The document is divided into two main parts. The first part refers to an overview of what sustainable construction sector stands for, starting from the current state of play and moving to CE principles. The second part introduces approaches, principles and examples. The journey starts from the analysis of the territory to identifying priorities and objectives. Then communication and education are in focus, representing key factors to involve citizens, frontrunners and practitioners. Research and innovation, business support, financial incentives, policy and regulation, public procurement are other tools to consider when striving for sustainability. However, this list is not exhaustive and the public debate should be kept open when elaborating such strategies. Boxes with good practices and experiences on specific topics turn the narrative into concrete examples.

These guidelines are complementary with previous ACR+ publications and contain several references to other studies and research.

An example of what public authorities can do to address the sustainable construction topic is to develop and adopt ICT tools for their territory. An example that the report gives, is that in Belgium, the three regions of the country developed a tool to improve environmental performances of buildings. Local and regional authorities can adopt the approaches suggested in this report where they find fit to develop a Circular Systemic Solution for the construction sector, but can also draw inspiration from the examples provided to obtain understanding of the practical approach.