What are materials passports, how do they work, and can they really help to deliver a more sustainable construction industry? Tim Clark reports
Like a library full of books that can only be read once the facility closes, can buildings truly be repositories of their own materials, for future use by others?
It is both a novel concept and an essential part of what should make up a transition to a lower carbon industry. Known as materials passports, the future reuse of materials has begun to be data-captured, and if successful could be adopted on a large scale.
But there’s still a way to go yet.
What are materials passports?
In essence a materials passport is a digital or physical document that provides details about a material and or components used in a building. If you imagine a building as a series of separate parts – more like a car – than a solid object, this information is an index or glossary of all those parts.
It includes data on material composition, origin, environmental impact, and potential for reuse or recycling, supporting the principles of a circular economy. By tracking materials throughout their lifecycle, passports enable efficient deconstruction, recovery, and repurposing; reducing waste and conserving resources.
“Our socioeconomic world has become so complex that, with all the goodwill there is, we still could never be sure that nothing gets lost – unless we write everything down. Only by ‘catching’ our physical world in data can we organise finite resources in such a way that they remain accessible to us permanently,” say Dutch architect Thomas Rau, and economist Sabine Oberhuber, who have campaigned to raise the profile of materials passports and published their book Material Matters in 2016.
“An important condition with regards to conserving value is, again, that buildings must be designed and constructed in ways that make it easy, and therefore economically worthwhile, to dismantle them and reuse the materials and resources stored in them,” they told Garland magazine. “This will translate into a financial incentive for developers, producers, and builders to anticipate temporality right from the start.”
In construction, material passports promote transparency, allowing architects, builders, and recyclers to identify and reclaim valuable materials. They align with sustainability goals by fostering a shift from linear consumption models (which means that you use it once, and throw it in the trash) to what are known as closed-loop systems.
This can help minimise environmental impact. These passports are increasingly integrated into design and manufacturing processes, using tools like digital twins and blockchain to ensure accuracy and traceability.
By facilitating material reuse, material passports help reduce costs, emissions, and dependency on virgin resources, playing a vital role in sustainable resource management.
Data compiling
So you have a building, or are planning to construct one, what next? According to the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) the key step is building up reliable data.
“We currently have much of the data for materials passports, just not in an easily accessible format which is kept up to date,” says Clare Wilde, project officer, circular economy and nature at UKGBC.
“The data gathered for buildings is often stored away in O&M manuals or databases, but they are not always the most user-friendly. Materials passports can help make this information easier to access by storing it all in one place; this can include certifications and warranty, EPDs and embodied carbon data, and an ingredient list of the material or product for health and safety requirements.”
In a piece published in June last year, Wilde outlines how the construction sector can adopt material passport principles, and what issues such as data capture they face, who needs to be able to access data, and where in a building’s lifecycle are different materials important.
Data capture can take a number of forms, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) whose role within modern buildings is becoming ubiquitous.
Product lifecycle management (PLM) software can also work. A number of established construction data firms, such as Autodesk, offer software that can help manage any building material’s library.
Has it been done in real life?
In short, yes. Contractor Mace is spearheading the use of material passports in its 95,000 sq ft 100 Fetter Lane scheme, also known as Edenica. Collaborating with YardNine, BauMont Real Estate Capital, and engineering firm Waterman the contractor has trialled a material passport framework and the digital platform Circuland. This initiative aims to standardise data recording for building components, enabling future reuse.
Five construction packages – substructure and core, steel frame, precast facades, raised access flooring, and precast floor slabs – were selected for the trial, representing 80% of the building. Specialists provided detailed component data, uploaded to Circuland, which generates comprehensive material and building passports. These include data on component specifications, carbon footprint, and deconstruction strategies.
The project embraces design for disassembly, using bolted steel structures, reusable precast slabs, and QR-coded components. Mace’s efforts demonstrate a practical pathway to reduce demolition waste and promote circular construction.
The project can be seen as a moment where sustainable ideas turn into construction realities, however for materials passports to become mainstream some challenges need to be overcome.
“We do not have a standard yet for materials passports or DPPs so you [building managers] need to understand what data you need for the passport,” Wilde adds.
“Manufacturers, in particular, need to think about what data they have, and what they don’t, how the data will be carried. Some of this may depend on where your material sits within a building and its use. There is also the wider question of do you want to be involved in the second life of the material or will it go onto the open secondary marketplaces?”
A study conducted by Dr Ana Rute Costa from the University of Lancaster, and architect Rachel Hoolahan from Orms Architects outlined how the use of material passports can be accelerated.
The study’s recommendations included working on a pre-redevelopment audit of any building to enable evaluation of what can be reused, and preparing a circular economy strategy within the company – so that the design of any new building or refurbishment can be influenced by circular economy principles.
It also recommended gathering and submitting metric data on a platform that can be used for material passports, and also drawing up a materials passport strategy. Some of those ideas may seem simple, but without such steps integration and reuse of materials can’t succeed.
The question of secondary use, and just what marketplace exists for materials is a key aspect of making materials passports a success.
A number of marketplaces are available such as Circuland, which allows firms to upload materials and product information, generating building and material passports. Other platforms include Upcyclea, which provides what it calls circular passports for materials and products, and also a digital bank of materials for those looking to understand resources within their buildings – and their eventual reuse.
The madaster platform is considered another leader in offering advanced automation, data management, and graphical outputs for materials.
The European Union also launched a trial materials passport project. The Buildings as Material Banks (BAMB) project focuses on transforming the construction industry by implementing material passports and circular economy principles.
BAMB developed tools and frameworks to integrate material passports into construction projects, fostering a shift from linear to circular resource management. By enhancing transparency and traceability, the initiative helps reduce material downcycling and carbon emissions.
The project also emphasises the design of buildings for disassembly, ensuring that materials can be recovered effectively at the end of their lifecycle.
The BAMB initiative has advanced the adoption of innovative practices in the construction sector, contributing significantly to the EU’s vision for a sustainable and resource-efficient future.
There is a long way to go before materials passports become mainstream, however if the Mace project is anything to go by, the industry is heading in the right direction.
Data mining: Top product lifecycle management tools
Siemens Teamcenter
Siemens Teamcenter offers comprehensive lifecycle data management, digital twin integration, and collaboration tools. It is particularly relevant for tracking material data, ensuring compliance with standards that are needed for material passports such as REACH and RoHS, and integrating sustainability-focused tools.
SAP PLM
SAP PLM provides advanced supply chain integration, material compliance, and lifecycle tracking capabilities. It supports material sustainability analysis, regulatory compliance, and workflows for material reuse. This solution is ideal for enterprises already leveraging SAP for enterprise resource planning (ERP).
Autodesk Fusion Lifecycle
Autodesk Fusion Lifecycle is a cloud-based platform for collaboration, BOM (Bill of Materials) management, and BIM integration. It enables tracking material data linked to design and construction processes, ensuring material reusability.
Aras Innovator
Aras Innovator is a flexible and open-source PLM platform that offers lifecycle analytics and compliance tracking. It provides custom solutions for managing detailed material data, regulatory compliance, and traceability.
Dassault Systèmes ENOVIA
Dassault Systèmes ENOVIA facilitates collaboration on product design, lifecycle management, and integration with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. It links material specifications with lifecycle data, offering insights for reuse and recycling.
PTC Windchill
PTC Windchill provides advanced PLM functionality with IoT integration, digital twin support, and compliance management. It is designed to track materials in products, integrate IoT data for real-time monitoring, and support end-of-life planning.
Oracle Agile PLM
Oracle Agile PLM delivers enterprise-wide lifecycle management, data integration, and compliance tools. It offers detailed material tracking and end-of-life strategies aligned with sustainability goals.
OpenBOM
OpenBOM is a cloud-based platform for BOM management and collaboration among distributed teams. It manages material inventories and supports reuse or recycling efforts through detailed BOM data. It is particularly beneficial for small to mid-sized enterprises seeking lightweight PLM solutions.
Arena PLM (by PTC)
Arena PLM, a SaaS-based platform, features robust supply chain collaboration tools. It tracks materials across the supply chain and ensures compliance with sustainability regulations
Circular Economy Platforms Integrated with PLM
Platforms such as Circularise, Madaster, and Granta Design (by Ansys) are specifically designed to manage material data. These platforms ensure traceability and align with circular economy principles.
Read next: Skills charter aims to build a Sizewell C workforce legacy
Are you a building professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
