Take-Back Scheme
Designing a Circular Construction Take-Back Scheme
Project description
The construction and demolition generate significant volumes of waste in Ireland, 9 million tonnes of waste in 2023, and over 97% of materials flowing through the Irish economy are from virgin sources. This means that much of Irish construction waste may end up in landfill despite having potential for reuse or recycling, and that the economy relies heavily on imported materials. In this context, moving to a circular construction industry is critical for protecting the environment and increasing economic resilience.
Take-back schemes, where manufacturers collect products at end of life for reuse, recycling, or recovery, are a circularity measure that can support secondary markets for reclaimed materials and help close resource loops. Take-back schemes are used in several European countries, but their use remains limited in Ireland.
The Designing a Circular Construction Take-Back Scheme project aims to explore the challenges that may be affecting the implementation of take-back schemes, such as regulatory and logistical constraints, and economic factors. The project will also examine international take-back case studies to identify best practices that could be applied in Ireland.
The project uses floor tile manufacturers as a case study to develop a practical pathway for implementing take-back schemes in Ireland. It draws on international experience, stakeholder engagement, and material flow analysis to understand how existing take-back schemes work. These findings will be used as a reference point to develop higher-level pathways for other construction materials such as glass, plasterboard, metals, and timber. This approach allows the project to generate insights that are grounded in a real-world example while remaining applicable to other construction materials.
All outputs, including identified challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned will be documented, and complementary high-level recommendations for policymakers and industry leaders will be developed.
The project will deliver practical, evidence-based outputs that can help reduce construction waste and support circularity measures in accordance with national and EU regulations, including Ireland’s Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act (2022) and the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act.
Goal
1. Map international take-back practices and identify best-practice lessons for Ireland.
2. Identify local barriers and solutions through stakeholder engagement.
3. To design an implementable circular construction take-back scheme to provide a scalable, replicable framework for implementing take-back schemes in Ireland; and a whitepaper to document project’s evidence, lessons learned, and high-level recommendations for policymakers and industry leaders.
Timeline
Start date:12/06/26 , End date: 28/12/27
Funders
Who supported the project?
IGBC Team
Who Works On This?
-
Fernanda Rocha
Fernanda joined IGBC in 2024 working on the Home Performance Index (HPI) Certification. A civil engineer with an MSc from the Technical University of Munich, she specialised in Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Sustainable Transport Planning. Previously a Sustainability Consultant and Project Manager in Amsterdam, Fernanda brings expertise in embodied carbon reduction, life cycle assessment and circular economy in the built environment. Fernanda administrate the EPD Ireland programme and lead circularity projects. -
Sinéad Hughes
Sinéad is an RIAI Registered Architect and Grade III Conservation Architect with over 26 years of industry experience. She sits on the RIAI Council, chairs the RIAI EDI Taskforce, and represents Ireland on the Architects Council of Europe Women in Architecture Taskforce. At IGBC, Sinéad has contributed to key projects including Commercial Retrofit, Building Renovation Passports, Building a Circular Ireland, and the National Upskilling Roadmap 2030. -
Gloriana Vargas Castro
Gloriana joined IGBC in 2025. She holds degrees in Architecture and Business Management, along with an MSc in Architecture, Urbanism and Climate Action from UCD. Prior to IGBC, she worked as a research collaborator and project manager focused on adaptive reuse and sustainable urban development tools, and as a sustainability consultant at a global architectural firm, integrating resilience strategies and green certifications into architectural and urban projects.
How to Get Involved
Engagement opportunities include one-to-one interviews, workshops and a focus group. Contact person: Fernanda Rocha