CircularB Action 2023-2026

CircularB - Implementation of Circular Economy in the Built Environment

COST (Cooperation of Science and Technology)

A COST Action is an interdisciplinary research network that brings researchers and innovators together to investigate a topic of their choice for 4 years. COST Actions are typically made up of researchers from academia, SMEs, public institutions and other relevant organisations or interested parties.

CircularB Action started on 27.10.2022 to define the methodology to develop a common circularity framework for inclusive application and assessment in new and existing buildings to support decision-making for all value chain stakeholders and appraise the implementation level of the European Circular Economy Action Plan (ECEAP). It will end on 26.10.2026. Currently, there are 330 experts in the 4 Working Groups from 40 different countries.

About CircularB

Facing the increasing concerns about the negative environmental impacts of buildings, governments and general society worldwide have been seeking more efficient and sustainable constructions. Hence, the Circular Economy (CE) emerged as a new paradigm of innovative practice with potential application to the construction industry besides other economic sectors. Following the European Circular Economy Action Plan (ECEAP), multiple efforts have been made to apply circular thinking to construction practices and include resource circularity into sustainability frameworks, such as Level(s). However, despite the endeavours, there is still a lack of a standard tool that fully implements the circularity potential, classifies buildings accordingly, and assesses the realisation level of the ECEAP. Thus, the CircularB Action aims to develop a common international framework of a circularity rating tool with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) based on current best practices of CE construction, state-of-the-art and ECEAP. The tool’s framework will allow local application and adaptation by different COST countries and regions. By developing a benchmark database – based on each country/region conditions, culture and traditions – the direct use of the tool is enabled, supporting both designers in developing more sustainable buildings and national/local governments in assessing and promoting their CE targets. Furthermore, construction, assembly, adaptability, deconstruction and business model guidelines will be identified for new and existing buildings to enhance CE in buildings and promote stakeholder knowledge. The rating tool will also be integrated into the Open BIM workflow for better-informed design decisions, automated assessment, efficient value chain management, and circular feedback using central BIM models.

Main Objective

The main aim of the Action is to define the methodology to develop a common circularity framework for inclusive application and assessment in new and existing buildings to support decision-making for all value chain stakeholders and appraise the implementation level of the European Circular Economy Action Plan (ECEAP).

Specific Objectives

Research Coordination

● Coordination of current policies and identification of those which can act as opportunities/barriers to CE implementation in the construction and real estate industry.

● Data collection about construction techniques, novel solutions and innovative materials applied to new projects, as well as rehabilitation, adaptive reuse methods, components mining and recovery from existing assets.

● Development of a common understanding of how CE principles, as well as the circularity as a characteristic of materials, components and buildings, can be translated into feasible actions and strategies for new and existing buildings. Consequently, developing guidelines for the implementation of the circularity measures in new and existing buildings.

● Identifying relevant KPIs and developing an international KPIs’ framework to assess the circularity of new and existing buildings, according to the new ECEAP. Also, integration of the KPIs framework in BIM workflow by preparing the layout for an Open BIM API to automate the circular classification of BIM models.

● Linking of the KPIs framework with existing assessment frameworks like Level(s), as a complementary and detailed circular assessment tool.

● Adaptation of the KPIs framework to the different regions of COST countries, by setting local benchmarks, according to their specific spatial contexts like local traditions, culture, materials and methods.

● Provide constant updates (measure) on the implementation level of the new ECEAP (with the KPIs) for the building's context and identification of strategies to promote the integration of CE in buildings, as well as encouraging the use of the KPIs framework (policymaking, cities/municipalities, regulation/policy as case studies).

● Develop new and innovative business models to integrate CE in buildings construction workflow, and propose future market applications for the KPIs framework, including constant benchmark updates.

● Develop anthropogenic resource localisation and adaptive reuse strategies in selected COST countries to predict future pathways for the current building stock and facilitate targets for material recovery – How can we turn existing buildings more circular? (including case studies).

● Dissemination of the research results and development of capacity building among stakeholders and university students (from multidisciplinary fields). Besides, extending the dissemination to the general çivil society through social and traditional media and short live presentations in cities.

Capacity Building

● Develop new skillsets and novel approaches to CE for existing and new stakeholders including owners, designers, architects, engineers, contractors, economists and policymakers. Fostering CE knowledge exchange among stakeholders from different COST regions.

● Stimulate policymakers and local communities into adopting concrete CE approaches by raising awareness about future dire consequences of the current linear economy and involving them in the process of developing local applicable CE strategies.

● Increase collaboration between professionals from different sectors (material manufacturing, supply chain, project, construction, demolition and waste industry, academia, and governments) in order to develop common tools, strategies and methodologies for CE implementation.

● Provide Early-Career Investigators (ECI) and researchers from Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) the opportunity to integrate a project which promises to challenge the current linear model and achieve an ever-increasing worldwide prominence.

● Create an online platform of best practices, guidelines and success stories where stakeholders and professionals can find answers and inspirations.

● Organisation of workshops and training schools that contribute to spreading the knowledge about building circularity and developing intuition about its strategies and application for professionals.

● Publication of joint scientific and technical papers and outcomes communication in international meetings and conferences to increase the visibility and the soundness of the Action’s outcomes.

● Organise mid-term and final events on building circularity to promote participatory activities.

● Accelerate knowledge transfer from scientific research to industry and vice-versa.

● Act as a collective platform that brings together all value chain stakeholders to identify their requirements and needs through interdisciplinary discussions and finds a balance through possible trade-offs and novel collaboration patterns.

Working Groups

WG1: Circularity Strategies And Best Practices - Prof Daniel-Viorel UNGUREANU

This WG will work on developing innovative methods to apply circularity strategies in the design and construction activities and identify best practices. Furthermore, this WG aims to create integrated design and engineering solutions for dynamic and circular buildings which by design provide an answer to circularity challenges of resource efficiency and waste prevention through embedding concepts of DfA, DfD, DfC and reversibility among others for new and existing buildings.

Tasks:

• T1.1. Review and analysis of state-of-the-art;

• T1.2. Identification of existing applications of circularity strategies and circular materials for both new and existing buildings as well as the national and regional level of relevant regulations and governmental support and action plans in COST partner countries;

• T1.3. Identification of technical barriers to the uptake of circular strategies application by analysing building configurations and interdependences between systems, components and layers, considering local specifics (architecture and construction techniques). Also, a review of the methods dealing with the allocation of environmental burdens or benefits in the case of the reuse of building components;

• T1.4. Development of an e-learning section within the Action’s website for circular application by mapping existing concepts, strategies, best practices, case studies, projects and success stories worldwide (a joint task with WG4);

• T1.5. Development of novel design strategies and solutions that enable the implementation and evaluation of circularity principles (close, slow and narrow the loop) and concepts throughout the the whole lifecycle of a building, including design for disassembly, reversibility, adaptability, reconfiguration and spatial transformability;

• T1.6. Development of guidelines for the initial design phase to steer the thinking toward circularity implementation since the project’s conceptual stages;

• T1.7. Development of adapted strategies and concepts for circular re-design of existing buildings aiming at prolonging their functionality and usability and therefore increasing their circularity;

• T1.8. Development of simulation models through BIM with circularity options to predict future scenarios and identify potential trade-off possibilities;

• T1.9. Assessing the environmental benefits of different circularity strategies using LCA tools for several scenarios and identifying best practices based on the lowest potential environmental impact

WG2: Circular Value Chain And Stakeholder Engagement - Dr Diana BAJARE

This WG works on analysing the full value chain of circular buildings and circular materials and components. The main aim of this WG is to establish a stakeholder platform where an interdisciplinary

dialogue can be held among key players including academia, industry, suppliers, governmental bodies

and local authorities, construction professionals and the general public. Participatory dialogue among

stakeholders is key to ensuring a closed-loop value chain management and creating new collaboration patterns and business model ideas addressing individual requirements and shared interests.

Tasks:

• T2.1. Defining the project's lifecycle stages and their related decision-making activities in detail for cases of new constructions and refurbishments for existing ones taking into consideration the integrated tasks, inputs, outputs and process chains in between along with the involved stakeholders;

• T2.2. Analysis of stakeholder relationships throughout the value chain and identification of opportunities for new collaboration patterns;

• T2.3. Analysis of existing policies in partner countries and identification of legal barriers for circular value chain management;

• T2.4. Creating methods to map existing building stocks and potential loops based on regional material cadastres and process chain approaches. An illustrative case study in a selected partner country will be developed, in order to localise resources in buildings and facilitate targets to establish connections to potential markets (building activities sites e.g. renovation and rehabilitation sites);

• T2.5. Identification of possibilities for materials and components recovery without damage by improving strategies of selective deconstruction, materials separation and resource management;

• T2.6. Identification of new business models opportunities and investigation of their leverage effects to foster circularity together with their ecologic and economic viability;

• T2.7. Developing and testing a circularity management model for new construction and rehabilitation projects that takes into consideration all stakeholders involved most effectively.

WG3: Circular KPIs Framework - Prof Helena GERVASIO

The WG3 aims to identify and develop relevant, reliable and replicable circular KPIs that can measure the circularity index of new and existing residential buildings. The KPIs will be cross-country (COST countries) applied and based on current and best CE practices, CE Action Plans, governmental reports and national/international practices. Additionally, the KPIs will be grouped under Governmental/Institutional, Environmental, Social, Economic, and Technical dimensions to propose developing an international rating framework. Such a framework will act as a complementary and detailed circular assessment of recognised sustainability schemes to support decision-making.

Tasks:

• T3.1. Identification and description of existing criteria that define and evaluate circular strategies implementation in buildings;

• T3.2. Identification of the strengths and weaknesses of current circularity and sustainability assessment tools in buildings, including relevant KPIs;

• T3.3. Development of a circular KPIs dashboard and identification of complementary potential KPIs for development within the Action's framework;

• T3.4. Development of benchmark data set for each partner country relying on their priorities, technical strategies, customs and culture;

• T3.5. Development of an international system framework – KPI's selection and prioritisation for new and existing buildings, as well as weighting system proposals (based on benchmark evaluation);

• T3.6. Assessing the sustainability added-value of the developed KPIs and establishing a connection with the common European framework for sustainability Level(s), as well as analysing the integration with other recognised sustainability schemes such as SBTool;

• T3.7. Setting a structured layout for KPIs integration and automation within BIM environment for circular assessment of BIM models.

WG4: Dissemination And Results Communication - Prof Philip GRIFFITHS

This WG will ensure the maximisation of the Action's impact via various dissemination, communication, and outreach activities as well as identify opportunities to enlarge the Action's network and communicate with other networks and stakeholders.

Tasks

• T4.1. Identification of communication, dissemination and networking strategy;

• T4.2. Creating and managing the CircularB Action web page and social media channels as well as creating bi-annual content for the Action's newsletter and ensuring communication to share the Action news and announce activities as well as disseminate the outcomes;

• T4.3. Creating and managing the online learning platform for circular application and best practices based on WG1 inputs;

• T4.4. Identifying opportunities for communication and networking through conferences  international meetings and events, and opportunities for scientific and technical papers publication, etc.;

• T4.5. Coordinating and organising the Action's activities: communication and outreach, training schools and workshops as well as ensuring active participation of all stakeholders and partners;

• T4.6. Organising and managing the MC and the WGs' meetings and facilitating transdisciplinary and participatory dialogues among partners as well as interactive communication among stakeholders;

• T4.7. Organising and managing information exchange between the WGs;

• T4.8. Coordinating the publications' preparation and dissemination of content in collaboration with WGs;

• T4.9. Planning and organising the mid-term and closing events of the Action which include international conferences, participatory workshops and interactive round tables;

• T4.10. Preparing annual reports based on WGs' progress reports.