Helping businesses in the built environment become more circular
Author
Nick Ribbons, Built Environment Partner at Zero Waste Scotland, shares his advice on how you can start your circularity journey without hitting your bottom line.
Circularity doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing leap. It’s about taking practical steps that make sense for your business now.
Approaching circularity
For many businesses in the built environment sector, the idea of moving to a circular economy can feel daunting. It sounds like a complete overhaul; something far removed from the day-to-day reality of tight budgets and established supply chains. But the truth is, circularity doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing leap. It’s about taking practical steps that make sense for your business now.
Circularity starts with small changes. You don’t need to transform your entire business model overnight. Introducing a reuse scheme with a supplier or a take-back arrangement for surplus items or packaging waste is a good example. These are achievable actions that reduce waste and keep materials in circulation. They also make economic sense. Every time you avoid sending materials to landfill, you cut disposal costs and often save on purchasing new products.
Laying the foundations for the future
One of the most compelling benefits of circularity is resilience. Businesses that rely less on global supply chains and more on materials already in circulation in Scotland are better insulated from risk. Disruptions to international supply chains are becoming more common, and reducing dependency on them can protect your business from delays and price volatility.
At the same time, embracing circular practices creates opportunities for job growth. Reports, such as the Circularity Gap Report from Zero Waste Scotland, suggest tens of thousands of jobs could be generated through circular approaches, from refurbishment and logistics to design and innovation.
Ultimately, companies that start adopting circular principles now will be better prepared for the transition. It’s not necessarily easier, but it does mean you’re ahead of the curve when new standards and regulations come into play. And they will. Policy is already moving in this direction, with circularity requirements appearing in procurement and building standards.
Economic benefits
Economic benefits are often the first question businesses want to know about, and while the market is still young, there are examples that show what’s possible. Reuse is where the biggest savings are being seen. Raised access flooring, for instance, is robust and easy to reuse. Instead of sending it to landfill (at a cost) when an office is stripped out, it can be lifted and installed in another building with minimal work. The same applies to partitions, fixtures, and fittings. Even windows can often be reused. These are practical, cost-saving measures.
Further down the line, bricks, masonry, and roof tiles can be reclaimed and reused, though they may need more preparation before resale.
Providing the tools to drive change
Of course, misconceptions persist. One is that circularity will cost jobs. In reality, it creates them. There are skills in Scotland that can be adapted to meet circular needs, and as industries like oil and gas decline, there’s an opportunity for workers to transition into roles refurbishing materials, managing logistics, and supporting reuse. These are practical jobs that build on existing skills with some additional training.
The challenges are real. Lack of time, lack of knowledge, and limited economic incentives are common barriers, especially for smaller businesses. That’s where support comes in. Zero Waste Scotland is developing interventions to make circularity more accessible, from training and awareness to financial instruments and partnerships. There’s also a wealth of free resources available now, including waste protocols, design guides, and standards for net zero buildings. These tools help businesses understand what circularity means and how to start implementing it.
Empowering businesses to embrace circularity
Ultimately, the shift to a circular economy is a journey made up of many steps. It’s about demystifying the concept and showing that it’s not just good for the planet, but good for business. Lower costs, reduced risk, new opportunities, and compliance with future regulations are all part of the picture.
For the built environment sector, the question isn’t whether to move towards circularity, but how quickly you can start.
This will be important too, in order to stay ahead of policy. The Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Strategy consultation closed on 13 January 2026, identifying the built environment as a priority sector. As part of this, the Strategy sets out actions to reduce embodied carbon, promote lifecycle assessments for buildings, and increase the reuse of construction materials. It also commits to working with the sector to develop a roadmap that addresses barriers such as lack of confidence, less established supply chains, and higher costs, while unlocking economic opportunities.
In advance of these roadmaps, Zero Waste Scotland published interactive systems maps of Scotland's built environment and energy infrastructure sectors to illustrate the factors influencing circular economy principles and practices. This not only highlights where barriers and opportunities lie for enabling change, but how connected they are to understand influencing consequence.
Support from Zero Waste Scotland
Zero Waste Scotland can assist you on your journey. We act as a facilitator, connecting businesses with support and advice bodies and promoting models that can be replicated. Through case studies and practical examples, we share knowledge and information to demonstrate some of the successful journeys already taken by businesses and their learnings along the way. This is why we have launched the Business and Enterprise Hub to make circularity easier to understand and implement.
Ready to take the next step? Explore our Business Information Hub for practical tools, case studies, and support. See how others have turned challenges into opportunities—and start your own success story today.
