BuildZero: transforming the UK's buildings for zero material extraction, zero carbon and zero waste
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Civil and Structural Engineering
Abstract
Buildings and infrastructure are responsible for over 30% of the UK's carbon emissions, produce over 60% of the UK's waste, and consume approximately 50% of all extracted materials globally. Radical change is urgently required to achieve a sustainable construction sector. The circular economy (CE) is a well-recognised opportunity to turn waste into resources while reducing carbon emissions. CE aims to keep materials at the highest value possible, via a hierarchy of strategies, e.g. first prioritising extending the lifetime of buildings, then reusing building elements directly in-situ or on another site, then remanufacturing elements, and finally recycling material to conserve resources and avoid disposal. However, CE is still far from typical construction practice. Action to date has largely focused on one-off case studies of individual buildings, or recycling targets leading to wasteful downcycling, and lacks the national-scale, systems-level impact that is so desperately needed.
BuildZero's vision is one of a building stock that delivers the UK's space requirements but no longer relies on extraction of new resources, by leveraging the CE to meet materials needs, and eliminating both waste and carbon emissions from material extraction and production. Using this highly ambitious end goal as a springboard, we will explore CE solutions across multiple scales, identified, co-created and co-delivered with our highly engaged industrial consortium, assess the extent to which this vision is achievable nationally, regionally and in relation to individual buildings, and determine the conditions in which the BuildZero vision leads to favourable social, environmental, and economic outcomes. This new knowledge base will provide a platform to enable these solutions to be translated into practice at scale, catalysing regional and national policy to stimulate real change.
To achieve this, we will develop an interdisciplinary, multi-scale systems model of buildings and resources flows, focused around four themes:
Theme 1: How does the baseline state of the system, including the interplay between societal attitudes, current materials/buildings and legislation constrain moves towards a co-created vision?
Theme 2: How far can solutions that make the best use of space take us towards this vision?
Theme 3: How far can making the best use of materials, including waste resources, take us?
Theme 4: How can our future needs & potential solutions combine to achieve a BuildZero future?
To tackle these research challenges we will use methods from industrial ecology, to understand material stocks and flows; from architecture, structural engineering, and materials science, to understand the technical potential of CE solutions; from social sciences, to understand social attitudes and trade-offs; and from economics, to understand potential CE business models. As well as conducting novel research in each underpinning area, we will commit significant resources to working with stakeholders to synthesise findings on what a CE for buildings looks like, by creating interactive foresight/backcasting tools, co-creating future scenarios and identifying the actions needed to catalyse change. Demonstrator projects will apply research to specific contexts, generating early impact. We will build a fundamental understanding of how and when to implement CE strategies, investigating economic viability, social inclusivity, and zero-carbon compatibility, considering these across multiple geographical and policy scales. Our programme of research will culminate in the identification of pathways to achieve the BuildZero vision over different time frames, and a co-created 10 year research roadmap that outlines the remaining work required to deliver a BuildZero future.
BuildZero's vision is one of a building stock that delivers the UK's space requirements but no longer relies on extraction of new resources, by leveraging the CE to meet materials needs, and eliminating both waste and carbon emissions from material extraction and production. Using this highly ambitious end goal as a springboard, we will explore CE solutions across multiple scales, identified, co-created and co-delivered with our highly engaged industrial consortium, assess the extent to which this vision is achievable nationally, regionally and in relation to individual buildings, and determine the conditions in which the BuildZero vision leads to favourable social, environmental, and economic outcomes. This new knowledge base will provide a platform to enable these solutions to be translated into practice at scale, catalysing regional and national policy to stimulate real change.
To achieve this, we will develop an interdisciplinary, multi-scale systems model of buildings and resources flows, focused around four themes:
Theme 1: How does the baseline state of the system, including the interplay between societal attitudes, current materials/buildings and legislation constrain moves towards a co-created vision?
Theme 2: How far can solutions that make the best use of space take us towards this vision?
Theme 3: How far can making the best use of materials, including waste resources, take us?
Theme 4: How can our future needs & potential solutions combine to achieve a BuildZero future?
To tackle these research challenges we will use methods from industrial ecology, to understand material stocks and flows; from architecture, structural engineering, and materials science, to understand the technical potential of CE solutions; from social sciences, to understand social attitudes and trade-offs; and from economics, to understand potential CE business models. As well as conducting novel research in each underpinning area, we will commit significant resources to working with stakeholders to synthesise findings on what a CE for buildings looks like, by creating interactive foresight/backcasting tools, co-creating future scenarios and identifying the actions needed to catalyse change. Demonstrator projects will apply research to specific contexts, generating early impact. We will build a fundamental understanding of how and when to implement CE strategies, investigating economic viability, social inclusivity, and zero-carbon compatibility, considering these across multiple geographical and policy scales. Our programme of research will culminate in the identification of pathways to achieve the BuildZero vision over different time frames, and a co-created 10 year research roadmap that outlines the remaining work required to deliver a BuildZero future.
Organisations
- University of Sheffield (Lead Research Organisation)
- New America (Collaboration)
- Mace (Collaboration)
- Napper Architects (Collaboration)
- Comm Solutions (Collaboration)
- Scottish Power (Project Partner)
- ReLondon (Project Partner)
- ARUP (Project Partner)
- Maconda Solutions (Project Partner)
- AECOM Limited (UK) (Project Partner)
- Cleveland Steel and Tubes Ltd (Project Partner)
- Marks Barfeld Architects (Project Partner)
- Hawkins/Brown Architects (Project Partner)
- Useful Simple Trust (Project Partner)
- South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Author. (Project Partner)
- Xtonnes Ltd (Project Partner)
- Enfield Council (Project Partner)
- Simple Works Ltd (Project Partner)
- Private Address (Project Partner)
- Laing O'Rourke plc (Project Partner)
- Ramboll (Project Partner)
- GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY (Project Partner)
- UK Green Building Council (Project Partner)
- Mott Macdonald (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Chartered Institute of Housing (Project Partner)
- NET POSITIVE SOLUTIONS LTD (Project Partner)
- CUNDALL JOHNSTON & PARTNERS LLP (Project Partner)
- Tata Group UK (Project Partner)
- Multiplex (Project Partner)
- Royal Town Planning Institute (Project Partner)
- Circular Ecology (Project Partner)
- IstructE (Project Partner)
- Aecom (Project Partner)
- Elliott Wood Partnership Ltd (Project Partner)
- Chapter two Architects Ltd (Project Partner)
- ISG LIMITED (Project Partner)
- Qualis Flow Limited (Project Partner)
- LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM (Project Partner)
- Waterman Group (Project Partner)
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (Project Partner)
- London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Project Partner)
- Toronto Metropolitan University (Project Partner)
- Igloo Regeneration Ltd (Project Partner)
- BATH AND NORTH EAST SOMERSET COUNCIL (Project Partner)
- AWW (Project Partner)
Publications
Adelekan A
(2025)
A review of circular business models for zero carbon, zero waste and zero material extraction in the building sector
in Procedia CIRP
Dai M
(2025)
Geometry-informed material intensity reveals considerable intra-archetype material variability of UK housing
in Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Dai M
(2025)
Modeling interior component stocks of UK housing using exterior features and machine learning techniques
in Journal of Industrial Ecology
Sharmina M
(2025)
Policymaker-led scenarios and public dialogue facilitate energy demand analysis for net-zero futures
in Nature Energy
Yuan L
(2026)
Building stock archetype and modelling (BSAM) framework for coupled material-energy-carbon assessment
in Environmental Impact Assessment Review
| Description | DEFRA Circular Economy Taskforce |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | ISIE-SEM best practice guidance |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | London Plan Stakeholder |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Membership of Standards Committee - CEN/TC 350/SC1 Circular economy in the construction sector |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | ROMULUS |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Response to National Planning Policy Framework |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-planning-policy-framework-proposed-reforms-and-... |
| Description | Response to the GMCA consultation on the refresh of the Greater Manchester Retrofit Strategy |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Responses to call for evidence on Environmental sustainability and housing growth |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The Sixth Report on Environmental sustainability and housing growth, produced by the Environmental Audit Committee cites the response submitted (under section 4, paragraph132) and states: Similar estimates from the University of Sheffield led academics to conclude that constructing exclusively new build properties to meet national housing targets would be "fundamentally incompatible with the UK's legally binding carbon reduction targets". |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/50235/documents/271280/default/ |
| Description | The Grey Belt parliamentary inquiry |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8503/the-grey-belt/publications/written-evidence/ |
| Description | Working group on Market forming interventions |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Written evidence provided to the Built Environment Committee's inquiry |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/141713/pdf/ |
| Description | MACE Group collaboration |
| Organisation | Mace |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Dissemination of research findings to date |
| Collaborator Contribution | Engagement in BuildZero related activities |
| Impact | Input from collaborator, providing expert inputs to BuildZero |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Race Cottam partnership |
| Organisation | Comm Solutions |
| Country | Brazil |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Dissemination of research findings to date. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Shared data with BuildZero Consortium members |
| Impact | Data sharing on-going for this reesarch project |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Re-New Collaboration |
| Organisation | New America |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Dissemination of research findings to date |
| Collaborator Contribution | Attendance at BuildZero related stakeholder events |
| Impact | Expertise provided at BuildZero related stakeholder events |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | SPACE Architects collaboration |
| Organisation | Napper Architects |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Dissemination of research findings to date. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided data for BuildZero Consortium members |
| Impact | Data sharing on-going for this research project. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | BuildZero Official Launch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Over 100 participants signed up to attend the official launch of BuildZero on 7th June 2024. The project was represented by all Investigators of the project, and the event included members of the public, interested parties, academia and stakeholders. It has led to a number of potential collaborations, and opportunities for data sharing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.buildzero.ac.uk/publications-and-events |
| Description | EPSRC Decarbonisation of heating & cooling workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The EPSRC Decarbonisation of the heating and cooling of buildings workshop was held in Birmingham on 25 March 2025. The aims of the workshop were to: * Define the current and future research and innovation challenges in the area and the current landscape in the context of engineering and physical sciences. * Understand the barriers to adopting innovation in this area and how they might be reduced. Identify and prioritise focus areas for near- and medium-term research and innovation activity in the area. * Enable networking between those working in different areas and sectors related to heat and buildings |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/EPSRC-170725-Heat-and-building-workshop-report-FINAL... |
| Description | Forum for Circular Infrastructure |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Forum for Circular Infrastructure (FCI), founded and chaired by AECOM, brings together infrastructure owners and operators from across the UK and Ireland to share best practice, facilitate opportunities for collaboration and drive innovation to encourage innovative thinking on a fully circular infrastructure delivery. Approximately 30 attendees meet quarterly. Presented BuildZero. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| Description | Green Construction Board |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Dani Densley Tingley has attended many related activities as part of the working group group for Green Construction Board (GCB), which is a delivery body for the Net Zero and sustainability workstream of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC). This has included several areas of engagement including: * Royal Society & Environment Agency Net Zero Event * GCB Resources, Waste and Circular economy Group Meetings |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/workstream/green-construction-board/ |
| Description | ISIE Special Session |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Special session, organised and chaired by BuildZero members: Spatially explicit material stocks and flows, towards integrated modelling approaches. Session Chairs Circular economy methods: Jonathan Cullen Infrastructure: André Cabrera Serrenho Life cycle assessment methods: Rick Lupton |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Nature: Editors Q&A |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | As an editor of Communications Engineering, Dani Densley Tingley was interviewed as part of the Q&A series by Nature. Dani shared her perspectives on the benefits of collaborative R&D in building a research career and in addressing grand challenges. Based on the metrics (via the URL below), the article was accessed ~1500 times. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.nature.com/articles/s44172-025-00444-z |
| Description | Panel Discussion: Accurate 'As Built', Real-Time Embodied Carbon Data to Support Scope 3 Reporting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Rick Lupton participated in panel discussion hosted by Causeway, including presenting plans for and engagement opportunities with the BuildZero project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Panel: BuildZero: Making the best use of space and materials |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Expert panel which included industry and policy makers at the London Design Festival, which took place at Oxo Tower Platform and Courtyard from the CascadeUp stage. This stage, in the heart of the South Bank design district, provided a centre piece to an exciting area which includes both Material Matters and the Wood Awards. Collectively, all three told a powerful story of a more sustainable, low-carbon future, and showcase the teams working now to make this possible. The London Design Festival was free to the public to attend, but a bookings page for this panel had over 60 registrants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | York Environmental Sustainability Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dani Densley Tingley (invited speaker) presented on "Measuring circularity across scales"at the Collaborative Research Workshop: Environmental Sustainability, held at University of York. The workshop was an in person event (and was the third in a series of collaborative research workshops focusing on environmental sustainability, bringing together speakers and panelists from local government, global city networks, architecture and engineering practices, and academia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/public-lectures/sem2-24-25/environmental-sustainabilit... |