Introducing RE-use of materials in circUlar project developmentS in the built environment value chain via large public developers

RE-USE aims to accelerate the implementation of reuse in the professional construction sector of the Meuse-Rhine region. This will be done in co-creation with both the economic value chain of the construction sector and large public project developers. Currently, the construction and renovation sector in the region is still far from applying reuse. Both SMEs and large public project developers face significant challenges. New circular buildings in the region mainly focus on closing the circular loop at the end of their lifecycle. In the meantime, older buildings are often demolished without considering the reuse of materials, leading to significant resource waste and missed opportunities for sustainable development. RE-USE will develop practical, sector-specific insights and implement them in companies to make the regional construction sector sustainable, competitive, and future-proof.

Through an integrated approach, the following barriers will be addressed:

• Practical and logistical challenges: From the perspective of both large public developers and SMEs, focusing on practical feasibility and economic viability.
• Digitally mapping the building stock and managing the information needed for reuse.
• Legal barriers hindering the circular economy: Such as restrictions on cross-border "waste" transport, innovative procurement methods, risk management, ownership, and traceability.
• Business development aspect of reuse: Investigating the scaling up to the Meuse-Rhine region for sufficient scale and the potential for a 'Refurbishment Industry'