Construction Industry Council - Annual Report 2024

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY COUNCIL 100 OPERATIONAL REVIEW Development of a Material Exchange Platform With a view to promoting a circular economy within the construction industry, the CIC is developing a material exchange platform – a digital tool designed to connect sources of construction waste with potential users, including other construction sites, recyclers, and product innovators. To expand the lifespan of surplus and waste materials, the platform facilitates the reuse and recycling of valuable resources in the construction, significantly reducing the waste sent to landfills. Once fully operational, it is anticipated to become an indispensable resource for advancing resource efficiency in the construction industry. Smart Waste Management Tool The Smart Waste Management Tool is a web- based tool that streamlines the tracking and management of construction and demolition waste data. This centralised tool enables all waste data management activities on construction sites, such as input, analysis, approval, verification, and storage, thereby enhancing efficiency in waste management by moving away from tedious manual processes. The tool marks a significant step towards data-driven waste reduction practices. The tool, available to the industry from April 2024, has garnered positive feedback from users. Throughout the year, extensive webinars and in- person engagement sessions have been conducted to promote its adoption. To further enhance its usability, the CIC commenced second-phase enhancements to improve user- friendliness. These updates are scheduled for completion in 2025, further empowering the industry to achieve waste reduction goals. CIC Carbon Assessment Tool Launched in 2019, the CIC Carbon Assessment Tool (CAT) provides a standardised framework and dataset for evaluating the upfront carbon performance of local construction projects. With the CAT, industry practitioners can estimate project upfront carbon footprints, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to reduce emissions effectively. CIC Green Product Certification To address the growing demand for sustainable and low-carbon products, the CIC initiated research in 2023 to expand the scope of product categories and update the assessment criteria of existing ones under the CIC Green Product Certification (GPC). Extensive stakeholder engagement has been carried out across the construction value chain and among suppliers from different product categories, ensuring the GPC remains aligned with the evolving needs of the construction industry and the global trend. The upgraded version of the certification scheme, featuring expanded categories and internationally aligned criteria, is set to be launched in 2025.