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The UKRI Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Mineral-based Construction Materials (ICEC-MCM)
The Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Mineral-based Construction Materials (ICEC-MCM) was funded starting in 2021 by the UKRI National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) Programme, as one of five centres and a hub to conduct world-leading research to help enable the transition to a Circular Economy. The Circular Economy envisions a sustainable model of resource use that retains materials in use in our economy at high value, avoiding the negative environmental impacts of virgin resource extraction and disposal.
Mineral-based construction materials, including aggregate, cement/mortar/concrete, lime, block/brick masonry, plasterboard, building and roofing stone, cladding, glass, etc, are the largest resource flow in the UK (as globally). They are of strategic importance for construction, the third largest UK economic sector at the core of our well-being. Their life cycles, from natural resource extraction, through manufacturing, use, and demolition, are also associated with significant environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation. The ICEC-MCM has therefore been working for more than four years to develop the scientific and socio-economic understanding and technological basis for design and implementation of systems, processes and policy that will support the transition to a sustainable Circular Economy for mineral-based construction Materials.
Our Research
Our research focuses on improving the way we use materials such as aggregate, cement, brick, plasterboard, stone and glass, particularly in infrastructure. In the UK, we use these materials at a rate of more than half a million tonnes per day, and they are by far the largest global material resource flow. The ICEC-MCM research supported transformative change to circular processes and practices over the whole MCM value chain, with the objective to lead the UK at the forefront of the green industrial revolution. ICEC-MCM research was undertaken across three Challenges:
- Challenge 1: Stocks, Flows & Impacts
Through Challenge 1, the Centre characterised and spatially modelled the flows and stocks of MCMs over their whole life cycles, and the resulting environmental, social and economic impacts, over time. The modelling helped to prioritise flows and processes for intervention, by identifying sources of supply and demand, failures of linear approaches, and barriers and opportunities for circularity. It also helped to examine the potential effects, benefits and trade-offs associated with material substitutions and changes in policy and technology on system circularity and impacts.
This Challenge was led by Julia Stegemann, Professor of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering at UCL.
- Challenge 2: Technological Innovation
Challenge 2 developed the technical understanding for each life cycle stage of MCM and new technologies to reduce their demand, enable their circularity, and create economic value while improving their environmental and social impacts, building on the 4th industrial revolution and the Construction Sector Deal. Identified opportunities for transformative technological changes fed back into the scenario modelling in Challenge 1.
This Challenge was led by Leon Black, Professor of Infrastructure Materials, School of Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds.
- Challenge 3: Systemic Enablers of Circularity
Challenge 3 created a framework for proposing changes to the practices of businesses throughout the whole value chain and system including designers and investors, removed barriers and created market support for adoption of new materials/technologies/systems, as well as changes in policy and regulation that help support these new business practices.
This Challenge was led by Mohamed Osmani, Professor of Sustainable Design and Construction, School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering at Loughborough University.
The research conducted by the ICEC-MCM will continue to provide national and global leadership and capacity to enable transformative change to circular processes and practices over the whole mineral-based construction material value chain, to enable creation of economic value from minimising use of energy and virgin raw materials, and progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Contact Us
For general enquiries about the Centre, please contact the team at icec-mcm@ucl.ac.uk or follow us on LinkedIn.
