In the context of the 5th Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference held last week on 2-3 March, EBC was invited by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee and the French EU Council Presidency, to take part in the workshop “Circular opportunities in Buildings and Infrastructure” to discuss best practices and challenges faced in the European construction sector regarding circularity. This conference intended to provide an opportunity for European stakeholders in the circular economy to meet, network and gain insights into and knowledge of what is happening at the forefront of the transition, particularly in view of the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan.
The workshop kicked-off with Holland Circulator Hotspot, the current coordinator of the Construction & Infrastructure Leadership Group of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP), handing-over the brochure “Circular Buildings and Infrastructure – State of Play report 2021” to Kestutis Sadauskas, Director for Circular Economy and Green Growth at the DG Environment of the European Commission. EBC contributed to this brochure highlighting the state of play of circularity in construction and pragmatic best practices.
Then, a variety of experts on circular construction were brought together to discuss topics like the importance of deconstruction (integrated in the design from the very beginning), the importance of infrastructure in tackling climate change, the market issues for secondary resources and materials, the urgency for more and better data on materials flows and reuse rates, as well as the need of cooperation along the value chain, to make the Renovation Wave a reality. In addition, three under-30 professionals shared about their journey with circular economy in the construction sector, showcasing pilot projects to demonstrate feasibility and build trust for the market.
As a reaction to the circular solutions and arguments presented to contribute to the EU ambitions for a climate-neutral future, EBC Secretary General Fernando Sigchos Jiménez stated that EBC and its construction SMEs are committed to contributing to the environmental efforts of the EU in collaboration with the other actors of the construction value chain. He then emphasized the need to improve digital literacy and training on circularity in construction, the importance of the demand-side and clients as a driver of change, and the need to overcome the obstacles (availability, quality, price, waste sorting, levels of liability) to a better uptake of recycled/reused products in the market.
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The brochure “Circular Buildings and Infrastructure – State of Play report 2021”, to which EBC has contributed, focuses on:
To download the ECESP brochure “Circular Buildings and Infrastructure – State of Play report 2021”, click here |
EBC is a member of the Construction & Infrastructure Leadership Group of ECESP on behalf of SMEunited, which is part of the ECESP Coordination Group.
To read the EBC position on the Circular Economy Action Plan, click here
For more information on the 2022 Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference, click here
For more information on the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, click here