Circular Reno: Developing biobased & recycled / reused material solutions for retrofit

Limiting carbon intensive raw material use in the construction sector is a key priority all through NWE and should not only be dealt with in new built but also for the growing deep energy retrofit market of homes using place based circular solutions. Circular Reno implements 4 scalable biobased deep energy retrofit packages of a facade and roof system for collective & individual housing using different kinds of bio-based materials: straw, wood, bio polymer, miscanthus. 

The packages will be used in retrofits on 4 sites on in total 88 homes in social housing to scale its use and to facilitate public authorities to improve market conditions. To supply the materials for these retrofit components the project will sets up 6 place based cost-effective value chains involving farmers, prefab industrials for construction, builders, social housing organisations & public authorities in 4 countries: NL (3), IR (1), FR (1), & DE (1). Transnational cooperation is key to build the proper supporting packages to enable production of local biobased raw materials for construction by farmers, manufacturing of bio-based facade & roof panels by prefab industrial. Modelling & decision-making tools will be developed to support the uptake of these emerging solutions by all value chain stakeholders. Farm, factory & renovated house visits, as well as workshop, MOOC & training will be organised to ensure a buy in at scale in BE, DE, FR, IR & NL. 

Specific efforts will be made to improve building regulation policies at regional, national & EU levels, to assess carbon storage economic valuation to boost project economics & to develop a forecast tool for regional construction material mix supporting policy makers. Our project will be implemented by 4 types of partners from 5 NWE countries (BE, DE, FR, IR & NL): 4 market development teams, 4 social housing organisation, 4 industrial SME and 4 facilitators with expertise that will reinforce the consortium.