Net Zero Carbon management brochure 05'OCT'26 - Flipbook - Page 14
Circular economy
Modular and portable buildings support
the principles of the circular economy by
maximising resource efficiency throughout
their lifecycle. Both modular and portable
units can be moved, reconfigured, expanded
or repurposed to meet changing operational
needs, extending their useful life and reducing
demand for new materials. Wernick Hire
specialises in circular solutions, where portable
units are designed for reuse, repurpose and
redeploy over their 10-20 year lifecycle.
For permanent modular buildings, this lifecycle
increases to 50-60 years and these modules
have been designed for disassembly in order
to better facilitate recycling and reusing at
end of life. Although the building shell can be
reused throughout its lifecycle, elements such
as partitions, trunking, electrics, doors and
windows require more work to increase its
ability to be reused.
Modular and portable buildings align with
the principles of circular manufacturing as
offsite methods of construction promote
resource efficiency, waste reduction and
longevity, whilst providing a flexible and cost
effective solution for businesses in need of
temporary or adoptable spaces. As the demand
for sustainable practices continues to grow,
embracing modular systems offers fast and
efficient solutions to reduce environmental
impact and move towards a more circular,
sustainable future in adaptable building uses.
WERNICK REFURBISHED BUILDINGS CIRCULAR ECONOMY CASE STUDY
Wernick Refurbished Buildings (WRB) business
model is based on circular economy principles,
by refurbishing pre-owned modular buildings,
extending their life by up to 30 years, and
significantly reducing environmental impact.
By acquiring end-of-life modular buildings and
restoring them, WRB minimises waste and
optimises resource use, retaining 30-50% of
the original materials.
The factory has undergone significant
investment in decarbonising operations which
has resulted in the integration of solar panels,
electric forklifts, installation of EV chargers and
14 | www.wernick.co.uk
shifting to electric or hybrid vehicles. An industrial
waste compactor has also optimised waste compaction
on site and reduced uplifts.
The factory has collaborated with academia to
produce a study showing that a 46% reduction
in embodied carbon emissions can be achieved
in refurbished modular buildings when compared
to newly built modular buildings. They have also
established partnerships with Loughborough
University, British Gypsum and ENVA on the recent
ICEBERG project to innovate and produce a 35%
blended recycled plasterboard generated from their
own operations.
