The construction industry, like many others, is evolving rapidly. With this change comes a flood of new terms and concepts that can feel overwhelming if we don’t fully understand their meanings. Traditional methods are being redefined, and new approaches are replacing them—especially those focused on sustainability and efficiency.
One key area driving this shift is the circular economy. This concept is reshaping how we think about construction, demolition, and waste management. But as theories, practices, standards, and guidance grow, so does the complexity. Understanding all these new ideas and how they fit together is no easy task.
Take construction and demolition waste management as an example. The ambiguity around terms and inconsistent definitions between countries, research groups, and even companies makes it harder to implement effective solutions. This can lead to confusion, miscommunication, and the creation of plans that may not achieve their intended impact. In some cases, different countries use the same terms but define them in conflicting ways. Even standards may offer contradictory definitions, adding to the confusion.
As a result, it can be tough to align stakeholders and create a common language that helps move projects forward. When everyone interprets terms differently, implementing circular economy principles becomes far more complex than it should be.
The Need for Clarity
This is why clarity around these terms is so important. Clear, consistent definitions help improve communication, foster collaboration, and ensure that circular economy practices can be applied effectively. Many industry standards already include dedicated sections for terms and definitions to help reduce confusion. Meanwhile, industry hubs are working to develop practical guidance on confusing terms. However, much of this guidance is scattered across various reports, making it difficult for practitioners to access and apply.
The Glossary: Simplifying the Complex
Recognizing this challenge, the RECONMATIC project has taken a major step forward. We have created a glossary that gathers and clarifies key terms related to construction, demolition waste, and the circular economy.
This glossary is designed to be a one-stop resource for anyone working in the construction industry. It helps ensure that everyone—from contractors to policymakers—can easily understand and use the same terms in a consistent way.
The glossary doesn’t just provide definitions; it also references the original sources for further reading and comparison. Terms that might confuse are linked, allowing users to easily see how different definitions compare.
How We Built the Glossary
We used two main approaches to identify the most important terms:
Standards and Industry Reports: We reviewed key documents from international standards organizations like the British Standards Institute (BSI), European Committee of Standardization (CEN), the European Commission (EC), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). We also drew on industry reports from respected bodies such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Construction Leadership Council (UK).
Industry Practice: Our project partners across Europe—working in countries like the Czech Republic, Greece, Spain, and the UK—also contributed terms commonly used in their national construction industries. We then compared these terms against existing definitions, adding only those that were clear and meaningful.
Challenges Along the Way
Of course, this process wasn’t without its challenges:
When we found the same definition across multiple sources, we included all references.
In cases where we discovered contradictory definitions, we added both to the glossary and noted the differences.
If no official definition existed for a term, we opted not to include it to avoid further confusion.
In the end, we compiled a total of 242 terms, which are presented alphabetically along with their definitions, references, and additional comments.
You can explore the full glossary on Zenodo.
Your Feedback is Valuable to keep the Glossary Alive
This glossary is a living document. It will be updated regularly, with new terms added and existing definitions refined as needed. Our goal is to ensure that this resource stays relevant and continues to provide value to professionals in the construction sector, as well as to students and academics.
We’re always open to feedback and suggestions!
If you’d like to contribute new terms or suggest improvements, you can fill out a simple survey https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/salford/glossary-of-terms-for-ce-survey
All contributions will be carefully reviewed by a team of experts from the RECONMATIC project and considered for inclusion in future updates.
The Road Ahead
We believe this glossary will help construction professionals work more efficiently and communicate more effectively, paving the way for better circular economy practices in the industry. By creating a common language, we can all work together toward more sustainable and innovative solutions.
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