Building materials exchange in Hannover: a second life for building materials

A second life for building materials

The construction industry is one of the biggest consumers of raw materials and at the same time the world’s largest producer of waste. Reclaiming building components could help reduce the problem. A catalogue of Hannover’s building materials exchange. By Antonia Teichert (text and photos)

We cannot consume more than our planet provides. So the question is not whether our society can change, but how. According to a UN report from 2020, 38% of global CO₂ emissions come from the construction industry. Construction and demolition waste makes up the largest share of all waste produced. The construction industry is one of the biggest consumers of raw materials – and at the same time the largest producer of waste.

Raw materials are finite, and materials once produced can often only be used once. One approach to using resources more sustainably is circular construction with the help of recycling centres and building materials exchanges. This extract from the catalogue of the Bauteilbörse Hannover gives an insight into the range of reusable building materials. All the components listed come from demolition projects and private households – and span several centuries of building history.