Your cart is currently empty!
Circular economy
Steel is the backbone of our cities in Aotearoa and the rockstar of the circular economy. From reducing and reusing, to recycling and remanufacturing – steel has a great kōrero to tell!
Steel performs well within a circular economy and therefore some key aspects of the natural capital measures – particularly life cycle analysis, resilience and recyclability.
Our research strengthens this kōrero with data, improves our performance and drives a strategy toward playing our part in sustainability through a circular lens. Of course, we get that we’re not perfect and there is room to improve in terms of our carbon performance. It is why our rangahau also looks to improve our carbon performance, stimulate innovation in carbon initiatives and investigate the opportunity for zero carbon steel building design and products in Aotearoa.
Toitū te marae a Tāne, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te iwi.
If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive.
Inside this section:
Sustainable steel
In a circular economy, products are manufactured from raw materials, used then repaired, reused and recycled. In the linear economy, products are made, consumed and discarded. Acknowledging that local steel manufacturing and fabrication plays an important role in our zero-carbon future, our research is focused on exploring, innovating and optimising our capability to recycle, reduce, remanufacture, and reuse.
Recycle
The biggest single industry in Aotearoa for waste is building and construction. With commercial construction at record levels, residential building consents peaking at 1970’s levels, and massive housing shortages, we must find a better way to ease the pressure on landfills and tautoko New Zealand’s transition to a vibrant, low-emissions future. Our mahi has focused on understanding the role steel has to play in recycling as a core concept of the circular economy.
Reduce
Minimising waste and resource use is a key concept in the circular economy to lower environmental impacts and support sustainability. For steel, this means not only reducing the carbon emissions we emit as an industry, but also exploring how we might be able to use fewer raw materials in manufacturing and construction to minimise waste and achieve low carbon design. Our rangahau is focused on exploring both these aspects.
Remanufacture
Remanufacturing is emerging as a key strategy in the circular economy for extending infrastructure lifespans and conserving value. Our research focuses on innovating in this process by assessing the manufacturability of components for reuse and reconfiguration. We also are exploring ways to enhance the durability and resilience of products and structures to reduce the need for repairs and give new life to non-compliant buildings through retrofitting.
Reuse
Traditionally, structural engineers have worked hard to optimise material usage to minimise environmental impact. The concept of reuse goes beyond this by ensuring every component of a building can be repurposed and reused (whether during its life or after its use) to create a positive environmental impact. Our rangahau looks to facilitate this reuse through a material passport concept.
See what the circular economy looks like in action!
Discover how the circular economy can transform your projects and drive sustainable innovation with our quick reference infographic which breaks down circular economy benefits.
Latest news & resources
This report defines ‘common language’ for steel construction to support HERA’s “Structures as Steel Banks” project, aiding steel reuse through material passports.
We are excited to introduce our new PhD student, joining the research team working on HERA’s ACM CRC project program Circular Design 4.0.