Cycle Zéro offers construction professionals the opportunity to create a free account on the app, where they can post their material listings for individuals who are also registered on the platform at no cost. These individuals can reserve construction materials that they will pick up within a 100km radius once the removal is validated by the professional.
Companies thus benefit from a reuse bonus. The more they donate, the more they are financially rewarded. These operations also provide immediate benefits, as they no longer need to use paid dumpsters or companies that resell reused materials, which is also a paid service.
“And above all, it allows them to have interesting reuse figures,” emphasizes Karima Lebsir, “when we know that there are targets of 5 to 20% set by project management for each site. When they meet these figures, it gives them credibility and helps them secure new public and private contracts.”
For individuals, the advantages primarily lie in their wallets, benefiting from free materials, which translates to an increased purchasing power of nearly 12% per user, according to an impact measurement conducted by Cycle Zéro. The savings made can, for example, allow them to hire craftsmen or an architect, which was not initially planned. Individuals can also train to carry out their own renovations.
Alongside economic gains, there are ecological benefits. "The reuse of materials prevents the extraction of new resources,” explains Karima Lebsir. “On the sites where we intervene, this represents an average of -30% carbon footprint. It’s precisely the connection between environmental and social issues that interests us in this topic. Talking about ecology without addressing social issues makes no sense, as those most affected by the environmental crisis are the most vulnerable. Therefore, it was essential for us to link these two aspects.”
In France, 7 out of 10 waste materials come from the construction sector. And less than 1% of this waste is reused. Cycle Zéro has already facilitated the reuse of over 20,000 materials, saving more than 700 tons and helping 10,000 to 15,000 families. “These results are interesting, but our goals are much larger. By 2027, we want to multiply these figures by 100. We believe we can achieve this goal with this tool that has a national impact. We prove every day that reuse is possible on a large scale, that it is not slow, and that it is profitable. I truly believe that it is possible to move towards more interesting economic models linked to the circular economy.”
