In November 2022, the Circularity Gap Report analysed the circular economy in Scotland for the first time. It found that only 1.3% of the resources Scotland uses are cycled back into the economy, with over 98% of Scotland’s material use coming from virgin resources. Per head, 
Scotland uses 21.7 tonnes of material, nearly double the global average of 11.9 tonnes. Consumption in Scotland is unsustainably high, in part due to the quantity of things we buy – but also due to the way we operate as a society. By developing resource-efficient planning and construction Scotland could cut its material consumption by 11.2% and its carbon footprint by 11.5%.
Now Scotland has been chosen, and funded, by the European Union as one of four locations to create a model Circular Construction Hub to increase uptake of reused construction materials. This will be a physical and/or digital marketplace (free or charged) that allows building materials to be exchanged, and used for what they were originally manufactured for. The aim is to keep valuable materials in good use for longer, benefitting Scotland’s economy and environment. This will help businesses cope with rising material costs, develop more resilient supply chains and reduce their carbon footprints, as well as having potential to create new jobs in repair, reuse and remanufacturing.