Our report, Building Prosperity, focuses on Europe’s built environment and shows how a targeted set of six circular economy strategies can unlock billions of Euros in economic opportunity for the continent, increasing resilience, competitiveness, and the prosperity of its cities, all while providing widespread benefits to society and nature.

As specialists in the built environment, practitioners are crucial for demonstrating the value and viability of circular economy projects. The evidence practitioners provide of tangible circular economy outcomes can catalyse policy reforms and attract investment.

Acting on the strategies detailed in this report in an interconnected way can unlock EUR 575 billion of potential revenue across the built environment value chain.

• Revitalising brownfield sites and converting vacant commercial buildings for residential development could unlock revenue for those involved in developing and repurposing these sites.

• Maximising nature through strategically increasing tree canopies and expanding green-blue spaces could double the size of the landscape construction sector.

• Optimising building design and material sourcing will benefit material and component suppliers.

Scaling material-efficient, prefabricated modular construction while increasing the use of low-impact materials can reduce demand for materials by 250 million tonnes, saving developers up to 20% in overall construction costs.

Material-efficient design combined with the use of low-impact material substitutes, such as engineered timber solutions and low-emission cement or steel, can reduce overall material consumption in new buildings by 30%, as well as drive innovation and unlock new revenue pools.

Brownfield site redevelopment, commercial retrofits, and expanding natural spaces in cities all require local landscaping, refurbishment, and remediation services. Building and landscaping contractors — particularly those who specialise in brownfield site remediation and the delivery of green infrastructure — could share a potential revenue pool of EUR 180 billion.

Increasing tree canopy and green-blue infrastructure to a minimum threshold of 45% across all EU cities could generate EUR 111 billion of potential revenue by 2035, more than half benefiting the landscape construction sector.

An ambitious scaling-up of the six strategies in this report could create employment opportunities across all skill levels and a range of job types. For example:

• Brownfield redevelopment has the potential to expand opportunities in site remediation, urban planning, and nature-based design.
• Urban greening initiatives could lead to new roles in landscape design, tree maintenance, horticulture, and urban ecology.
• The push for more efficient structures and low-impact materials could increase demand for specialists in digital design and advanced construction technologies.

This report highlights a set of calls to action specifically for practitioners in the built environment.

1. Join or establish a coalition of practitioners within the built environment to overcome industry fragmentation and deliver collective circular economy services. 
2. Set new industry-wide standards and ambitious targets for circular procurement and purchasing. 
3. Capture the quantitative benefits of circular economy practices and share them with other stakeholders.

Collaboration is key. All members of the built environment supply chain have a role to play in building prosperity in Europe’s urban landscape. Breaking free of traditional roles and siloed operations is necessary to scaling circular economy practices and reaping their benefits. Joining or establishing a coalition of practitioners within the built environment sector to collaboratively overcome barriers and drive the adoption of innovative circular economy practices will enable the full remit of benefits of a circular built environment in Europe to be realised.