Spec Finish

Sustainability www.thefis.org 15 • Storage: space for storing materials from the demolition. Testing could be done at the storage location • Value engineering: is new cheaper? How can we work with manufacturers more effectively to recondition/warrant re-used materials? Will leasing models (becoming more common in furniture packages) start to change the commercial dynamic? From the demand side, the issues are: • How to identify the demand: location, quantities at the required “quality” (which is perceived as a risk for the reuse of products 7 ) • Cost of recovery • Clear understanding of where the liability sits in terms of performance or logistical delays – i.e. what happens if “something” goes wrong? Exploring circularity together as a fit-out sector In February 2022, FIS hosted a round- table of contractors to look at appetite and opportunity. Themeeting very quickly established that there was a lot of interest in the room. Interestingly this was not generated by the desire to procure cheaper materials, but by the carbon agenda – the conclusion was that what contractors want is re-usedmaterial at the right quality for the same price as new. In order for reuse to work, it is clear that collaboration is key across the supply chain: • Distribution business/merchant: to move goods/manage logistics • Contractor: to supply and procure products, to carry out pre-demolition/strip out audits) • Software/platform provider: to store information on the products (type, quantity, testing results, kgCO 2 eq, etc) and provide a place where organisations requiring products can buy goods • Manufacturers – performance declaration verification and warranty, take back schemes • Landlords – manage the Cat A to Cat B transition less wastefully • Architects, designers – buy in, consideration in programme, selling the concept to clients, to create a design to performance as opposed to specifying products that need to be used • Strip out/demolition subcontractors – deconstruct instead of demolish One of the key tools available to identify products that can be reused is called a “pre-demolition” or “pre-strip out” audit. The audit is a non-destructive visual evaluation of the quantity and type of materials in the building prior to any demolition work. A good practice pre-demolition audit should be: • carried out very early on in the project (i.e. before any demolition work has started) • carried out by a qualified person (i.e. someone able to identify products and quality • identifying the quantities, location and type of products (i.e. distinguish between different types of bricks as some can be reused and not others) • making suggestions for higher value applications for the second life of the products, favouring reuse to recycling • used to inform the new build or fit-out project Strip out for sustainable fit-out BREEAM and GLA’s circular economy statements encourage the use of pre- demolition audits. The issue with pre- demolition audits is that they are usually manual audits and time consuming and the information on products posted on the platforms is of variable quality. In June 2022, FISwas awarded funding by Innovate UK to work on the LINK project. The LINK project is led by Nazir Associates and brings in a collaboration between the University of Hertfordshire, Rasuta Energy, FIS and Reusefully. The aimof this 18 month long project is to develop a machine learning-enabled rapid listingmobile app (Rambo) to accelerate the identification of products recognise products in-situ, and make them available for reuse or resale via a digital platform. Amachine learning-enabled app would also improve the quality of the information provided on the product, thereby taking away some of the current barriers associated with the reuse of products. Quote from partners here: Dr Mohammad Nazir OBE , MD at Nazir Associates and head of the LINK consortium, says: “Circularity in construction materials is currently at a low level, with high input costs and issues with availability of products to match the requirements from a building design point of view. The LINK consortium is consulting with key movers and shakers within the construction and interior finishes sectors. The initial feedback has been quite positive on two fronts 1. Industry is serious about re-engineer designs allowing an increase in the use of reclaimed materials 2. They believe this could help to have a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions within the industry. The only barrier that remains is how we could develop an innovative technological product to simplify and speed up the process of bringing used material data for the construction industry”. Professor Hafiz Alaka , head at BigData and AI at Hertfordshire University, says: “Our university specialises in BigData, AI and object recognition technology within the construction industry and we are privileged to be part of this endeavour to develop the technology to help create market spaces for reused building materials and substantially to increase circularity in this space and help reduce carbon.” Simon Guy , Director at Reusefully, a partnership created to provide expert circular economy advice within the built environment, says: “The combination of building and material banks databases and building digitisation could make it much easier to deconstruct buildings and encourage reuse by connecting up all the key players in market spaces. A small number of UK and Europe-wide projects have shown how reuse can be done in an environmentally friendly way, and we are seeking to expand this to a much larger number of potential users”. Iain McIlwee , CEO of the Finishes and Interior Sector (FIS), which represents hundreds of businesses in fit-outs and interiors, says: “There is growing demand from our members to access reused finishes and interior materials provided they are at the right price, quality and speed of availability. The opportunity is huge with a fit-out typically every five to seven years, but the speed of the process and lack of good information about existing assets and available materials makes it challenging. We are excited to be working with colleagues through the LINK consortium which could deliver an innovative and practical solution to the reuse conundrum”. In addition to involvement in this project, FIS is also starting to have discussions with product manufacturers about “pre-cycle agreements”. A pre-cycle agreement is an agreement signed between a manufacturer and a user that the product purchased will be recycled or reused at the end of its life either via the manufacturer or through more standard recycling routes. Those agreements are thought to enable manufacturers to start thinking about the end of life of their products and to enable a mean to communicate the best way to optimise the product value at the end of its current life to the user. An early adopters meeting was held on 23 November 2022 and further conversations will take place in the coming months to ensure the pre-cycle agreements are robust and meaningful. Source 1. www.nzcbuildings.co.uk 2. https://tinyurl.com/3uxut2d3 3. https://tinyurl.com/574u7jz3 4. www.thefis.org/knowledge-hub/ sustainablility/sustainability-related-to-your- organisation/ 5. www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/news/new-live- supplier-carbon-reduction-plan-training 6. www.supplychainschool.co.uk/free-carbon- calculator-for-supply-chains 7. www.ukgbc.org/news/whats-at-risk-with-reuse