Can an old building component get a new life? Espoo develops circular construction through European cooperation
Can a window, door or staircase from a demolished building be given a new lease on life in another building? The City of Espoo is participating in the European CIRCUIT project, which looks for new ways to reuse building materials. The aim is to reduce waste, save natural resources and mitigate the climate impact of construction.
Construction consumes large amounts of materials and accounts for a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions. The CIRCUIT project seeks solutions for renovating and constructing buildings in more sustainable ways.
Espoo is participating in the project together with companies, researchers and other European cities. The project is funded by the European Union, and it involves 32 organisations from 12 countries.
Promoting reuse of old building components
In Espoo, the project focuses on the reuse of building components. The aim is to explore how windows, doors, staircases and other building components can be removed from old buildings, fixed and reused in other buildings.
By not replacing usable materials with new ones, less waste is generated and the environmental impacts of construction are reduced. The work will be carried out in cooperation with Lotus Demolition, Spolia Design and SRV.
During the project, Espoo will bring together companies, experts, landowners and other stakeholders to explore how circular construction can be advanced in practice. The aim is to find solutions that can be used not only in Espoo but also elsewhere in Finland and Europe.
Solutions tested across Europe
The CIRCUIT project is testing new approaches in eight countries across Europe. In addition to Finland, the participating countries are Portugal, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Slovenia and Greece. The project develops solutions in areas including construction, textiles, food systems, and the recycling of materials used in batteries and vehicles.
For Espoo, the project offers an opportunity to test new circular economy solutions in practice while promoting its goal of becoming an even more sustainable and climate-friendly place to live.
Read more about the project: www.circuit-horizon.eu(external link, opens in a new window)
