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The Versnellingshuis Nederland Circulair is organizing the Week of the Circular Economy from February 6 to 11. It will be the eighth time, and this edition will also focus a lot of attention on construction. 'Construction is the sector par excellence in which an enormous amount of raw materials are handled.'
Jan Heijns is program manager at Het Groene Brein and involved in De Week van de Circulaire Economie as project leader. 'During The Week of the Circular Economy, professionals working on circularity pass on their knowledge and experiences to entrepreneurs who are not so far along. Throughout the country events are organized from circular hubs. These are 'incubators' where all knowledge and skills are available to get circular entrepreneurship off the ground. In total there are 31 such hubs. Some of them deal with construction and the built environment. Circle City, for example, is a national platform for frontrunners in the circular and inclusive construction sector. A large number of public and private entrepreneurs have united in that hub, working together on circular solutions in the construction sector. For example, during the Week of the Circular Economy, Cirkelstad is organizing an Inspiration Visit to De Kabel: 7 circular, sustainable townhouses in Voorhout.'
Helping each other
Another hub, also physical, is Biosintrum in Friesland. It is a knowledge, and conference center made of more than 80% bio-based materials. This makes it one of the most sustainable and innovative buildings in Europe. Jan Heijns: 'Biosintrum makes a clear connection between construction and agriculture. For example, farmers can grow crops that builders then process as construction or insulation material. In this way you help each other, and you're working in a very sustainable and circular way.
Curious about innovations
The Week of the Circular Economy falls exactly at the same time as the Construction Fair. 'Somewhere between the program elements of The Week of the Circular Economy, I definitely want to visit the Bouwbeurs,' says Heijns. 'I am particularly curious about innovations around circular construction. Pilots are taking place all over the country. That's great, but it's really time to move on. Circular construction is still too often seen as 'something extra', as something that costs more time and more money. I am a little afraid that circularity will come at the expense of the rush in housing construction. The construction task is enormous! But precisely because so many more homes are going to be built, it is good to do it as circularly as possible. So the mindset has to change. The question is no longer whether circular construction can be done, but how we are going to do it, on a large scale. I hereby cordially invite visitors to the Bouwbeurs to check out the Circular Economy Week program and attend one or more parts.'
Photo: Jeroen Veger (3D Makers Zone)
Caption: The fully circular Building Lab R&Do building is festively opened at hub MAAK Haarlem during Circular Economy Week.
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