Is your project Circular built?

Circular construction is on the rise. There is more and more attention and interest in more sustainable construction and circular processes, but how do you really start a circular construction project? And circularity, what does it actually entail?

Circularity is not a goal in itself, but a way to build more sustainably. This term covers a lot of ways and techniques that aim to come full circle. Just think of materials that can be reused, buildings that can be repurposed without much effort or designed in such a way that demolition produces little or no waste. Because it is such a broad term, it can be quite overwhelming to embark on circular construction. Each construction project is also different and will have different emphases in terms of circularity. Moreover, you don't build alone, but with a whole team, where everyone has to be involved in the circular goals.

So how do you do that? The Circular Built tool from Embuild Flanders and Buildwise offers an answer. In this tool, you indicate what circular ambitions you have and to what extent you have fulfilled them at the end of your project. By recording this in a structured way, you can also more easily involve all the people involved. That is why it is interesting to use for architects, clients, contractors and the entire construction team. This tool goes deeper into the aspects of circularity than GRO (for those familiar with this tool, the Facility Management's tool to measure and increase sustainability of construction projects), and is therefore ideal for projects with circular ambitions.

Don't shy away from ambitions, as we already have some great examples of circular projects in our own country. In Ghent, for example, you can find the KULeuven Living Lab. This project is a row house that provides the blueprint for urban renewal projects in deprived neighbourhoods. What makes this project so circular? One of its striking features is its change-oriented design. Today's row house could be tomorrow's shop. Not only the function, but also the layout can be changed quickly, among other things because none of the internal walls are load-bearing. In addition, 75% of the materials used are bio-based. If you want to know more about this circular project, you can find all the information here.

For those who want to get started themselves, you can find the Circular Built tool here. The website also has a lot of useful information about circular building, which can help you get all the way in-depth.

Be sure to let us know if you have tested the tool! With the feedback received, we are continuing to work behind the scenes to fully customize this tool for the construction team.