beyond sustainability. He sees it as a driver of innovation, coordination and local value creation. In this interview, he shares his vision of an industry on the verge of reinventing itself.
The circular economy is, above all, about moving away from the idea that everything is disposable. Its objective is to preserve the value of materials, products and components for as long as possible. This involves a range of actions: reducing resource consumption, extending products’ lifespans, repairing, reusing and recycling materials, and more broadly, rethinking the way value chains are organized. It offers an alternative vision of production and economic development to the traditional linear model based on extracting, producing, consuming, and discarding. Today, that model has shown its limits. Pressure on natural resources continues to increase, as do waste generation and economic dependency. What I find particularly interesting is that the circular economy is not simply an environmental concept. It is also about organization, innovation, collaboration between stakeholders and local development.
The construction industry is a particularly relevant field for the circular economy as it consumes large quantities of materials and generates significant amounts of waste. Concrete, bricks, tiles, metal and insulation materials are used in every construction project, while demolition or renovation works produce valuable materials that could, at least in part, be recovered and reused. This approach can be integrated from the design stage by choosing systems that are easy to dismantle, repair or reuse. It can also be implemented before demolition, by identifying materials that can be carefully removed and repurposed rather than simply discarded.
A Partner at Neo-Eco, Benjamin CONSTANT manages “NeoCem”, a project aimed at decarbonizing the construction industry.
NeoCem has developed an innovative solution to reduce CO₂ emissions by 90%. It uses clays excavated during construction work, which are calcined. These calcined clays replace a large part of traditional cement. They provide the same performance, at a lower cost, while being low-carbon. This removes all barriers to sustainable construction.
The reuse of bricks from demolished buildings is a good example. In theory, the process is straightforward: instead of crushing the bricks and recycling the material, they can be dismantled, sorted, cleaned and reused in another construction project. In practice, however, the situation is more complex. Several questions need to be addressed: where do the bricks come from? What condition are they in? Do they comply with current standards? Who would be liable if a problem arose? How should they be stored, and at what cost?
It is indeed at the heart of the issue. In the construction industry, reuse and recycling are still carried out on a relatively small scale and often remain dependent on pioneering initiatives. The challenge is to transform these isolated practices into structured and widely adopted processes. Achieving this will require changes at every stage of the value chain: improving material audits, clarifying liability frameworks, establishing shared standards, developing storage solutions, creating efficient exchange platforms and introducing coherent economic incentives. The question is no longer whether it can be done, because we already know it can. The real challenge is whether we are prepared to commit to the operational, standardized and economically viable measures to make these practices the norm rather than the exception.
The circular economy generates benefits that are economic, social and territorial in nature. It can help secure access to resources and raw materials whose prices are often volatile and sometimes influenced by geopolitical tensions and strategic trade relationships. It also contributes to the creation of new skills and professions, many of which are rooted in local economies and cannot easily be relocated. In addition, it fosters innovation by encouraging companies to rethink their processes, partnerships and, in some cases, even their business models. Finally, it carries a cultural and heritage dimension. Reusing materials means preserving traces of a building’s history and identity. In some construction projects, this aspect is central, as it helps ensure that new buildings remain connected to the history and identity of their surroundings.
The two key factors are clarity and security. Many stakeholders are not opposed to the idea of circular practices. However, they become cautious when liability frameworks are unclear, standards are not adapted or costs and timelines remain uncertain. Providing legal and technical certainty around the use of reclaimed materials is essential. This can be achieved by establishing clear regulations, reliable certification mechanisms and shared standards across the industry. Another important challenge is skills development. As long as reuse is perceived as a niche, complex or risky practice, it will struggle to gain widespread acceptance. Architects, property developers, construction companies, engineering consultancies and the entire value chain need to be trained. The more familiar professionals become with these practices, the more likely they are to become the industry standard.
Here too, the challenge is to make the circular economy more visible. Many people are unaware that high-quality reclaimed materials exist and can be incorporated into construction and renovation projects without compromising performance or aesthetics. There is still work to be done to promote these solutions, document successful projects and communicate their benefits more effectively. The more people see successful projects using reclaimed materials, the more likely they are to embrace these practices themselves.
The construction industry is often seen as difficult to transform. Yet there is considerable room for improvement! The circular economy is not a miracle solution, but it can become a powerful tool provided it is not reduced to a mere slogan. It needs to be embedded in business models and integrated into the day-to-day operations of the industry. Only then can it move from being a promising experiment to becoming the new standard in construction.
As a Professor of Economic Geography and Environmental Management at IÉSEG, Sébastien BOURDIN seeks to understand how companies, local authorities and other stakeholders can adapt to environmental, economic and societal challenges.
His research focuses on contemporary territorial transformations, particularly ecological transition, the circular economy, territorial policies and the development of more sustainable models.
This article was written by Luna Créations for IÉSEG Network, the School’s alumni association.
