Sustainable Building in Catalonia: Recycling, Energy Efficiency and the Circular Economy in Construction

This study analyses how the construction sector in Catalonia is advancing towards a circular economy model through four dimensions: construction and demolition waste (CDW) recycling, Energy Saving Certificates (CAEs), passive building design and the RECONS environmental certification. The literature has examined these dimensions separately, and the contribution of regional, company-level certification schemes such as RECONS remains largely unexplored. An exploratory multiple-case-study design based on documentary analysis and source triangulation is applied to representative initiatives in Catalonia, and an integrated conceptual framework linking material circularity, energy efficiency, passive design and environmental governance is developed. Each dimension addresses a distinct aspect of sustainability: CDW recycling improves resource efficiency and reduces landfill disposal; CAEs shorten the payback period of energy-efficiency investments by monetising verified savings; passive design reduces operational energy demand under Mediterranean conditions; and RECONS strengthens company-level environmental management among small and medium-sized enterprises. Persistent barriers include regulatory requirements, market uncertainty, upfront costs and the limited international visibility of regional schemes. Because the study draws on secondary sources and a small number of illustrative cases, its findings are exploratory rather than generalisable and indicate that progress towards circular construction depends on coordinated rather than isolated measures.