Earlier this year, Purcell brought together leading voices from across the built environment to explore how lessons from heritage can shape a low-carbon future.
High-profile figures from heritage, policy and industry shared insights on how centuries-old stewardship principles can inform the transition to a circular economy.
The Nothing New initiative is the result of those conversations. It is the latest step in Purcell’s mission to drive discussion and systemic change across the construction industry.
The resulting publication, led by Purcell’s Head of Sustainability Laura Baron, distils these discussions into ten actionable recommendations for government and industry. It highlights how the heritage sector’s wealth of transferable knowledge – rooted in reuse, repair and long-term care – offers a practical framework for designing sustainably and future planning.
There is nothing new about the concept of a circular economy.
The heritage sector holds some of the most transferable experience for how the wider construction industry can embrace and enable a circular economy.
– Laura Baron, Head of Sustainability, Purcell
Ten recommendations for change
The built environment contributes to 42% of global greenhouse gas emissions, consumes half of all raw material extracted and, in the UK, is responsible for 62% of waste generation.
Our report identifies a shared responsibility between policymakers and industry leaders to urgently scale up the transition to a circular economy.
Among the ten recommendations are:
- Embedding a national circular economy strategy within planning policy.
- Introducing zero-rated VAT for refurbishment and retrofit projects.
- Regulating embodied carbon across all major construction.
- Developing a national curriculum for circular construction.
- Establishing a public database of best-practice examples.
These proposals call for legislative consistency and financial incentives for reuse. We need investment in sharing skills and knowledge to create a foundation for circularity to become the industry norm.
The discussion in action
Leading the conversation
With contributors from organisations including Historic England, the National Trust, Arup and Sir Robert McAlpine, Nothing New exemplifies Purcell’s role as a catalyst for collaboration and thought leadership within the sector. The launch of the Nothing New paper coincided with Circular Economy week, at a time when there is much attention and anticipation on the government’s emerging Circular Economy Strategy for England.
Our practice continues to champion a conservation-first mindset, one that positions heritage not as a constraint, but as a vital driver of innovation and sustainability in the built environment.
