The construction industry is ripe for circularity, and the potential benefits are significant. The construction industry’s circularity journey is a complex one, requiring a multi-pronged approach. This approach involves a combination of technological advancements, policy changes, and behavioral shifts.

It’s a huge waste of resources.”

This statement highlights a significant problem in the construction industry: the significant amount of waste generated during construction projects. Construction waste is a major environmental concern, contributing to landfill overflow, resource depletion, and air pollution. The construction industry is responsible for a significant portion of global waste generation.

“We need to shift as quickly as we can, because otherwise, it’ll be catastrophic,” said Melania Grozdanoska, cofounder and director of operations and strategy at Surcy. “So, for us, it is about reducing the amount of time people need to spend looking for information and instead take action.” To make the industry more circular, Farris believes, we must play by the rules of today’s linear economy. To get everyone on board—particularly the contractors and developers—purchasing surplus or used materials must be worth it. “Can we make this circular model efficient and easy to use, where purchasing surplus material is just as easy as buying new?” Farris asked. “The sustainable option has to be the easiest, most accessible, and cheapest option,” added Arora.

Technological solutions can play a key role in this effort, and both Surplus and Surcy have opted out of the more traditional method of stockpiling and selling surplus or refurbished construction materials out of a warehouse. Instead, their online platforms serve as facilitators rather than vendors. “The idea of the logistics and management of storing materials at a warehouse—it didn’t seem efficient,” shared Farris, who noted that as soon as any kind of real estate space is involved, a venture like this becomes much more difficult to scale. Now, with construction sites serving as de facto storage units, Surplus allows contractors to connect locally and regionally, forgoing big, multinational suppliers and traditional ways of acquiring materials.

This model, he explained, is based on the principles of reciprocity, mutual benefit, and shared ownership. These principles are not just abstract concepts; they are deeply rooted in human history and social structures. Farris argues that the sharing economy, as it is often called, is not just about sharing physical goods, but also about sharing knowledge, skills, and experiences.

“There’s a lot more improvisation on construction sites than we think of as practicing architects,” Grozdanoska said, explaining that to get contractors on board, technology needs to suit how they already work, not how we imagine they should work. “There is this personal aspect where contractors have specific means and methods of doing things. We have to go to them to see what their needs and wants are,” Farris explained. “Technology is an augmentation of a relationship you build with other people,” Grozdanoska reflected. “If that’s what we can do with these new programs, then I think it will be successful.”

Oscar Fock is a Swedish freelance journalist based in New York City, where he reports on climate change, its effects on humans, and how we are responding.