What is urban mining?
As cities grow and buildings rise, so too does the mountain of materials embedded within them.
Materials from concrete and steel to glass and aggregates are locked into our urban fabric, accumulating across decades of development. Yet beneath this built environment lies an untapped reservoir of value. Our cities have become repositories of resources, that could reshape how we build, demolish and rebuild.
Urban mining is the process of recovering valuable materials from the built environment and reintroducing them into the supply chain. It treats buildings, infrastructure and construction waste as sources of reusable resources. This approach allows us to retain materials such as cement, aggregates and steel, and feed them back into future projects.
There are two key reasons why urban mining matters:
- Value: By recovering materials from demolition and construction, we reduce the need for virgin extraction and keep resources in circulation.
- Carbon: Reusing materials significantly reduces embodied carbon, helping to decarbonise supply chains and support climate goals.
The construction industry is a major global contributor to GDP accounting for 13% and is expected to grow to nearly $20 trillion USD by 2040. But it also contributes substantially to global carbon emissions. According to Arup’s analysis, embodied carbon from construction materials such as concrete and steel can represent up to 50% of a building’s whole life carbon impact. This makes material reuse a critical strategy for reducing emissions and decarbonising the sector.
Urban mining offers a practical response. It supports circularity, reduces environmental impact and creates new value across the construction ecosystem. However, it is not a short-term fix.
Making urban mining happen requires systemic change. It is a long-term transition that will take 10 to 20 years. Clear policy mandates are needed to support the use of recycled materials, alongside financial incentives to attract investment. Building codes must evolve to embrace circular practices, and strong local ecosystems are essential. Collaboration between contractors, demolition firms and recycling companies will be key to enabling urban mining at scale.
