The construction sector is one of the largest consumers of raw materials and energy, as well as a producer of CO2 in the European Union. To reduce environmental pollution and to preserve raw materials and energy, resource-efficient building elements must be designed. Even if laws demand resource-efficient product design in the building sector, there is no independent evaluation system for the resource efficiency of building elements (e.g., walls, roofs, floors). Such an evaluation should take the whole life cycle into account. The measurement of reusability and recyclability is therefore necessary. This article, therefore, describes the development of an evaluation system for reusability and recyclability to be included in resource efficiency assessment. Existing approaches and the special requirements of the building sector are considered. Finally, a practical example shows that the developed system is suitable for the assessment of reusability and recyclability. It can be used for the comparison of different construction methods or for the comparison of specific designs or products; thus, the evaluation system is helpful for architects as well as for product designers.
Wind energy has steadily gained importance in the generation of renewable energy over the last 25 years. A wind turbine has an average life expectancy of about 25 years. After that, thermoplastic composite materials from the rotors, among other things, accumulate and have to be recycled. Previous methods, such as landfilling, incineration and pyrolysis, have not yet proven to be effective in terms of the circular economy because the recycled material cannot be reused for equivalent products. The use of thermoplastic materials can be a sensible alternative, as thermoplastic resins can be recycled almost without loss of value due to their properties. Recycling of fibreglass is also possible with less loss of stiffness. In the future, it will be crucial to scale up thermoplastic rotor blades and create a market for the recycled material.