SIRCULAR
Sustainable and Integrated people centric solutions for building decarbonisation and circularity
CONTEXT
The buildings and construction sector contributes 39% of global energy and process-related CO2 emissions, with 11% stemming from the manufacturing of building materials. Construction activities in the EU consume nearly half of all extracted materials, totaling 1.8 billion tonnes annually. To decarbonize building stock, low-impact materials and techniques are essential, and recycling construction and demolition waste (CDW) plays a key role. CDW, comprising concrete, bricks, wood, metals, plastics, and soil, represents 35.7% of waste produced. While many CDW materials can be recycled, promoting circular models remains a challenge. Factors such as quality concerns, management issues, and lack of supportive policies hinder progress. Addressing waste identification, source separation, logistics, and improving regulatory frameworks are crucial to overcoming these barriers.
CHALLENGE
- Insufficient recycling rates for construction materials due to fragmented regulations, complex CDW composition, contamination issues, and lack of awareness.
- The market for recycled products is underdeveloped because of insufficient trust and knowledge among users, limiting demand and investment.
- Recovered building components offer potential cost savings, but without strong demand, their reuse remains underutilized.
- The fragmented policy landscape creates inefficiencies and unclear standards, hindering the promotion of deconstruction and reuse practices.
- Scarcity of landfilling sites pushes for material reuse, but greater innovation and coordination are needed for sustainable waste management.
PROPOSAL
SIRCULAR aims to develop digital tools, technological solutions, and services to decarbonize the built environment, including a methodology to assess the circularity of buildings. These tools will provide easy-to-understand resources for end-users and construction professionals, offering insights into decarbonization and circularity. The project will integrate technical, economic, and social approaches, with a focus on policy and social innovation. The approach is people-centric, prioritizing inclusion, ethics, and the well-being of individuals and communities. It will engage the entire construction supply chain, promoting circularity and sustainability across all stages of the building lifecycle. SIRCULAR will work through national clusters in Estonia, Spain, Germany, and Greece, involving construction companies, housing providers, universities, and local entities, focusing on buildings occupied by vulnerable groups, ensuring a just transition.
ITeC’S ROLE
ITeC will contribute to the development of decarbonization solutions for the built environment, focusing on low-carbon materials and efficient renovation techniques. It will lead efforts to ensure accessibility and inclusivity, validate key performance indicators (KPIs), and address social challenges. ITeC will also guide the creation of regulatory sandboxes to test and refine decarbonization pathways, helping scale and commercialize innovations. Throughout the project, ITeC will support frameworks, capacity-building, and strategies to promote sustainable, circular construction practices.
Project Consortium
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