Expertise | Circular Economy: Powerful framework for achieving decarbonisation

Change your location to view content tailored for you.

The global economy is experiencing exponential change. Alongside increasing levels of urbanisation and social inequities, the need to decarbonise poses substantial resource challenges in an ever-changing geo-political and economic environment.

In this context, circular economy is an essential framework that shifts the ‘take, make, waste’ mindset towards a circular ‘design out, retain, regenerate’ system. Circular models aim to use less materials to start with, then keep components and materials in use longer in their current (or similar) form, and finally enabling materials to stay in the economy through recycling or safely returned to nature.

At Aurecon, we understand that organisations face unprecedented challenges to decarbonise rapidly and responsibly, with pressure from stakeholders, investors, their internal teams, and customers – all while remaining competitive. We work with these organisations to embed circular economy principles into projects and strategic initiatives because it helps address resource constraints and market fluctuations, while promoting sustainability and economic value.

Explore

Timber is a powerful enabler for circularity for sustainable buildings and resilient infrastructure

Videos

Hear about innovation in circular economy

Our people explore how circular economy application on projects is supporting decarbonisation and transformative change. Watch these short videos to hear more.

Danette McLean, Principal, Circular Economy, Aurecon

3:40

Can we achieve a zero waste Olympics?

How could the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games be zero waste? With experience reducing waste in remote communities and reducing materials input into infrastructure projects, Aurecon’s Danette McLean explains what needs to be considered ahead of 2032.

Designing with timber for a circular future

Aurecon’s Pratik Shrestha, and Jodie Bricout, talk about the importance of a circular economy mindset when designing Western Australia’s first timber building, Murdoch University’s Boola Katitjin.

Jodie Bricout talks about the benefits of circular procurement with Jennifer Slocombe

5:03

Circular procurement in action

Aurecon talks about the benefits of circular procurement with Jennifer Slocombe from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, for Green Industries SA.

Applying circular economy principles

While recycling and waste minimisation initiatives still have their place, it is simply no longer enough to make the transformational change required to meet decarbonisation targets. When working with organisations, Aurecon’s application of circular economy principles follow:

Designing out waste from systems at the very beginning of a process or project – even critically questioning the need in the first place

The next step is to retain assets, products and materials at their highest value for the longest possible time. Achieving this involves maintaining, reusing, refurbishing, and remanufacturing infrastructure and components before recovering materials to become secondary manufacturing inputs, or be safely returned to soils at end-of-life.

Then, and perhaps the most challenging of all, is to regenerate nature. Covering how activities can go beyond reducing negative impacts by instead considering how to clean air or waterways, return nutrients to soils, and extract carbon from the atmosphere.

Transforming with meaning

Organisations have a crucial role to play in bringing circular economy principles to life. They are expected to balance their assets and business operations sustainably, demonstrate stewardship along their supply chain and across the lifecycle of products or infrastructure, while reducing material and energy use, carbon emissions and waste.

Aurecon’s difference is that we combine the multitude of our skills and domain experience, across markets and expertise areas, to deliver as a single team for clients. This helps provide a collective voice for our clients on their journey towards circularity, from strategy right through to on-ground implementation. We use systems thinking to bring together multidisciplinary skills to address our client’s challenges in a transformational way.

The greatest opportunities for circularity come from successfully embedding circular economy principles into strategies, projects and operations, amplifying business outcomes through innovation and partnership. We focus on evaluating systems change, design and business model opportunities to remove waste, retain assets and materials, and regenerate natural systems.

One example of circular economy principles in action is for the development (or refurbishment) of a railway station (figure below). While this is just one particular type of infrastructure, the same principles can be applied across any type of infrastructure or asset, particularly those that are facing rapid decarbonisation.

Circular economy principles in action for the refurbishment of a railway station.

Progressing circularity

At Aurecon, we believe that circular economy is good business. For organisations, it can lead to cost savings, increased efficiency and productivity, and improved competitiveness and brand reputation.

Organisations across all markets are racing to explore how to apply circular economy approaches in their own contexts. We are supporting these organisations from ideation to execution, ultimately helping them to reap the economic, environmental and social benefits of transitioning to a circular economy. We do this by:

Familiarising clients, industry and public entities with circular economy
Using data to prioritise strategic action, from material flow data gathering and mapping, to impact evaluation and modelling
Developing circular economy vision and circular economy business models with clients
Bringing together industry, the public sector, and clients, to address supply chain challenges and seek out opportunities
Challenging business-as-usual operations to apply circular economy principles
Innovating on projects, and capital or corporate programs, to drive systems change
Supporting development of government policies, legislation and guidelines to implement circular economy principles

Data and metrics to understand material flows, together with designing systems differently from the outset, will expedite the shift to at-scale circular economy application.

Our services

Aurecon’s wealth of knowledge and experience extends across all the markets in which we operate. We’re partnering with private and public organisations to put circular economy into practice. Our services include:

Circular scans including material flow and lifecycle assessment
Strategy development, including target setting and measures
Opportunity identification and evaluation
Maturity assessment and benchmarking
Capacity building for boards, executives and decision makers
New business model and supply chain transition transformation
Circular design strategies and implementation
End-of-life asset and material management

Explore projects

More projects

Australian-grown and manufactured timber delivers sustainable and efficient modular build for NIOA headquarters.

External rendering of NIOA headquarters expansion. Image courtesy of KIRK.

Transforming Limestone Coast Technical College into state-of-the-art education facility using local timber and sustainable design.

Limestone Coast Technical College showcases Aurecon’s leadership in integrating sustainable materials, accelerating design and delivering adaptable spaces that meet industry and community needs.

Identifying pathways towards a hydrogen ecosystem to support a clean energy transition in Goulburn Valley.

Hydrogen fuel storage cylinder labelled with an H₂ Gas diamond emblem mounted on the chassis of a heavy-duty commercial truck.

5 Star Green Star performance built into an all-electric precinct design for Edith Cowan University’s City Campus.

Edith Cowan University City Campus brings learning, culture and industry together in Perth’s CBD. Image courtesy of Peter Bennetts and Edith Cowan University.

Bringing a contemporary university campus to life through a people, movement and place design lens.

Pathway rendering of the University of Sunshine Coast by Lat Studios.

Hay Point Terminal renewal advances circular economy application in port infrastructure.

Hay Point Terminal Berth 2 is the only offshore exposed concrete gravity caisson structure in Australia.

1 of 6

Explore insights

More insights

Nature-based solutions are a powerful ally to address climate change impacts.

Nature: A cost-effective and simple tool to respond to the climate challenge

In a cost-constrained environment, nature-based solutions offer cost-effective approaches to enhance New Zealand's infrastructure resilience, while supporting decarbonisation efforts.

Mass timber emerges as a key player offering a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials.

Mass timber in non-traditional builds: a decarbonisation gamechanger

Discover how mass timber in non-traditional builds like data centres and hospitals is driving embodied carbon reduction and net-zero infrastructure design.

Featured series

Brisbane 2032: Creating lasting impact through transformative infrastructure

Aurecon shares insights on how the 2032 Brisbane Games can deliver legacy infrastructure and lasting economic, environmental and community value.

Get in touch with our people

Or contact an office near you.

Julie Harrison

Managing Director, Water & Environment – Australia

Danette McLean

Discipline Leader, Environmental – QLD, Australia

Liz Root

Director, Sustainability & Resilience – New Zealand

We would love to work with you to bring your ideas to life, so get in touch and we'll get back to you.

Or contact an office near you.

Timber is a powerful enabler for circularity for sustainable buildings and resilient infrastructure

Videos

Hear about innovation in circular economy

Can we achieve a zero waste Olympics?

Designing with timber for a circular future

Circular procurement in action

Applying circular economy principles

Transforming with meaning

Progressing circularity

2032 and Beyond: circular economy models

Our services

Explore projects

Australian-grown and manufactured timber delivers sustainable and efficient modular build for NIOA headquarters.

Transforming Limestone Coast Technical College into state-of-the-art education facility using local timber and sustainable design.

Identifying pathways towards a hydrogen ecosystem to support a clean energy transition in Goulburn Valley.

5 Star Green Star performance built into an all-electric precinct design for Edith Cowan University’s City Campus.

Bringing a contemporary university campus to life through a people, movement and place design lens.

Hay Point Terminal renewal advances circular economy application in port infrastructure.

Explore insights

Nature: A cost-effective and simple tool to respond to the climate challenge

Mass timber in non-traditional builds: a decarbonisation gamechanger

Brisbane 2032: Creating lasting impact through transformative infrastructure

Get in touch with our people

We would love to work with you to bring your ideas to life, so get in touch and we'll get back to you.