Decarbonising mobility will leverage efficiency, modal shift, vehicle electrification and a reduced production footprint of vehicles.

With a focus on dismantling, this study looks at steel decarbonisation. This is a priority since steel is the most widely used material in cars and trucks and the second-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in vehicle manufacturing.

It recommends establishing a new commercial standard which accounts for improved shredded scrap quality, thereby increasing its market value and benefiting the entire value chain. This added value creation could also help limit the export of ELVs outside the EU, which poses multiple concerns, including safety issues and the loss of strategic materials critical for European industry resilience.

Concrete accounts for 8% of the world's CO₂ emissions. Efforts are being made to reduce its embodied carbon, but reusing concrete from existing buildings has significant untapped potential.

This study presents an innovative digital workflow for predicting the lifespan of concrete elements, CO₂ uptake via natural carbonation and embodied carbon savings through reuse. The workflow was tested in a building from the 1960s with high reuse potential. 

It found that most precast elements would last long enough to be reused effectively and that reuse is better for the environment than carbonation.

The digital workflow is useful for quickly assessing lifespan, carbonation and embodied carbon of concrete. It is a useful tool when designing for reuse.

This JRC report emphasises the importance of standardisation in promoting circular construction and the circular economy. 

It discusses the need for future standardisation and pre-normative research for circular construction in terminology, metrology, performance characterisation, compatibility and operability assessments.

The report highlights the need for clear objectives, focused standards, cost-effectiveness, common future scenarios, resource indicators, and practical implementation aspects to advance circularity in the construction industry. The recommendations provided aim to guide future standardisation activities, aligning with circular principles to drive industry competitiveness and environmental stewardship.