The Role of Ceramics in the Circular Economy

This report, commissioned by the Royal Association for Building Ceramics in the Netherlands (KNB) , investigates the current and future role of building ceramics in a circular economy. This versatile and sustainable material is already widely used and reused in the Dutch built environment, mainly in the form of bricks and roof tiles. However, it constitutes no more than 5% of the total annual volume of building materials. 

‍

The report explores pathways toward promoting the use of building ceramics and improving the environmental performance of ceramic technology. With this in mind, the sector should focus on lowering its carbon footprint, for example, by employing hydrogen and electricity in production processes. Moreover, ceramics suppliers should experiment with new business models, such as ‘Product-as-a-Service’, and enhance collaboration within the construction sector. 

‍