The companies participating in the first CEWI workshop developed some first project ideas both within and beyond the fields for action developed in advance of the workshop. The following project ideas and concepts for the buildings sector will be worked upon in more depth over the course of the project:
The participating companies will jointly develop an integrative tool with the capability to estimate the re-use potential of building materials, parts, and entire buildings within a quarter. On this basis, possible new building types can be designed.
A concept for a sustainable renovation, modernisation and financing using CE principles is being developed for the youth hostel in Balingen-Lochen. The circular economy approach will not only be visible in the building itself, but also in the educational programme offered in the house. The concept for the further development of other youth hostels in Baden-Württemberg and Germany will serve as a guide.
An active exchange between politics and business is needed to define the urgently necessary frameworks for a circular economy in the buildings sector fit to meet future challenges. A specialist policy dialogue will kick off with a launch event focussing on the possible challenges and potentials offered by the policy-making process.
Financing based on circular economy criteria will be necessary to allow buildings to be constructed and operated in harmony with climate goals going forward. Buildings with a circular approach require an equal footing with standard building projects, which still receive the majority of financing, from the start. To make this possible, an open-source criteria catalogue will be developed that will primarily provide support to the finance sector in its next step toward a circular economy.