Driving force of the circular economy

Driving force of the circular economy

In his speech, BRV managing director Tristan Tallafuss looked at the past three and a half decades and into the future. “These 35 years were characterized by many challenges, but also by numerous innovations,” says Tallafuss. Recycling and sustainability were still marginal topics in 1990. But step by step, the association has established itself and is now a recognized voice in the waste and circular economy.

Looking ahead

Tallafuss emphasized that the BRV had become a driving force and a source of inspiration. With practical guidelines, research projects, certifications and close cooperation with the construction industry and politics, it has been possible to steadily advance the recycling of construction and demolition materials. But the anniversary was not just a moment of retrospection. Above all, the focus was on looking ahead: climate change, resource conservation and the circular economy will be the big topics in the coming years. The BRV wants to continue to provide impetus and drive change - in keeping with its founding idea of ​​viewing building materials not as waste, but as a resource.
Politicians also took the opportunity to recognize the association's work. In his welcoming speech, Federal Minister Norbert Totschnig emphasized that since the BRV was founded, millions of tons of demolition material had not been disposed of, but rather reused. This is not only a contribution to conserving resources, but also to reducing landfill volumes and emissions.

Future prospects for sustainability

A highlight of the evening was the keynote speech by university professor Marion Huber-Humer from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna. With her question “What is sustainability?” she led an arc from history to the future.
Historical roots: As early as the 18th century, Hans Carl von Carlowitz defined sustainability as a form of forestry balance: Only as much wood should be removed as can grow back.
With the Brundtland Report in 1987, sustainability took on a global dimension - as a development that meets both current and future needs.
In the EU Taxonomy Regulation 2020, sustainability is ultimately described as an economic activity that actively contributes to climate protection, resource conservation, the circular economy and the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems, says Huber-Humer.

Global and European goals

The speaker recalled that sustainability goals have been defined worldwide for around ten years, such as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the European Union, these goals are anchored, among other things, in the Circular Economy Action Plan 2020.
The long-term plans are particularly ambitious: a complete decarbonization of the energy sector and climate neutrality by 2050. But Huber-Humer warned: "We have become more efficient and the share of alternative energies has increased. But without fundamental transformations, the goals for 2050 will not be achievable."

Research, framework conditions and financing

An important role is played by the UniNEtZ project, an alliance of scientists and artists from 19 partner institutions, which developed a comprehensive paper with 150 options and over 1,000 concrete measures to implement the SDGs between 2019 and 2021. Huber-Humer criticized the complexity of the framework conditions: Waste law alone has grown from 103 to around 1,800 pages in the last version from 2025 since 1993. In addition to clear structures, financing is particularly crucial. “We have to steer budgets in the right direction,” demanded Huber-Humer. Fossil fuel subsidies should be reallocated and invested in sustainable technologies.

The building sector as a key area

The expert paid particular attention to the construction sector, which has enormous sustainability relevance: the building sector accounts for over a third of global resource consumption, 36 percent of energy consumption in the EU, a third of CO₂ emissions and a third of waste generation. These dimensions show how great the leverage the industry has.

Honors

The event concluded with honoring long-time companions of the association. In doing so, the BRV honored those personalities who have driven the development of the industry over decades with their commitment and expertise.
First and foremost, long-time BRV managing director Martin Car was honored. The long-time companions who were brought into the spotlight by BRV President Thomas Kasper included Günter Gretzmacher, Leopold Zahrer, Kurt Bernegger, Christian Holzer and the first BRV President Walter Seeböck.