The move to a circular economy will reinvent the way facilities are designed, built and managed

One of the most significant shifts that the industry is facing is the move to adopt practices that support circularity – transitioning away from a culture of single use and throwaway to one that recognises we live in a limited world and makes better lifecycle use of materials, products and services to not only reduce emissions, waste and pollution but also improve buildings’ efficiency, productivity and longevity.

Earlier this month, A.G. Coombs Advisory’s, John Bourne provided an insightful presentation on transitioning to a circular economy to a group of industry professionals in Townsville, home to A.G. Coombs’ newest office.

Leaning on A.G. Coombs Advisory’s extensive experience working with facility managers and owners to improve building sustainability, John set out the principles of a circular economic thinking and offered considerations and examples of how these can be applied at a practical level throughout a building’s lifecycle. In this he explained the importance of circularity strategies based on cyclical, closed loop systems that consider all aspects of the supply chain.

The mutual benefits of extending the lifecycle of products

“While the transition to a circular economy will face initial challenges, it’s essential that the industry focuses on the whole-of-life impact that buildings have on our environment, throughout the complete supply chain. With the right strategies in place, the transition to a circular economy can be achieved with a boost to environmental, social and economic outcomes,” commented John.

“John’s seminar provided invaluable insights for members of Townsville’s construction and building services industry,” said Russ Sampson, A.G. Coombs Regional Leader North Queensland.

“By sharing our knowledge more widely across the sector, A.G. Coombs aims to increase our industry’s ability to design, construct and operate building facilities more sustainably now and into the future,” he added.