RE:use
About 10% of the global carbon dioxide emissions come from materials used in construction of buildings. In new builds, 15-30% of these emissions can be traced to technical installations, such as indoor climate solutions, and the share is often even greater in renovation projects. This means that reuse of technical installations offers a significant potential to influence the path toward achieving global climate goals. However, reuse has so far has been difficult to apply to the type of product.
The challenge - technical products
Reuse of building materials has been around for ages and it has not been particularly complicated since it so far has involved reasonably simple items like doors, sinks and taps. To reuse technical installations, such as equipment for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), presents a tougher challenge. These products are complex and serve highly specific functions where they are installed. Furthermore, to reuse products for larger projects, whether new builds or renovations, they need to be available in sufficient quantities and at exactly the right time. This puts significant pressure on the logistics chain and requires substantial technical expertise to ensure proper functionality.
The potential of reuse
For practical reasons, it has been easier to install newly manufactured products in technical installations. However, a shift towards a circular approach offers tremendous potential for a reduced carbon footprint. For an air handling unit, the reduction can be up to 75%, while for products such as air diffusers, the reduction can exceed 90%. These figures are based on calculations made according to our RE:use philosophy, where the principle is that the circulated products should perfrorm similar to new units.
The amtition for RE:use at Swegon
The full technical lifespan of our products often exceeds their actual time of use, as they are frequently replaced during refurbishments while they still have years of operational life remaining. If these products are dismantled, undergo quality checks, receive cleaning and upgrades with new key components, most of them can be reinstalled and continue to perform to a very high standard.
Our ambition for RE:use at Swegon is to streamline the recycling of technical installations – in our case, our indoor climate products – on an industrial scale. The goal is to fully utilise the products' lifespan by returning them to the market under conditions similar to those of a newly manufactured product, now with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.
RE:create
Cooperation is key to solve the practical challenges of reuse, from logistics to legal requirements, which need to adapt to new practices. This is why we are excited to have a number of well-known Swedish property owners join our RE:create community for circularity. The great potential of RE:create lies in the shared commitment to reduce embodied carbon in buildings.
RE:create is in its start-up phase in Sweden, so stay tuned for further updates.
