The transition to a more circular social and affordable housing sector in Europe is gathering pace. This is partly thanks to the dedication of the work of some ‘early adopters’ of circular processes in their construction and renovation projects. However, circularity is still far from being mainstreamed in the sector.

This double webinar session, organized by Drive 0, one of the Houseful Fellow Projects, and hosted by BUILDUP,  aims to unravel how circular principles are used in social and affordable housing today: what are the challenges; the good practices; and what should be changed in the EU policy framework.

 The morning session will uncover the market-readiness of circular solutions by assessing if there is a fit between products (circular construction/renovation solutions) and the market (social housing companies). The afternoon session will give the opportunity for some of those early adopters to showcase their work to EU policymakers, and to provide feedback on the current direction and scope of EU policy with regard to upscaling and mainstreaming circularity within the residential housing sector.

 The series is coordinated by several partners of the DRIVE 0 Consortium: UNIBO – University of Bologna (DA – Department of Architecture and DSE – Department of Economics), in cooperation with the organisations UIPI – International Union of Property Owners, HE – Housing Europe, and ACE – Architects’ Council of Europe. 

Discover the Agenda (All times in CEST)

Morning session 10.00 – 11.30: Supplying circularity for social and affordable housing

• 10.00- 10.05: BUILD UP video presentation. Topic and agenda presentation (BUILD UP) 
• 10.05 – 10.15: Welcome: What is the DRIVE 0 project about? (Cecilia Mazzoli, Assistant Professor at the University of Bologna, Department of Architecture – UNIBO-DA) 
• 10.15 – 10.30: Introduction to Circular Business (Elettra Agliardi, Full Professor at the University of Bologna, Department of Economics – UNIBO-DSE) 
• 10.30- 10.37: Online quiz: uptake circular solutions in social & affordable housing (Dara Turnbull, Research Coordinator at Housing Europe – HE) 
• 10.37 – 10.44: Pains and gains of using circular solutions in apartment associations (Targo Kalamees, Full Professor at the Tallinn University of Technology – TalTech) 
• 10.44- 10.51: TIMBECO’s circular business model( Eero Nigumann, Project Manager at TIMBECO) 
• 10.51 – 10.58: Pains and gains of using circular solutions in social housing (Eric van Wissen, Real estate Team Leader at HEEMwonen) 
• 10.58- 11.05: WEBO’s circular business model (Bart Voortman, Innovation project coordinator at WEBO) 
• 11.05 – 11.30: Moderated discussion: How to better supply circularity to social & affordable housing providers (Dara Turnbull, Research Coordinator at Housing Europe – HE) 

Afternoon session 14.00 – 15.30: Mainstreaming circularity in the social housing sector – the role of the EU

• 14.00 – 14.05: BUILD UP video presentation Topic and agenda presentation (BUILD UP ) 
• 14.05 – 14:10: Attendees welcome & short overview of the HOUSEFUL project (Dara Turnbull, Research Coordinator at Housing Europe – HE) 
• 14.10 – 14:30: “What is the current EU strategy for boosting circularity in the residential housing sector?” (Philippe Moseley, Policy Officer, Sustainable Industrial Policy and Construction at DG GROW, European Commission) 
• 14.30 – 14:37: [TBC] “Locally sourced & circular social housing in the Balearic Islands” (Carles Oliver Barceló, Architect at Institut Balear de l’Habitatge (IBAVI) 
• 14.37 – 14:44: [TBC] “Resource efficient & circular Dutch social housing” (Hugo de Vries, Development Manager, Area Wonen) 
• 14.44 – 14.53: [TBC] Bringing value back to existing construction materials in Parisian social housing’ (Lucie Lescudé-Plaa, Project Manager, Paris Habitat) 
• 14.53- 15.00: [TBC] “Coordinating the move to a more circular system in the social housing system in Brussels” (Sara van den Eynde, Communications Manager, La Société du logement de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale / Brusselse Gewestelijke Huisvestingmaatschappij (SLRB / BGHM) 
• 15.00 – 15.30: Moderated discussion: Q&A for the promotion of shared learning and feedback on the current EU policies (Dara Turnbull, Research Coordinator at Housing Europe – HE) 

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Image by Alina Kuptsova from Pixabay