Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and GHD have launched a practical guide to circular procurement to assist with sustainability efforts across the sector, as part of the Transform 2025 conference.

GHD and GBCA’s guide for new buildings and major refurbishments offers a practical roadmap for industry professionals, government and private decision-makers to adopt circular procurement in all stages of a building project.

What is circular procurement?

Circular procurement (or circular economy) is based on the idea of closed loops, where resources and materials are able to circulate indefinitely, minimising waste, environmental impact and future project costs. 

GBCA CEO Davina Rooney says shifting to a circular economy is one of the biggest opportunities the industry has to cut waste, reduce emissions and build a more resilient future.

“By working together, we can drive the systemic change needed to unlock long-term environmental and economic benefits,” she says.

While there is an emerging awareness of circular procurement among industry, there is a notable gap in project-level implementation. There remains a crucial need for practical guidance to bridge the divide between theory and application.

The guide details structured, stage-by-stage procurement considerations to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency throughout a building’s lifecycle, from project inception through to design, construction and operation.

Environmental impact of the building industry 

The built environment contributes to nearly 50 percent of global resource use and 37 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to GBCA. Reducing these effects that contribute to critical global challenges like carbonisation, biodiversity loss and pollution would be a considerable achievement given the shared threat of climate change. 

Looking to the future 

GHD business group leader for sustainability Huia Adkins highlights the future impact of sustainability initiatives within the industry and beyond. 

“We know that developers and industry professionals often lack a structured framework to incorporate circular economy requirements into tenders and contracts throughout the building lifecycle, hindering meaningful progress,” Adkins says. 

“Partnering with GBCA on this essential resource is a significant milestone, one I’m confident will play a pivotal role in advancing circularity, not only within the built environment but across other sectors.” 

Read the full report here.

Jade Whittaker has been named sustainability judge of IDEA 2025.