Regional Circular Economy of Building Materials: Environmental and Economic Assessment Combining Material Flow Analysis, Input-Output Analyses, and Life Cycle Assessment

Especially in terms of resource availability, spatial planning, or economic performance, the constraints for development policies in regions can differ widely.  A model-based assessment on a regional scale enables policy decisions to consider sustainability and offers significant advantages over a mere product-level approach to construction.  This paper proposes an integrated assessment method that considers indicators for environmental impacts and economic benefits by combining material flow analysis (MFA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) with input-output analysis (IOA) as the connecting element.  The model provides the data and indicators for a holistic and comprehensive evaluation of construction in a region or industry.