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One of the most significant solutions for reducing the climate footprint in the real estate sector is reusing existing products whenever possible. However, in the building industry, the market for used products is still fairly small and reuse is in its early life as it is not yet done on an industrial scale. To succeed, new industry standards, tailored to the reuse of technical installations in high turnover, is needed. In this blog post, Mikael Börjesson, Director Sustainability & External Relations at Swegon, highlights Swegon’s initiatives to advance this development, but we’ll start by looking at the terminology around reuse.
A used product is something that has been utilised, sold or given away, in its existing condition, and is now in the hands of a new user. A used product is, for example, a piece of clothing or furniture that is still fully functional. On the spectrum of “use again” is also second-hand, a product concept that has gained status alongside society's growing focus on sustainability. If the fashion industry serves as an example, there is also vintage shopping and making flea market finds, both modern and trendy.
Reuse to Add New Value
When it comes to technical products, there is often greater uncertainty, perhaps even scepticism, compared to using second-hand shirts or kitchen table. The functionality of a mobile phone or household appliance is likely to have diminished during its use by the first owner, which may cause hesitation in a potential second user. Reuse can, to some extent, solve this challenge as it involves a step of modification or update of a product, to add new value to something that is not brand new. For instance, a jacket might be turned into a bag, or a chair might be repainted and reupholstered.
The distinction between used and reused can be applied to the construction industry as well. Imagine an older apartment being renovated, with the doors still in good condition. If these doors are moved and fitted in a new building, they are considered used. If they are sanded and painted, and perhaps fitted with new locks, they are considered reused—they have been given a new value. Reuse, in this sense, becomes a vital part of a circular economy, where the aim is to maximise the value of resources at every stage of a product’s lifecycle.
The opposite of a circular economy is the traditional linear model, where a product is made, used and disposed. When the product lifecycle is instead closed, the environmental impact is reduced, resource efficiency is increased, economic savings are generated and innovative solutions has often emerged in the process. In a circular economy, products are designed—sometimes even from the prototype stage—with reuse and recycling in mind. This approach focuses on repair, renovation, reuse and recycling, all to extend the product's lifespan and ultimately to reduce dependence on limited or environmentally harmful resources.
Reuse Imposes New Demands
There is a demand for reused products in technical installations, and with about 20% of global carbon emissions linked to construction, there is a clear potential to make a significant impact with successful reuse-processes in place.
Looking at a few examples from our everyday business: air handling units and air diffusers are primarily made of steel. If these products can be reused without the need for new virgin steel, the result is a significantly reduced climate impact. Our calculations show that a reused air handling unit can cut carbon emissions by up to 75% compared to a newly manufactured unit. For an air diffuser, the reduction can be as much as 90%. Figures based on products that maintain performance levels equivalent to new products.
However, technical installations in our industry are complex products and their role is to ensure a good indoor climate in various application types - they cannot simply be moved from one building to another. Additionally, there is the challenge of availability. For reused products to be attractive to property owners or construction companies, there needs to be a large supply, and products must be available at the right time. This imposes entirely new demands compared to traditional processes, regulations and logistics need to adapt.
New Business Models and Industry Standards
Just over a year ago, we launched the RE:3 concept at Swegon to actively decrease our climate impact from embodied carbon. RE:3 encompasses the concepts of RE:duce, RE:use and RE:vitalise, with the reuse of technical installations falling under the RE:use initiative.
Our ambition for reuse is to create processes that allow us to reuse technical installations in future projects. In this context, reuse does not consider installing used products in a another building, rather, it focuses on renovating products to give them a new value. Products are therefore cleaned and their technical components are updated or replaced as needed, all to meet the same standards as newly manufactured products. Last but not least, the reused products come with similar guarantees to those of new products, which makes the substantially lower embedded carbon footprint the attractive benefit for the customer.
If interested in knowing more, visit the RE:use section of our webside and don't miss out on our other blog posts on the topic of sustainability.
