COST Action CA21103
Description of the Action
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.
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.
about the action
Aims & 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 on 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 civil 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 everincreasing 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 find a balance through possible trade-offs and novel collaboration patterns.