Motivation
The transition to circular and digital construction requires concrete, tested solutions that can be applied under real market conditions. Although innovative materials, digital tools and circular concepts already exist in Central Europe, many remain fragmented, insufficiently validated or disconnected from practical value chains. This slows down their wider adoption and market uptake.
This gap is adressed by developing, upscaling and testing innovative circular and digital construction solutions in real-life environments. By linking technological development, digitalisation and business creation, the work package accelerates the practical implementation of sustainable construction practices across the programme area.
Objectives
The main objective is to develop and test new technological and digital solutions for circular construction in Central Europe. This includes co-creating innovative ideas, validating green and bio-based construction materials, and establishing digital tools that improve transparency and traceability within circular value chains.
The creation of circular business models based on the developed solutions, ensuring environmental performance, technological maturity and market feasibility is also supported. Through pilot implementation and demonstration activities, the transition from innovation to practical application is also strengthened.
Methodology
A combination of open innovation, laboratory research, pilot testing and digital ecosystem development. Community-based events such as innovation cafés and hackathons generate and refine new circular solutions, which are then upscaled and tested in real environments to ensure technological readiness.
Green and bio-concrete products are validated through laboratory and in-situ testing, supported by Life Cycle Assessment to measure environmental impacts. Digital tools, including material passports and an online marketplace, enable traceable and interoperable circular value chains. Business models are assessed to ensure scalability and market readiness, while demonstration sites support knowledge transfer and cross-border cooperation throughout Central Europe.
Activities
Activity 2.1 Community-based innovation and co-creation for circular and digital constructions
Through open innovation events, including innovation cafés and hackathons, new circular solutions for construction will be developed and upgraded. The selected topics will be based on identified challenges within the programme area and will focus on areas such as eco-design, digital solutions, upcycled Secondary Raw Materials (SRM) construction products and reuse practices.
At least two hackathons, referred to as Circathons, will be organised as guided processes in which students and early-stage experts from partner countries collaborate to develop innovative ideas from initial concept to business development stage. In parallel, three innovation cafés will concentrate on already existing inventions and innovations, fostering cooperation for their further upscaling and market penetration.
Additionally, three community-based innovation events will actively involve the general public, creating opportunities for crowd-sourcing and funding of eco-innovations in circular and digital construction, while strengthening public acceptance of such solutions. The activity is led by a designated project partner with the involvement of all consortium partners.
Deliverables
D2.1.1 Innovative circular and digital solutions for construction in central Europe
Report on harvested innovations through Innovation cafes. At least 10 innovations will be shared and discussed on such events. These innovations will be supported later in WP2 through support on business creation.
D2.1.2 Circathons for Circular and Digital Cosntruction
Circathons will involved students and early-stage researchers/experts (e.g. 5 years after diploma). Events will be on-line for 1 day with previous presentation of challenge. At least 35 young people will be involved and 5 solutions will be supported for start-up creation or uptake by the companies.
D2.1.3 Community-based innovations
3 community-based innovation events will include general public and other interesting partners to whom novel solutions on circular and digital solutions in construction will be presented. Such events will also serve as opportunity for crowd-sourcing and funding after the project.
Activity 2.2 Upscaling and testing of green and bio-concrete products
This activity includes the transnational upscaling of green concrete made with 100% recycled aggregates and bio-concrete products such as hempcrete panels for sound and thermal insulation, as well as concrete reinforced with natural fibres. These solutions were previously developed through national and cross-national cooperation and are further advanced within the project partnership.
The activity involves laboratory testing and small-scale pilot implementation in existing buildings located in both rural and urban environments in Slovenia and Bavaria, reaching Technology Readiness Level 6. Green and bio-concrete products represent high added-value materials that reduce CO₂ emissions by lowering the consumption of Portland cement and steel fibres and by substituting primary raw materials with renewable secondary raw materials derived from construction and demolition waste and agricultural bio-waste.
Eco-design principles are applied to enhance the reusability and recyclability of the developed products. Their environmental performance is verified through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), comparing impacts with conventional concrete solutions. Pilot implementation does not require additional investment, as partners use existing equipment and infrastructure while working with recycled and renewable materials. The activity is led by a designated project partner with the involvement of all consortium partners.
Deliverables
D.2.2.1 Report on tested bio-concrete solutions
Report on laboratory and in-situ testing of modular and reversible hempcrete panels for thermal and sound insulation, fresh concrete and modular blocks of natural fibre-based concrete. Solutions will be checked by pier-to-pier review with cross-examining between different expert partners involved.
D.2.2.2 Report on tested green concrete solution with 100% recycled aggregate and alternative binders
Report on laboratory and in-situ testing of green concrete with 100% recycled aggregate (from CDW) used in buildings (with and without alternative binders and natural fibres). Solutions will be checked by pier-to-pier review with cross examining between different expert partners involved.
D.2.2.3 Summary report on testing of new circular products.
Report on new technical products, developed during the pilot activities
D.2.2.4 Report on implementation of new circular products as a solution
Report about implementation of new circular products
Activity 2.3 Tool for digitalisation of circular value chains with material passports and digital market for circular construction
Building on the outcomes of the Interreg IT-SLO Retracking project, a digital solution will be upscaled to the previously developed production plant and its upstream and downstream value chains at the NIGRAD demonstration center. Materials will be equipped with RFID antennas to track their journey from waste production through the installation of SRM-based products and into subsequent reuse or recycling, enhancing traceability and transparency within circular loops.
The data generated within this digital business ecosystem will be integrated into digital material and product passports for use in BIM models. In addition, the H2020 CINDERELA online marketplace (https://cindeross.cinderela.eu/) will be used to facilitate at least twenty matches between waste and material producers, construction product manufacturers, construction companies, retailers, and other stakeholders. This will establish the first fully operational online digital market for circular construction in the programme area. All developed tools will comply with GAIA-X principles. The activity is led by a designated project partner with participation from all consortium partners.
Deliverables
D.2.3.1 Testing the digital material passports and BIM interoperability
As first of the digital business ecosystem digital passports will be developed for the selected materials value chain from waste/byproduct (e.g. fibres in agricultural sector, CDW, alternative binders) to the construction products (fibre-reinforced concrete) and installation with support of BIM.
D.2.3.2 Digital value chain and business ecosystem
Digital value chain and business ecosystem will be done on the example of the production of modular concrete blocks previously established in the H2020 CINDERELA project. In the project additional cross-sectoral and rural/urban value chain will be tested with bio-concrete.
D.2.3.3 Operating on-line digital marketplace for circular construction
CinderOSS platform is still being developed in the frame of the H2020 project CINDERELA (currently beta version of the platform is available). Part of it is digital marketplace which will be fully deployed for the central Europe region in ReBuilt. At least 20 matches are expected by end of project.
D.2.3.4 Summary report on testing of digital tools
Report summarizing pilot testing of all digital tools developed in ReBuilt project.
D.1.3.5 Development of GAIA-X use case
Additional value for circular and digital construction in the central Europe will be development of GAIA-X use case based on ReBuilt digital solutions. The GAIA-X panEuropean innovation ecosystem based on digital sovereignty (interoperability, user-friendly, etc) links together different services.
Activity 2.4 Circular value chains and business models in construction sector
Innovations harvested from community-based activities and novel solutions developed in earlier tasks will be used to create new circular value chains and business models. These examples will serve as models within the programme area, allowing interested stakeholders to apply the methodology for their own business development.
All newly developed business models, at least five in total, will be evaluated according to customer relationships and partnerships, product value chains, technological readiness, business readiness, commercial readiness, and customer readiness. The assessed models will be uploaded to the CINDERELA platform (CinderOSS) to ensure visibility and replication. Business models will be further refined and scaled using the Lean Canvas methodology, and the five selected models will also undergo Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to assess and improve their market feasibility. The activity is led by a designated project partner with participation from all consortium partners.
Deliverables
D.2.4.1 Report on circular value chain and business models
Report on at least 5 fully assessed value chains and business models, including LCA, which will be harvested from the pool of innovations of different maturity originating from ReBuilt solutions, circathons and business cafes. For these 5 market feasibility study will also be assessed.
Activity 2.5 Creation of Circular and Digital Construction Demo Center
The 2 pilots (bio-based concrete pilot in Maribor (SI) (PP3) and 100% recycled aggregate based concrete pilot situated in the Munich (GE) (PP14) will serve as locations for study visits for partners (connected with the project partners meetings) and external in order to gain capacity and knowledge to transfer to stakeholders in their local/regional/national environment. In Maribor a demo center will be developed where ReBuilt technical and digital solutions will be shown together with previously developed in CINDERELA (H2020), LIFE IP RESTART (LIFE), URGE (Urbact), Circular City Waters (Interreg central Europe). 2 in-situ trainings will be carried out for interested entities (e.g. construction companies), who will gain new knowledge and skills with circular materials (at least 25 companies from across the programme area will be on these 1 day trainings). For each pilot also a short video tutorial (story telling of pilot cases) will be developed. Led by PP3, all partners involved.
Deliverables
D.2.5.1 Report on pilot visits and in-situ trainings
Report on the peer-to-peer review of pilots (Bavarian pilot at PP14 will be reviewed by LP1, PP3, PP6 and PP10 while Slovenian pilot at PP3 will be reviewed by LP1, PP6; PP10 and PP14) and trainings/study visits in Munich and Bavaria.
D.2.5.2 Story telling of 3 pilots
3 short videos (approx. 6 minutes long) for explaining story around each pilot, including development, laboratory and in-situ testing. A mobile exhibition will be developed including videos and printed materials which will travel around central Europe area (at least 9 locations).
Output
WP2 delivers tested and validated circular and digital construction solutions for practical implementation. It produces innovative green and bio-concrete products and new circular business models. Pilot sites and Demo Centers in Maribor (SI) and Munich (GE) support in-situ training, study visits, and knowledge transfer. Storytelling materials and short videos document and disseminate project results, ensuring cross-border replication and long-term impact across Central Europe.
