The CCRI promotes circular economy practices within the construction sector by offering a comprehensive support framework for cities and regions across Europe. The CCRI’s multi-faceted approach includes knowledge sharing, technical assistance, and financial support, all aimed at accelerating the transition to a circular economy. By facilitating collaboration among stakeholders, the CCRI helps cities and regions to overcome common challenges, share best practices, and implement effective circular solutions.

In this regard, through the Circular Construction and Buildings Thematic Working Group (TWG-C), the CCRI provides support to the CCRI Projects (Circ-Boost included) by organising seminars and other initiatives oriented at incentivising and facilitating the transfer of knowledge among the CCRI stakeholders. Thus, the CCRI generates synergies that allow some of the key challenges faced by cities and regions to be addressed (i.e. managing construction and demolition waste, facilitating markets for secondary materials, upgrading existing buildings and spaces, and others).

Circ-Boost exemplifies the initiative’s impact on the construction sector. Our project is focused on demonstrating and scaling innovative circular solutions across various European regions, including Spain, France, Serbia, Norway, and Czechia. For instance, in Spain, we are pioneering methods for the valorisation of construction and demolition waste (CDW) by transforming it into valuable building materials. New soil bioremediation techniques are also being developed to guarantee on-site elimination of more than 90% of the hydrocarbons and heavy metals deposited by the previous uses of the soil.

In France, we are testing digital tools that track material flows and lifecycle impacts, thereby enhancing transparency and efficiency in resource management. These tools are essential for optimising recycling processes and ensuring that construction materials are used to their fullest potential.

Norway’s pilot project highlights the integration of circular design principles in new construction projects. The design of the Gaia Vesterålen Museum, for example, incorporates recycled materials and focuses on minimising waste throughout its lifecycle. This project serves as a model for sustainable building practices that can be replicated in other regions.

Serbia’s contribution includes innovative approaches to waste management and recycling, demonstrating how circular principles can be applied in different economic and regulatory contexts.

By supporting such diverse pilots through the organisation of seminars, providing progress evaluation tools oriented to the Pilots, and generating synergies between sister projects (CIRC-BOOST, RECONSTRUCT and WOORCIRCLES), the CCRI helps to drive significant advancements in circular construction. The initiative’s emphasis on collaboration and practical support ensures that these developments not only contribute to local sustainability goals but also provide replicable models for other cities and regions to follow.

Circ-Boost brings a rich array of circular economy expertise to the CCRI community, spanning technical, economic, and legal domains. Our consortium is composed of leading experts from academia, industry, and public sectors, each contributing valuable insights and innovations that drive the circular transition in the construction sector.

Technical Expertise: Our project is at the forefront of developing and implementing cutting-edge circular construction technologies. We are pioneering techniques for recycling and reusing construction and demolition waste (CDW), developing new materials from recycled content, and integrating advanced digital tools for lifecycle management. For example, the 3D Map Platform provides real-time tracking of material flows, enhancing the efficiency of recycling processes and minimising waste.

Economic Expertise: Circ-Boost is exploring innovative business models that support the economic viability of circular construction practices. We are assessing how circular principles can be integrated into value chains to create sustainable economic opportunities. This includes evaluating the cost-effectiveness of recycling technologies, assessing the market potential for circular products, and developing financial models that incentivise the adoption of circular practices. Our approach aims to demonstrate that circular economy initiatives are not only environmentally beneficial but also economically advantageous.

Policy Making Expertise: Navigating the regulatory landscape is a critical aspect of implementing circular economy practices. Circ-Boost is addressing legal challenges related to waste management, material reuse, and construction standards. We are working to identify regulatory barriers and propose policy recommendations that facilitate the adoption of circular practices. The consortium is engaging with policymakers to advocate for supportive regulations and standards that promote circular construction.

Circ-Boost’s comprehensive approach ensures that we address the multifaceted challenges of transitioning to a circular economy. By sharing our experiences and insights, we aim to contribute to the CCRI community’s understanding of how circular economy principles can be effectively implemented and scaled.

Circ-Boost is developing several innovative circular design tools and solutions that are designed to advance the construction sector’s transition to a circular economy and offer value to the broader CCRI community.

3D Map Platform: This digital tool provides a comprehensive overview of material flows within construction projects. It’s a 3D digital representation of existing building stocks that embeds information models for each building in the area, incorporating all relevant information related to the circular economy at the component, building, and urban levels. This information includes precise details on embedded materials, their types and quantities, predicted timelines for waste generation and its circular potential: what can be reused, what can be recycled, and what still needs to be disposed of. By tracking the lifecycle of materials from sourcing to disposal, the 3D Map Platform enables more efficient recycling and resource management. It offers real-time data that helps stakeholders optimise material use, reduce waste, develop better waste management strategies and improve overall sustainability. The platform’s capabilities make it a valuable resource for cities and regions looking to enhance their circular economy practices.

Lifecycle Assessment Tools: We are integrating advanced multi-criteria decision-making models, such as MIVES, to evaluate the environmental, economic, and social impacts of construction practices. These tools support decision-making by providing a holistic view of the sustainability performance of different materials and processes. By using these tools, stakeholders can make informed choices that align with circular economy principles and contribute to long-term sustainability.

Circular Construction Methods: Our project is testing and refining various circular construction methods, including techniques for recycling construction waste, designing for disassembly, and using sustainable materials. These methods are being implemented in pilot projects across Europe, demonstrating their effectiveness in real-world settings. For instance, the use of recycled materials in the GaiaVesterålen Museum project highlights how circular design principles can be applied to create high-quality, sustainable buildings.

These tools and solutions are designed to be adaptable and scalable, making them applicable to a wide range of contexts within and beyond the construction sector. They offer practical resources for implementing circular economy practices and provide replicable models that can be adopted by other cities, regions, and industries. By sharing our innovations with the CCRI community, we aim to foster broader adoption of circular economy principles and drive meaningful progress towards sustainability.