This network consists of two Grand Solutions projects and 15 industrial Ph.D. projects. The network will create new knowledge and share their learnings with each other, the BLOXHUB community, and the industry as such. All the projects share a vision of contributing to a shift from the conventional construction industry to a circular resource economy.
Going from linear to circular
When it comes to the built environment, going from a linear to circular mindset is a huge transformation, which can only be solved by an innovative approach – and as the construction and building industry often consists of smaller companies with no time or budget for large-scale research and development work this poses a major challenge.
Therefore, the Circular Built Environment Network focuses on strengthening the innovation capacity of companies, which provide solutions for the built environment and the development of cities. With the Smart City Research Network, running from 2017-2020, we tested if collaborations across academia and companies can build trust, reciprocity and a shared vision of defining and creating new solutions while simultaneously increasing growth and export opportunities for the building industry. We learned a lot! Now 15 new researchers have been chosen to join the Circular Built Environment Network from 2020-2023.
We look forward to sharing the learnings and results from 15 Research Projects and two Grand Solutions projects with you – based on collaboration and innovation towards a common sustainable agenda.
“A shift to a circular built environment can contribute to solving the climate crisis.”
Tina Fanø, Chairman, The Innovation Fund
As the building industry accounts for a vast part of Denmark’s total CO2 emissions, the purpose of the Circular Built Environment Network, in general, is to reduce CO2-emissions, resource- and energy consumption and minimize the use of environmentally damaging materials and processes. And also, finding ways of doing this without compromising on quality or creating new and derived challenges.
Through BLOXHUB, the Circular Built Environment Network share learnings with each other and the BLOXHUB community and disseminate important knowledge to the industry.
The network is co-funded by Realdania and The Innovation Fund Denmark.
GRAND SOLUTIONS Projects
Through the Grand Solutions program, companies and research institutions join forces to solve the construction sector’s challenges with the transition to a circular resource economy. All participants will be part of a network curated by BLOXHUB focusing on knowledge-sharing, inspiration and networking.
STRUCTURAL REUSE
A significant barrier to direct recycling of building components is the lack of standards, certification- and documentation systems. This results in a significant documentation burden and financial risk for the client, who chooses these in a construction project.
In the consortium Structural Reuse, DTU, Rambøll, Center for SMEs and Gate 21 amongst others join forces to develop a new system that will classify recycled materials for construction. Furthermore, a quality test of recycled materials made of concrete, wood and steel must be developed, so that it becomes as easy and safe for the construction industry to choose recycled materials as it is to choose new materials.
The overall success criterion is, therefore, to equate the choice of recycled components and new components in construction projects, and on this basis make it possible to develop business concepts based on the use of recycled components.
DTU leads the consortium, which consists of 8 partners:
Adsbøll Renovering A/S / Center for SMV, Aarhus Universitet / Dansk Standard / DTU Byg / DTU Skylab / Gate 21 / Lendager Group / Rambøll
Watch explainer about Structural Reuse
CIRCLE BANK
Circle Bank aims to create an integrated, scalable, and cost-effective circular value chain able to compete with the linear construction practice on market terms by solving the existing research and market challenges.
A digital platform will be launched, which aims to become the circular construction sector’s main collaboration hub – from design to demolition. Our aim is to contribute with a building & material bank, a stock exchange for circular materials, and circular decision support. The project partners collaborate with all other stakeholders in the value chain, to create a seamless workflow for circular construction.
The Circle Bank Grand Solution Project is a collaboration between a consortium of knowledge, commercial, and market partners, co-funded by Innovation Fund Denmark and Realdania. The Circle Bank digital platform is developed by CB Nordic ApS, which is jointly owned by five key players within the circular construction sector: Matter, J.Jensen, HD Lab, Third Nature, and Twentyfifty.
Teknologisk Institut leads the consortium, which consists of 12 partners:
CB Nordic ApS / Tredje Natur / Matter bybrix / J Jensen / HD Lab / Twentyfifty / Teknologisk Institut, Byggeri & Anlæg / Syddansk Universitet / Danica Ejendomme / Lejerbo / Middelfart Kommune / Roskilde Kommune
Watch explainer about Circle bank
Research Projects
ABSOLUTE SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT OF BUILDINGS AND CIRCULAR CONSTRUCTION INITIATIVES FOR EARLY DESIGN PHASE DECISION SUPPORT
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Lise Hvid Horup Sørensen
COMPANY: Rambøll Danmark A/S
UNIVERSITY: Techical University of Denmark, DTU
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Aalborg University, BUILD
ACCELERATING CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION FOR THE SDGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY – DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPEN SOURCE SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELLING TOOL
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Ingvild Reine Assmann
COMPANY: Rambøll Danmark A/S
UNIVERSITY: Technical University of Denmark, DTU
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Copenhagen Business School
SPATIAL MOTIVES IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT – SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION DISCOURSES IN PRACTICE
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Gunhild Askehave Rassov
COMPANY: Freja ejendomme A/S
UNIVERSITY: Royal Danish Academy | Architecture, Design, Conservation
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Aalborg University
DURABILITY OF CONCRETE WITH NEW SUPPLEMENTARY CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Maxime Ranger
COMPANY: The Danish Road Directorate
UNIVERSITY: Technical University of Denmark, DTU
DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF MODIFIABLE STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS FOR CIRCULAR USE OF BUILDINGS MADE OF PRECAST CONCRETE ELEMENTS
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Sara Sofie Vestergaard
COMPANY: Rambøll Danmark A/S
UNIVERSITY: Technical University of Denmark
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Contiga
CIRCULAR TENDERING STRATEGIES IN CONTRACTOR FIRMS
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Lin Kjerulf
COMPANY: Enemærke & Petersen A/S
UNIVERSITY: AAU Build
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Copenhagen Business School
HOW CAN WE TRANSFORM AND REUSE THE EXISTING BUILDING STOCK ON A LARGER URBAN SCALE THAN TODAY?
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Simon Sjökvist
COMPANY: Cobe
UNIVERSITY: Royal Danish Academy, Aalborg University and ETH Zurich
CIRCULAR TRANSITION OF SOCIAL HOUSING: GENERATING ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CO-BENEFITS BY DESIGN
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Vibeke Grupe Larsen
COMPANY: Danish Association of Architectural Firms
UNIVERSITY: University of Southern Denmark, SDU
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Landsbyggefonden, Danmark Almene Boliger
BIO-CITIES OF THE FUTURE
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Lotte Nystrup Lund
COMPANY: Udviklingsselskabet By og Havn I/S
UNIVERSITY: Royal Danish Academy | Architecture, Design, Conservation
SUSTAINABLE TECTONICS – DURABILITY, MATERIALS AND BUILDING CULTURE IN REVERSIBLE ARCHITECTURE
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Heidi Merrild
COMPANY: Friis & Moltke A/S
UNIVERSITY: Aarhus School of Architecture
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Boligforening Ringgården, University of Southern Denmark Create
NOVEL FRAMEWORK FOR DECISION SUPPORT REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY WITHIN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT (EMBRACER)
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Sarah C. Andersen
COMPANY: Danish Technological Institute
UNIVERSITY: University of Southern Denmark, SDU
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Aalborg University, BUILD
FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE: TOWARDS A CIRCULAR WASTE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ON CONSTRUCTION SITES
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Andreas de Gier
COMPANY: Enemærke & Petersen A/S
UNIVERSITY: Aalborg University
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Chalmers University of Technology
SOCIAL COMMISSIONING: A RELATIONAL APPROACH TO SOCIAL VALUE CREATION IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Mia Kruse Rasmussen
COMPANY: AART architects DK A/S
UNIVERSITY: Aarhus University
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS: Aalborg University, BUILD
ARCHITECTURE AND (WASTE) WOOD AGENCY: INTEGRATING MATERIAL TRAITS INTO NEW CIRCULAR APPROACHES
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Xan Browne
COMPANY: Lendager Arkitekter ApS
UNIVERSITY: Royal Danish Academy | Architecture, Design, Conservation
3DWAXForm – CIRCULAR WAX FORMWORK THROUGH HIGH-SPEED ROBOTIC 3D-PRINTING
INDUSTRIAL PhD: Nicolás Ramirez Ortiz
COMPANY: ODICO A/S
UNIVERSITY: University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
GRAND LECTURE:
On the journey towards a circular economy
With the launch of the European Green Deal the ambitious vision of making Europe climate neutral in 2050 was introduced. We know the impact of the built environment on the climate, we know we need to enhance and accelerate the green transition. However, the question remains, how exactly do we do this?
Debate Participants |
- Kåre Stokholm Poulsgaard, Head of Innovation, GXN
- Jesper Minor, Founder & CEO, Minor Change Group
- Bas van de Westerlo, Consultant in Circular Construction & Procurement, C2C ExpoLAB
- Tone Søndergaard, Director, DI New York, Danish Cleantech Hub
- Josien Piek, Head of EMEA, GRESB
- Emma Gains, Sustainable Development Lead, Arup
Moderator |
- Pernille Berg, fil.dr. Science Manager, Science Forum BLOXHUB
WATCH NOW
Articles and papers
CONTACT US
Would you like to hear more about Science Forum and Circular Built Environment Network? I’m ready to help.
Jule Rumpel
Science Program Coordinator
+45 22 68 46 44
jru@bloxhub.org
