Since the launch of the CCRI, we have established a dedicated municipal reuse department for building materials. At the same time, we have been working closely with local industry to develop a more circular construction sector.

One example of this is our work on ventilation ducts – a product group that is commonly used but rarely reused. We did not focus on recycling a specific item; we explored how to build an entire value chain around reuse, which actors needed to be involved to make it work.

We partnered with local construction industry organisations and a cluster at the centre of the development. The municipality has played a key role in securing financial support, providing practical assistance and knowledge, and making use of the solutions as they are developed.

As a result, we now have a functioning market for used ventilation tubes through which the municipality repurposes ventilation ducts from our own construction projects and procures second-hand ducts through external suppliers.

This model of collaboration, combining public-sector leadership with industry innovation, is what makes the model scalable and sustainable. It’s not a one-off experiment. In fact, we’re now building on this success by developing a comprehensive marketplace for reclaimed construction materials in the city, again in collaboration with local industry.

We have been working closely with FutureBuilt, Norway’s national innovation programme for sustainable buildings and urban development. Although the municipality is responsible for operating the FutureBuilt programme in Bergen, we also use its methodology as a developer, especially the Circularity Index.

We’ve been working on applying the Index across a breadth of municipal projects as a steering tool: instead of using it to evaluate individual buildings, the Index helps us to look at our entire portfolio of projects through a circular lens.

This helps us move from isolated experimentation to a more systemic, data-driven approach. This gives us a much clearer picture of where we stand and where we need to improve. Our goal is to make circularity a natural part of how we design, build and manage all public assets.

We still have a long way to go, but the Circularity Index provides a methodology where we learn from each project and use that knowledge to guide future decisions. The feedback that the Index provides will inform how we guide circular practices across broader municipal infrastructure.

Being part of the CCRI community and especially the Thematic Working Group on Construction and Buildings has been incredibly valuable for us. We really appreciate the openness and willingness of the CCRI community and Working Groups to share tools, methodologies and lessons learned.

There are so many cities in the network doing truly inspiring work – whether it's innovative reuse strategies, circular marketplaces, or large-scale construction projects – and we’ve learned a lot from their experiences.

Knowledge exchange has helped us identify where we can improve our own practices or adapt to new approaches. The discussions within the group have been especially useful – not just in terms of technical insights, but also in understanding how different cities are navigating policy, procurement and stakeholder engagement.

Read Bergen’s profile on the CCRI website for more information on the city’s circular commitments and solutions.