Author: Jessica I. Marschall

The transformation of construction and demolition waste streams into viable secondary material markets represents one of the most significant yet underachieved opportunities in sustainable development. Despite compelling environmental imperatives and theoretical frameworks supporting circular economy principles, the secondary market for building materials and decommissioned corporate property (furniture, fixtures, appliances, and related assets) continues to operate at only a fraction of its potential capacity.

The global green building materials market is on pace to nearly double, from $332.1 billion in 2024 to $708.9 billion by 2030. This represents a significant 14% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), placing it among the fastest-growing sectors within construction and real estate. The CAGR itself tells a powerful story: it indicates not just linear expansion, but a compounding acceleration of market demand year over year. At this pace, the sector is projected to add nearly $377 billion in new market value in just six years.

The housing market in the United States is navigating a difficult landscape. Existing home sales in June 2025 sank to their lowest level in nine months, declining by 2.7 percent to an annualized rate of 3.93 million units.

The Alhambra in Granada, Spain, is one of the most complete surviving examples of Islamic architecture in Europe. During a recent visit, I studied the construction and decorative features of this palace complex to gain insight into the intentionality behind each element.