Material circularity indicator for accelerating low‐carbon circular economy in Thailand's building and construction sector

Abstract

AbstractThailand's steady growth of urban areas and industrial estates, the construction sector needs to adopt a low‐carbon circular economy (CE) model that emphasizes material circularity and resource efficiency. This research aims to measure the low‐carbon CE of the construction industry through significant representative products, life cycle assessment and material circularity indicator (MCI) were measured on significant representative products materials were evaluated. In the results of the study, it was found that the MCI and GHGs revealed the following results: 1 ton of construction steel products = 0.73 and 2.32 kgCO2/ton, 1 bag (50 kg) of mortar and cement products = 0.17 and 16.92 kgCO2/bag, 1 m3 of ready‐mixed concrete at compressive strength 240 kilograms per square centimeter = 0.11 and 253.63 kgCO2/m3, 1 m3 of wood and composite wood products = 0.17 and 745.84 kgCO2/bag, also 1 m2K/W (meters squared Kelvin per Watt) of glass wool insulation = 0.50 and 1.63 kgCO2/m2K/W, respectively. These values are indicated as national baselines for monitoring CE performance that contribute to the industry's long‐term viability and turn to sustainability in Thailand through the key strategic issues in Thailand's CE and low‐carbon society. The GHGs reduction of 11 million tons is expected, which can also increase the 10% of material circularity, also the estimation of the economic value, by considering the value added from material reduction and the price of carbon credit from construction and demolition waste reduction affect the Thai construction industry by approximately 67 million dollars.