What are material passports (and how do they work)?

Posted on: 29 July, 2024

Just as our passports track the journeys we make across the world, material passports can keep a record of how materials are created, utilised and recycled.

There’s no avoiding the fact that creating buildings consumes a lot of energy and produces a lot of waste. The construction industry is responsible for the consumption of more than 40% of the world’s raw resources, according to Qualis Flow research, and accounts for more than 40% of landfill waste.

However, with population growth continuing to soar and demand for infrastructure and housing showing no signs of slowing, halting development simply isn’t an option. Instead, we need to review the way we approach the entire building lifecycle, from design to construction, operation and end-of-life.

One solution to address the construction industry’s impact on the environment is the concept of the circular economy – the reuse of materials to prevent the overconsumption of natural resources. At the centre of the push to adopt this in the sector are material passports. But what exactly are they, and how do they work?

What is a material passport?

A material passport is a digital record that provides information about the materials, products and components in a structure. These data sets help facilitate circular thinking by providing opportunities for material reuse in new construction projects.

Much like how a passport tracks journeys passengers have made around the world, a material passport doesn’t just store information on its origin – it also follows components throughout their entire lifespan.

How do material passports work?

Material passports are stored digitally, and list detailed information about the different materials within components, products, and the structure itself – everything from the type of material to the quantity used, the value of the material and even who manufactured it.

This information is crucial at both the construction and the end-of-life phases of a building. When it comes to demolish, redevelop or even retrofit a building, construction teams have access to detailed knowledge about  the materials and components in the structure, providing opportunities for reuse and reducing needless waste of resources.

What’s more, material passports facilitate the creation of material banks – a repository of valuable materials recovered from buildings or products. This gives architects, design teams and construction professionals an online marketplace of resources to choose from in their future projects, and subsequently eliminates the need to create new materials, expend more resources and contribute further damage to the environment.

The benefits of material passports

• Reduces environmental impact

Utilising material passports will naturally help to reduce the carbon footprint and embodied carbon emissions of construction projects. For architects and designers, it gives access to a wide range of materials that can be reused and repurposed in new projects, while for construction teams, it minimises the amount of wasted resources resulting from a building’s demolition or redevelopment.

• Protects and maintains the value of material

Too often in construction, when a building component or material has seemingly outlived its usefulness or a structure is set to be replaced, it’s simply disposed of. However, circular thinking demands that we assess the potential for reuse, and putting materials with potential for reuse in higher demand. Material passports can subsequently strengthen the long-term value of materials and components.

• Minimises waste

Keeping a detailed record of the materials used in products, components and structures can help the built environment reduce waste, particularly when it comes to decommissioning a building. This is vital for the construction sector, which is responsible for around 100 million tonnes of waste a year in the UK alone.

• Encourages the production of sustainable, circular materials

If material passports are brought into the mainstream and adopted on a larger scale, manufacturers throughout the supply chain will be encouraged to produce materials that align with circular thinking and offer more opportunities for future reuse.

Final thoughts

The implementation of material passports is a compelling development in the built environment’s ambitions to reduce its impact on the environment. An accurate digital log of information about the materials, components and products within a building facilitate material banks and, as the United Kingdom Green Building Council states, ‘unlock circularity and material reuse in existing buildings.’

Learn more: Edenica: a case study for the circular economy in the built environment

However, for material passports, material banks and the circular economy as a whole to be embraced by the mainstream, significant change will be required. No standardisation of data collection currently exists for material passports, which will require users to consider carefully what specific information they’re likely to need. Ownership of recording this data also remains a question mark, as well as who will have access to the passports and whether they can be compatible with different platforms.

Sustainability isn’t a passing trend – it’s here to stay and is constantly evolving. If you want to inspire and action change in your career, UCEM’s MSc Innovation in Sustainable Built Environments will give you the skills you need, both now and in the future.

Find out more: MSc Innovation in Sustainable Built Environments – University College of Estate Management