CIRCOMOD, CircEUlar and CO2nstruct at EU Green Week exploring circularity opportunities for a low-carbon built environment
On 18 June 2025, as part of EU Green Week, an online partner event brought together researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to explore how circular economy (CE) strategies can help mitigate climate change impacts in the built environment. Titled “Building a Greener Future: Circular Economy Strategies for Climate Change Mitigation in the Built Environment,” the workshop showcased results from three EU Horizon-funded projects—CIRCOMOD, CircEUlar, and CO2NSTRUCT.
The built environment—including buildings, infrastructure, and household appliances—is a key driver of material use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The event focused on how CE strategies framed around “Narrow, Slow, and Close” principles—i.e., using fewer materials, extending product lifetimes, and closing material loops—can offer viable pathways to emissions reductions.
Dr. Peter Berrill (Leiden University) presented new modeling approaches for reducing material demand in buildings and transport infrastructure. His analysis revealed significant regional variation in how urban densification, mobility reduction, and space-sharing could contribute to emissions savings.
Dr. Sofia Simões (LNEG) shared a comprehensive value chain analysis of flat glass, highlighting its hidden climate impacts and the potential of reuse, cullet recycling, and shared building practices to lower emissions in the construction sector.
Dr. Adriana Gómez-Sanabria (IIASA) addressed the rising footprint of household appliances and showed how smarter product design, increased reuse, and stronger recycling systems could reduce material-related emissions by up to 70%.
The event emphasized the importance of combining CE strategies with energy system decarbonization and of designing region-specific policies. It also stressed the need for better data, consumer engagement, and cross-sector collaboration.
You can download the presentation slides here
Proceedings of the event available here
To learn more about the sister projects of CIRCOMOD, visit:
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