Facilitating the circulation of reclaimed building elements (FCRBE)
Increase by +50%, the amount of reclaimed building elements being circulated on its territory by 2032.
Logo FCRBE
Today in NW-Europe, only 1% of building elements are reused following their first application. Although a large number of elements are technically reusable, they end up being recycled by crushing or melting, or disposed. The result is a high environmental impact and a net loss of economic value. This project aims to increase by +50%, the amount of reclaimed building elements being circulated on its territory by 2032. Focusing on the northern half of France, Belgium and the UK, the project also covers, with a lesser intensity, the Netherlands, Ireland, the rest of France and Luxembourg. This area houses thousands of SMEs specialised in the reclamation and supply of reusable building elements. Despite their obvious potential for the circular economy, these operators face significant challenges: visibility, access to important projects and integration in contemporary building practices. Today, the flow of recirculated goods stagnate and may even decrease due to a lack of structured efforts. To respond appropriately to these challenges, the project sets up an international partnership involving specialised organisations, trade associations, research centres, an architecture school and public administrations. It is rooted in earlier initiatives that were successfully initiated, on a local level.
Timeline: 2018-2023
Lead Partner: -Rotor
Project Partners: -alvo Ltd -Construction Confederation -BBRI (Belgian Building Research Institute) -Scientific and technical Center for Building -Brussels Environment -University of Brighton -Bellastock -City of Utrecht -LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology) -Delft University of Technology