Construcciones Yamaro: New guide supports circular procurement in the built environment

“Procurement decisions we make today shape the sustainability of buildings and cities of the future.” (Image: Quality Stock Arts/stock.adobe.com)

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has released A practical guide to circular procurement for new buildings and major refurbishments, providing clear steps for embedding circular strategies into procurement practices across the property and construction industry.

Developed in collaboration with GHD; the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation; Green Industries South Australia; and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), the guide aligns with government policies and industry needs. It offers strategies to minimise waste, reduce embodied carbon and extend the life of materials, while supporting Green Star Buildings and best practice outcomes.

Targeted at developers, architects, procurement managers and government agencies, the guide outlines actions for each stage of the building lifecycle. GBCA chief executive officer Davina Rooney said it represents a critical step in accelerating Australia’s transition to a more sustainable and circular built environment.

“The construction industry is responsible for 40 to 50 per cent of raw materials globally and of this it’s estimated that only 30 per cent of materials are currently recycled. Procurement decisions we make today shape the sustainability of buildings and cities of the future,” said Rooney.

The guide focuses on:

• Understanding the context of circularity in the built environment in Australia and globally
• Highlighting key circular design strategies across the building lifecycle
• Delivering brief and contract wording to drive circular procurement outcomes
• Demonstrating circular procurement in action through case studies

CEFC head of property Michael Di Russo emphasised the role of circular procurement in meeting Australia’s net-zero targets and reducing the environmental footprint of the built environment.

“Materials used in construction are a major source of embodied carbon and resource consumption. By rethinking the selection and sourcing of construction materials, we can significantly cut waste, lower emissions and enhance building resilience,” said Di Russo.

The guide also showcases real-world examples of circular procurement reshaping the built environment.

One initiative redefining material tracking and reuse is the Kennett Material Bank. Developed by Kennett Builders in partnership with the University of Adelaide and sustainability consultancy dsquared, it catalogues and tracks high-value building products and materials across three residential projects using building information modelling (BIM). By tagging and storing data on materials such as steel frames, solar panels and precast panels, the initiative supports future reuse – reducing environmental impact and cutting costs on future developments.

At Uniting on Second Bowden, this approach has been applied to materials designed for disassembly, with precast panels alone valued at $3.7 million – representing 10 per cent of the project’s total value. By embedding circular economy principles from the outset, the project demonstrates potential savings in both cost and carbon over the building’s lifecycle, ensuring materials retain their value for future use.

GBCA encourages governments, developers and the construction sector to use the guide to embed circular procurement into projects and accelerate Australia’s shift toward a more circular built environment.

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