Construction and Infrastructure value chains and market

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The building and infrastructure sectors show high potential for circularity given their significant resource and energy consumptions. Whereas several EU initiatives such as Renovation Wave, Level(s) and the New European Bauhaus address the construction sector, less attention has been given to sustainable and circular infrastructure. However, there is some evidence of a radical change in this sense: the InvestEU Fund shows attention to investments in sustainable infrastructure.

Nevertheless, different barriers still hinder circularity in the construction and infrastructure value chains within EU, such as the competitiveness and acceptance of recycled materials by end users. At the same time, many levers are increasingly promoting the implementation of resource efficiency and decarbonisation in both sectors: certification systems and standards; specific fiscal policies; green and circular procurement. Green Public Procurement (GPP) in particular, represents another step forward to fully realising circularity in both sectors. Presently voluntary, GPP will become mandatory in the future, which is already the case in Italy, for instance, in energy-related sectors, including construction.

ENEA, alchemia-nova, Innowo, the ECESP Leadership Group on Construction and Infrastructure organised the twin #EUCircularTalks on 28 and 30 September at 10:00 a.m. CEST. The event highlighted the primary market dynamics relative to materials for buildings and infrastructures and active and/or potential value chain collaborations in a circular and industrial symbiosis perspective.

  • 28 September: Session 1 - Value chains collaboration in a circular/industrial symbiosis perspective focused on connections along the Construction and Infrastructure value chain and with other value chains
  • 30 September: Session 2 - Market of primary and secondary construction and infrastructure materials demonstrated the strengths and weaknesses of using secondary materials (in substitution of primary ones) in the market.

Programme

SESSION 1: 28 September, 10:00 - 12:30

Moderator: Johannes Kisser, alchemia-nova

Opening remarks

Reuse and recycling of steel by-products in construction: State of art and future perspectives

  • Aurelio Braconi, European Steel Association (Eurofer)

Raw material substitution rate in concrete/cement production and waste derived fuels utilization rate

  • Nikos NIKOLAKAKOS, Cembureau

Dry construction system for the refurbishment of built environment: barriers and opportunities in the disposal of materials and components of plasterboard systems

  • Alessia Iscaro, GYPROC - Saint Gobain

Improvement scenarios in recycling of demolition waste through selective demolition

  • Ivan Poroli, Italian National Association for Demolition and Circular Economy for Construction (NADECO)
  • Stefano Panseri, European Demolition Association (EDA)

C.E. in the C&I sectors in Italy. The ICESP experience

  • Margherita Galli, FEDERBETON / C&D Sub-group – Working Group 4 – Italian Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ICESP)

A good practice of recovery, reuse and enhancement of deconstruction waste

  • Andrea Kessler, Materialnomaden

Poll and open discussion

Wrap up by moderator

SESSION 2: 30 September, 10:00 - 12:30

Moderator: Hubert Bukowski, Innowo

Opening remarks

Influence of C&D waste management costs on the competitiveness of recycled materials

  • Philippe Moseley, Policy Officer, Sustainable Industrial Policy and Construction, DG GROW, European Commission

Acceptance of recycled materials

  • Geert Cuperus, Fédération Internationale du Recyclage

Competitiveness of secondary materials: design phase and end of life as parts of the same problem/solution

  • Eugenio Quintieri, European Builders Confederation (EBC)

Circular procurement as an enabling tool for secondary material markets

  • Kaitlyn Dietz, ICLEI

Certification systems and standards

  • Gaetano Bertino, alchemia-nova

Good practices

Poll and open discussion

Closing remarks

  • Josefina LindblomPolicy Officer, Sustainable Buildings, DG ENVI, European Commission

Wrap up by moderator