Stock, flow and reuse potential of precast concrete in Swedish residential buildings: Embodied carbon assessment
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: • Precast concrete reuse offers higher carbon savings potential than recycling in Swedish residential buildings. • Limited supply of reusable elements constrains circular economy benefit. • More detailed material intensity and data are critical for improving stock and flow analysis accuracy. • Dynamic and detailed LCA scenarios highlight key future research directions. • Incorporating non-residential buildings and examining element interchangeability could enhance reuse estimates. Circular Economy has been highlighted internationally as a solution to mitigate global warming. This study examines the reuse potential of precast concrete elements in Swedish residential buildings, quantifying its impact on element flows and stock using life cycle assessment. While reuse achieves higher carbon savings than recycling, the overall impact remains modest due to limited demolition and high demand for new materials, with most precast concrete elements still embedded in the stock. Assuming all deconstructed elements are reused, savings reach up to 1 % of lifecycle emissions, with a proportional relationship observed between reuse share and embodied carbon savings. Despite aligning with IPCC recommendations for increased prefabrication, the growing precast concrete intensity in buildings with precast concrete structure reflects rising resource consumption. Further studies should assess how technological advancements affect life cycle impacts and reuse feasibility, while also exploring reuse in non-residential buildings and policy measures to strengthen circular economy strategies.
Institution: KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,270
Funder: Horizon 2020
Award: G2814727238
OpenAlex ID: W4408310218