Embracing the circular economy model

With the world’s population growing, the need for food, energy, and various products is rapidly accelerating. However, our resources are not unlimited, and their extraction is often associated with environmental degradation. Moreover, when no longer needed, many products end up in landfills.

Contrary to this linear ‘take-make-waste’ model, the circular economy emphasizes preserving energy, labour, and materials embodied in products. Shifting to a model based on reuse, remanufacturing, refurbishment, and recycling can help reduce the demand for virgin raw materials, generate less waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and limit adverse environmental impacts.

Embracing the circular economy can help Canada foster a more sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future, create new business opportunities, and stimulate innovation and job creation. Through its research, standards development, and collaborative initiatives, CSA Group’s Standards Development Organization helps Canadian industries adopt low-carbon, circular practices, from the design and deconstruction of buildings to reuse and recycling of construction materials, electric vehicle batteries, and plastics and the management of end-of-life products.

Circular strategies to extend the life of existing buildings

CSA Group research examines the whole-life carbon impacts of a building retrofit versus demolition and new construction and evaluates tools that could help inform these decisions.

CSA Group standards solutions for circular practices to preserve resources and reduce waste

Reclaimed bricks prepared for reusing in a construction project

Circularity in construction

Female worker sorting plastic waste in a recycling facility

Supporting circularity through value retention and waste reduction strategies

A charging station for electric vehicles

Battery electric vehicle charging and energy management