CIRCULAR BUILDING
Innovation cluster and demonstrator concept

 

The construction industry in Saarland is facing major challenges in order to secure the future viability of the location in the context of structural change, the energy transition and climate protection. Buildings play a decisive role in terms of resource and climate protection, as they represent a conglomerate of diverse materials with different availabilities and have a significant impact on the production of greenhouse gases. For example, building construction is a heavyweight when comparing industries and sectors, with an annual nationwide raw material consumption of around 343 million tons and CO2 emissions of almost 380 million tons.

The ‘Circular Building’ project aims to develop new solutions for the construction industry through a preliminary study and the establishment of a competence network. The preliminary study deals with the identification of potentials and challenges in the field of circular building and serves as a basis for a sustainable transformation of the industry. In particular, the following tasks are addressed:

  • Analysis of the construction industry and utilisation of recycled building materials: Analysis of the current market and demand structures and documentation of existing structures in the region.
  • Knowledge transfer and networking: organization of four events and excursions to promote exchange within the industry. Companies from the building materials industry and construction sector are actively involved in the planning in order to establish a competence network in the sense of a ‘circular construction’ cluster.
  • Conception of a demonstrator for circular construction: Creation of a practical research, visualization and training object that serves as a basis for further innovation steps.

The aim is to create innovative concepts for resource-efficient and circular construction by combining analysis, networking and practice-orientated implementation. In the long term, the project should contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions and support the creation of sustainable jobs.

Duration: 12/2024 – 11/2025
Working field: Stoffstromsysteme

contact person: Cornelia Vogler