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Briefing

World Circular Economy Forum online

Briefing Published 14 Sep 2020 Last modified 28 Jul 2023
2 min read
Photo: © Rumman Amin
Side Event “Circular buildings benefit circularity, the climate and beyond” | Wednesday 11 November 2020

The European Environment Agency (EEA) is organising a side event about the benefits of circular construction, in the context of the World Circular Economy Forum. The construction sector is one of the key sectors addressed in the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan put forward by the European Commission. Buildings are responsible for around half of raw material extraction in Europe, so the potential for increasing circularity is significant. On the other hand, buildings are consuming around half of energy generated in Europe and are responsible for approximately 40 % of greenhouse gas emissions.

This event aims at identifying opportunities for harnessing the circularity potential of buildings and identifying synergies with other policy areas such as climate change. It is addressed to policy-makers, NGOs, academia and also the wider, interested public.

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Date: Wednesday 11 November 2020


Draft programme of the event (all times indicated are at Central European Time zone):

 

Time

Topic

Description

12:45

Early connection

Participants have the opportunity to connect early in order to have time to solve connection issues

13:00

Welcome
Daniel Montalvo, EEA

Welcome to participants and introduction to the topic

13:05

Untapping the circularity potential of buildings

Ioannis Bakas, EEA

The presentation reflects on the importance of buildings for increasing circularity in the European economy, as acknowledged in recent European Commission policy initiatives. Examples are given on concrete actions for increasing the circularity of buildings

13:25

Climate benefits from increased circularity in buildings

Xavier Le Den, Ramboll

While increasing circularity in buildings is a policy objective in itself, this has a direct effect on carbon savings. A methodology for calculating this effect is presented, accompanied with results illustrating climate benefits from concrete circular actions in the different life cycle stages of buildings

13:45

Level(s): a common language for sustainable buildings in Europe

Josefina Lindblom, European Commission

One of the EU’s responses to the need for increased sustainability in new and existing buildings is the development of the Level(s) framework. Level(s) creates a common framework for reporting and assessing sustainability aspects of buildings, bringing together different impacts, from resource use and waste to climate change

14:05

Moderated discussion with speakers

The discussion digests the knowledge from the previous presentations and attempts to dwell on synergies among different environmental policy areas in the context of the European building stock. Participants are encouraged to intervene with questions and through participation in polls.

14:30

End of the webinar

 

 

Registration

In order to register for the side event, please send an email to  ioannis.bakas@eea.europa.eu by the 4th November 2020

 

Background material for this event: 


Examples of circular actions in the life cycle of a building

circular construction and demolition infographic

 

 

Disclaimer

The country assessments are the sole responsibility of the EEA member and cooperating countries supported by the EEA through guidance, translation and editing.

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