WP3:
Circular economy and standardization measures
Lead by TU DELFT
Objective
The primary goal of WP3 is to enhance the overall performance of the AEGIR solution by ensuring it is circular and resource-efficient. This includes improving the design strategies of each case study and developing comprehensive roadmaps and guidelines for retrofitting buildings in a circular manner. These efforts aim to facilitate the transferability of AEGIR’s findings by aligning them with European and national regulatory frameworks, thereby enhancing their practical application across diverse contexts.
Activities carried out
- Development of assessment frameworks to measure the effectiveness of circular solutions
- Creation of strategies for implementing circular economy principles
- Evaluation of the circularity potential of AEGIR solutions
- Integration of circularity strategies into AEGIR’s digital tools
- Tracing and managing product information to ensure transparency
- Alignment with regulatory frameworks for each demo site’s
- Active involvement in design decisions to ensure circular outcomes
Partners involved
TU Delft is the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment and has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The faculty has a strong focus on ‘design-oriented research’. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. tudelft.nl
TECNALIA is the largest private center of applied research and technological development in Spain, a benchmark in Europe and a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance. We collaborate with companies and institutions to improve their competitiveness, people’s quality of life and achieve sustainable growth. tecnalia.com
CEA is a major player in research, development and innovation, the CEA (19,925 employees) is active in major sectors such as defense and national security, nuclear and renewable energies, biotechnological and medical research, and technological research for industry. It is the leading French research organization in terms of the number of published patents applications and is also the leading French applicant on the European scene according to the European Patent Office. liten.cea.fr
CSTB’s objective is to imagine the buildings and cities of the future by guiding and securing sustainable construction and renovation projects, to improve the quality of life by anticipating the effects of climate change. It focuses on five key activities: research and expertise, assessment, certification, testing and the dissemination of knowledge. Its field of expertise covers construction products, buildings, and their integration into neighbourhoods and cities. cstb.fr
Other partners:
Ayuntamiento de Malgrat de Mar, BEEPLANET, Commune de Boen sur Lignon, COMSA, Danish Technological Institute, DOMEA, DTI Teknologist Institut, DUALSUN, EKOPOLIS, Envolventes Arquitectonicas ENAR SL, Entreprise CHAZELLE , FRAUNHOFER, GEZE, ICLEI, Ingeniera Cruz Marques SLP (ICM), Ingeniera y Arquitectura Iberia SL (IDP), INNOVAWOOD, OTEIS, SIEL-TE 42, SOPREMA, Termoline , UOC The Chancellor Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge, UN STUDIO, WESTAFLEX
What has been achieved at date?
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been established to guide circular design decisions. An analysis of AEGIR products, focusing on material streams and environmental impact, has enabled manufacturers to optimize their production processes. A material database has been developed, accompanied by a market scan to identify the most circular products available. Best-case examples of circular retrofitting were analyzed, offering inspiration for design processes. Furthermore, regulatory assessments of demo sites have broadened their approach to sustainability, incorporating resilience and climate change considerations.
Results
French Demo Site
- A timber frame with wood-based insulation was chosen as a climate-neutral solution.The potential use of biochar in concrete cladding was explored as an innovative approach
Spanish Demo Site
- Demonstrated the importance of early adoption of circular economy principles and the intricate coordination required for incorporating reused materials in public-sector projects
Romanian Demo Site
- Leveraged early contractor involvement to streamline circularity and energy efficiency, benefiting from Romania’s flexible regulatory environment
Additional outcomes include
- Development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to support design processes aligned with circular economy (CE) principles
- Comprehensive assessment of the circularity potential of all AEGIR products
- Creation of a Material Database to store CE-relevant information about AEGIR products and other materials used in façade retrofitting
- Compilation of best-case studies for circular retrofitting projects to inspire and guide future initiatives
- Establishment of qualitative benchmarks for assessing circularity in building projects
- Identification of economic benefits for companies engaging in circular retrofitting activities
- Analysis and guidance for design decisions to ensure alignment with applicable standards and regulations
Next steps
For the Spanish Demo Site, the focus will be on sourcing sufficient reused building materials to meet sustainability goals, with close collaboration with demolition companies to secure and restore these materials. Testing of reused cladding may also be undertaken if necessary. Ongoing consultations with design teams across all demo sites will further refine and implement circularity strategies.
All work packages
WP1
Management
Lead by Tecnalia
WP2
Overall concept solution design
Lead by CEA
WP3
Circular economy and standardization measures
Lead by DELT
WP4
Prototyping of the active envelope and the energetic systems
WP5
Digital services for renovation design and KPI assessment
Lead by CSTB
WP6
Digital services for an efficient installation, operation and maintenance
Lead by IDP
WP7
Interventions in the demo sites
Lead by Tecnalia
WP8
Replication at local and European level
Lead by ICLEI
WP9
Communication, dissemination and exploitation
Lead by InnovaWood
