From Principles to Practice DIGITAL

104The Alliance calls for a cohesive policy and market framework to drive greater demand for re-use and end- of-life practices. This means embedding re-use within regulatory structures, aligning procurement standards to favour reclaimed materials, ensuring financial models incentivize circular practices and removing barriers within existing regulatory frameworks. These actions have the potential to drive industry-wide adoption and market transformation. Policy innovations could include: ▪Pro-re-use procurement policies that set standards for public-sector projects ▪Mechanisms to measure and cap the embodied emis- sions of new construction ▪Adaptive building codes10 and zoning regulations pri- oritizing retention and deconstruction over demolition11 ▪Policies that incentivize material recovery and remanufacturing ▪Government investment in circular infrastructure such as material recovery facilities and re-use marketplaces To make re-use-based projects feasible and more practi- cal on a large scale, new regulations should be combined with financial incentives. These incentives could include tax credits, subsidies, fee waivers and regulatory adjust - ments. Simultaneously, adding costs to newly manufac- tured materials – based on their environmental impact and disposal expenses – could encourage more sustain- able choices. Over time, as the benefits of large-scale re-use become clearer, businesses and policy-makers should adopt sustainable models that prioritize re-use. This approach ensures that re-use is not just good for the environment but also a smart financial strategy for developers, local governments and businesses.End-of-life re-use approaches The Alliance advocates for a holistic framework to mainstream end-of-life re-use in the built environment, ensuring that buildings, infrastructure, materials and land are seen as assets to be retained, adapted and rein- tegrated rather than discarded. By cultivating circular practices at scale, it’s possible to significantly reduce embodied carbon, mitigate resource depletion and pro- mote long-term economic and social value. The following approaches outline strategies to create regional and local markets for end-of-life re-use by advancing policy innovation, economic incentives, mate- rial recovery systems and cross-sector collaboration. These approaches aim to embed re-use as a fundamen- tal pillar of sustainable urban development, shifting the industry away from a linear, extractive model towards a circular, regenerative one. By cultivating cross-sector collaboration, policy innovation and investment in circu - lar building practices, this approach aims to mainstream re-use as a cornerstone of urban development. APPROACH 1 Drive greater demand for re-use through market transformation and policy innovation Scaling re-use practices requires market-driven strate- gies and policies that demonstrate the affordability and profitability of re-use. Such strategies should also sup- port the infrastructure needed to scale urban mining,9 restoration, adaptive re-use and remanufacturing while embedding re-use as a core principle of urban devel- opment. Communities have long relied on the re-use of buildings and materials to preserve historical architec- ture, and they are increasingly recognizing the potential of re-use to reduce costs, conserve resources and protect biodiversity. Realizing these benefits requires a systemic approach that harnesses policy and regulation, financial incentives and new business models to catalyse wide- spread market adoption. RECYGÉNIE Recygénie, a 220-unit inclusive housing complex, is the world’s first building made entirely from recycled concrete, conserving over 6,000 tonnes of natural resources. While 100% recycled concrete isn’t yet scal- able under current regulations, the project seeks to establish a minimum industry baseline in France’s highly regulated market. Key innovations, including 100% recy - cled clinker, were validated through rigorous testing. To drive policy change and wider adoption, project data has been submitted to the French Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB), advancing research and national standards for recycled concrete. Read more in the Alliance’s Recygénie Innovative Practice case study. GUIDANCE ON DEVELOPING INCENTIVE-BASED POLICIES For further guidance on developing incentive-based policies for the adaptive re-use of buildings and infra - structure, view the Forum’s Model Policy for Adaptive Re-use of Assets. The model policy is informed by vari- ous existing policies including: 1 Vancouver, Canada’s Vancouver Vacancy Tax No. 115674 and the Embodied Carbon Guidelines 2 Canada’s Standard on Embodied Carbon in Construction 3 London, England’s The London Plan 4 Finland’s Procurement Requirements for Low-Carbon Building 5 Milan, Italy’s Milan Art. 40 6 Los Angeles, California, US’ Citywide Adaptive Re-use Ordinance 7 New South Wales, Australia’s Decarbonising Infrastructure Delivery Policy 105Holcim