Construction Circularity and Construction Logistics: The Loop in Motion

Construction circularity is still in its infancy. Although sustainability is now high on the agenda, the construction industry is only at the beginning of its transition from a linear to a circular system. The sector — responsible for nearly half of all raw material consumption in the Netherlands — has the potential to make a huge difference, but in practice the shift proves difficult. Yet, movement is slowly emerging within the chain. And interestingly, it’s not only innovation in materials or design that’s speeding up the transition, but also a frequently underestimated factor: construction logistics.

The Linear Legacy

For decades, construction operated as a linear chain. Raw materials were extracted, processed into building products, used in buildings, and then mostly discarded after use. This system has led to massive waste and CO₂ emissions. Circular construction seeks to break this pattern by designing buildings as temporary repositories of valuable materials.

The principles are clear: modular construction, reuse of components, bio-based materials, and digital material passports. Yet, implementation remains limited. The construction process is complex, fragmented, and often focused on short-term results. Many companies find circular construction complicated or expensive, and regulations lag behind ambitions.

Still, awareness is growing. More and more clients and municipalities demand circular strategies in tenders. Architects are experimenting with modular designs. And innovative companies are developing platforms to track and reuse materials.

The Invisible Hub: Construction Logistics

Less visible, but equally important, is the role of logistics in this transition. Anyone who wants to build circularly must also supply and remove materials circularly. Because when materials get scattered across the city or return flows disappear into waste containers, much value is lost.

The logistics side of construction largely determines both the environmental impact and the efficiency of circularity. And this is where a relatively new concept comes into play: the construction hub.

Most construction hubs are operated by Qonnected Logistics, which is actively involved in various projects to coordinate these flows. (See www.bouwhubs.net).

Construction Hubs: Nodes for Efficiency and Circularity

A construction hub is a logistics consolidation point on the outskirts of a city. Here, building materials are grouped, prepared, and then transported in smaller, more efficient trips to construction sites. This reduces the number of truck movements in city centers, saves fuel, and cuts emissions.

But the potential of construction hubs goes far beyond logistics efficiency. They can evolve into the physical engines of the circular construction chain. Instead of materials being discarded after use, a hub can collect and repurpose return flows.

Imagine this: a truck delivers materials to a project and doesn’t drive back empty. On its return trip, it takes leftover materials — bricks, wood, window frames, insulation, or pipes — to the hub. There, these materials are inspected, sorted, cleaned or repaired if needed, and stored for reuse in future projects.

This creates a closed logistics loop, where every trip helps preserve resources. The hub acts as a circular distribution center — a place where logistics, storage, data, and sustainability converge.

Data and Digital Connections

Digitalization makes this approach even stronger. Through BIM models and material passports, it’s possible to record exactly which materials of which quality return to the hub. This ensures traceability, increases reusability, and enables quality assurance.

Some hubs are developing their own databases or linking directly to platforms like Madaster, allowing material flows to circulate not only physically but also digitally. In the future, this could lead to a marketplace for reused building materials, with construction hubs serving as regional raw material depots.

The Benefits Add Up

Integrating circular construction logistics yields more than just environmental gains. The benefits are broad and tangible:

• Lower emissions: Bundled trips and return logistics reduce freight movements, cutting CO₂, nitrogen, and particulate matter.

• Less waste: Residual materials are given a second life instead of ending up in a dumpster.

• Lower costs: Reuse saves money on waste disposal and the purchase of new materials.

• Greater efficiency on-site: Fewer deliveries mean less congestion, fewer storage problems, and a cleaner work environment.

• New jobs: Sorting, repairing, and trading reused materials creates new roles and skills.

In short, smart logistics make circularity not only more sustainable, but also more profitable and practical.

Real-World Examples

The Netherlands is among the frontrunners experimenting with circular construction logistics. In cities such as Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Rotterdam, urban construction hubs are emerging where logistics and circularity intersect.

A good example is the Q-Construction Hub in Amsterdam, where materials for large projects are bundled and delivered just-in-time, while return flows are collected and reused. The hub functions as an extension of the construction site — but also as a sorting and storage facility for residual materials.

Another case is ABN AMRO’s Circl Pavilion in Amsterdam, which demonstrates how logistics and circularity go hand in hand. The steel structure is fully demountable, the wooden floors are reused from old buildings, and most materials are registered for future reuse. Without a well-organized logistics chain, such circular ambitions would be hard to achieve.

Policy and the Future

The Dutch government has set ambitious goals: by 2050, the economy must be fully circular, with a 50% reduction in raw material use by 2030. The Transition Agenda for a Circular Construction Economy (TACO) explicitly recognizes that construction logistics play a key role. However, policy still needs to be better translated into practice.

Municipalities can make a big difference by requiring sustainable logistics in tenders — for example, by encouraging or mandating the use of construction hubs in major projects. Financial incentives can also help, such as lower fees for reused materials and subsidies for storage or return logistics.

Toward a Mature Circular Construction Chain

Construction circularity is still young, but the direction is clear. More and more stakeholders are realizing that it’s not enough to design and build circularly — the flow of materials must also be circular. Construction hubs are becoming a crucial link in this chain: connecting design, execution, logistics, and reuse into one integrated system.

What seems pioneering today could soon become the norm. Trucks delivering materials will routinely bring valuable resources back. And construction hubs will not only serve as logistics centers but as vibrant places where materials gain a second, third, or even fourth life.

The construction industry is moving — from waste to value, from linear to circular — and thanks to smart construction logistics, the circular movement is truly gaining momentum.