Influence of CO₂ Emission Pricing on the Degree of Reuse in Building Projects

By 2030, CO2 emissions must be drastically decreased to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. As a result, the modern construction sector urgently needs to transition to a circular economy. This paper investigates how pricing of CO2 emissions at different levels impacts the viability of reuse in building projects. A recently developed design tool is used in two case studies to find appropriate reclaimed steel elements for a truss structure at Old Trafford, Manchester. Utilising optimisation algorithms, the design tool automatically proposes substitutions of elements in a designed building with reusable elements. The conducted case studies demonstrate that an increased CO2 emission price encourages a higher utilisation of reusable elements, even considering the substantial driving distance involved in acquiring them. The results indicate that increasing the CO2 emission price in the future will motivate the reuse of old materials in the building projects of tomorrow.