MATERIAL PASSPORTS
what is A MATERIAL PASSPORT?
Did you know that the built environment accounts for over half of all materials extracted from the Earth's surface each year? What if, instead of generating waste, our buildings could work as an abundant stock of resources?
Currently, 98% of construction materials are designed to be broken down into low-value end-of-life uses. We can change that by digitally enabling our buildings to act as material banks—unlocking their extended value, environmental benefits, and financial potential.
Passports—also known as Digital Product Passports—are fast becoming a feature of modern construction. They are essential tools for digitally enabled buildings, enriched with usable data that supports circular outcomes. Without them, we would not be able to accurately digitise our building stock.
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INNOVATION - FOCUSED
Think of it as a digital ID card for building materials and products—capturing critical information that prepares them for future reuse or recovery.
A Passport records key metrics like carbon footprint, circularity, material health, documentation, and financial value.
For building owners, Passports are a sign of innovation and sustainability, enhancing marketability to both tenants and purchasers.
As regulations tighten around waste and carbon, Material Passports also play a crucial role in mitigating planning risk and managing embodied carbon across the building's life cycle.
HOW DOES A MATERIAL PASSPORT WORK?
SYSTEM-BASED APPROACH
Material Passports should always be used as part of a comprehensive system. Each Passport is assigned to a physical product, offering project stakeholders access to data on carbon, circularity, material health, and residual value scores. At the portfolio level, asset owners can also monitor and track these metrics against performance targets.
DYNAMIC ASSET REGISTER
Passports can be used across both structural and fit-out elements and act as dynamic asset registers—holding information on everything from design and carbon to quality controls and operations and maintenance. They’re valuable for both new builds and existing buildings undergoing deconstruction.
USER-FRIENDLY INSIGHTS
Maconda’s approach ensures that Passports are intuitive, accessible, and valuable for operational use—not overly technical or needlessly complex. Dashboards can be created for individual buildings or entire portfolios, allowing easy access to baseline values and actionable insights.
PURPOSE-DRIVEN DATA
Material Passports are only as valuable as the strategy behind them. Creating datasets without purpose or context won't support circular outcomes.
EXPERT PASSPORT PARTNER
Maconda is the UK’s most experienced Material Passport consultant, having delivered solutions for both commercial and residential portfolios—including Tier One schemes. We understand the practical challenges of implementing Material Passports and how to tailor them to meet your planning, sustainability, and asset value goals.
TRUSTED REUSE PARTNER
Whether your focus is on risk mitigation, increasing market appeal, or maximising reuse, Maconda is your trusted partner in unlocking the full value of your building materials.