The building and construction sector is one of Europe’s largest sources of material use, waste generation, and carbon emissions. While circular economy (CE) strategies offer enormous potential to reduce this impact, they remain poorly integrated with national climate and energy policies – especially in the materials segment of the sector.

The DECON project, conducted by the Reform Institute in collaboration with two European think-tanks: CONCITO and ReThink, addresses this gap. Focusing on Poland, Ukraine and Denmark, the report explores how national climate strategies, CE policies and sectoral needs can be better aligned to support a net-zero transformation in the construction and building materials sector.
(READ: DECON: Integration of circular economy within climate and energy actions as a crucial component in the decarbonisation of the building and construction material sector)

Key findings reveal that most current frameworks – including National Energy and Climate Plans – overlook the emissions and resource use tied to the full lifecycle of materials like cement, steel, or insulation. At the same time, circular solutions such as material reuse, modular construction, or low-carbon substitutes remain underused in policymaking and practice.

The report identifies best practices, barriers and mismatches across the value chain – from policy design to implementation – and offers concrete recommendations for:

• Integrating CE into decarbonisation frameworks,
• Developing circular business models and infrastructure,
• Aligning CE measures with EU climate tools like the ETS and EPBD,
• Strengthening monitoring through material passports and lifecycle data.

Whether you're a policymaker, industry actor, or climate advocate, this report is a valuable roadmap for achieving emissions reductions while saving materials and boosting resilience across Europe’s built environment.

Read the full report below to explore strategies for decarbonising the building and construction material sector across Europe.

DECON is part of the Prosperous Future Program for Civil Society Cooperation in the Region, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers.