Circular Construction: The Future of Sustainable Building

The event brought together leading experts and gathered close to 250 attendees (online and on-site), to explore the future of circular construction and put forward the Circon4Climate project’s tools and guidelines. The conclusion is simple – sustainable transition already has the instruments to make it a reality.

The CirCon4Climate conference, held on February 18-19, 2025, in Warsaw, brought together leading experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore the future of circular construction. Organized by INNOWO with support of the European Climate Initiative – EUKI, the event addressed how Europe can accelerate the transition to sustainable, resource-efficient building practices through policy, design, procurement, and innovation.

Key Highlights from the Conference
A special highlight was the participation of H.E. Viktor Elbling, Ambassador of Germany to Poland, alongside Matthias Daun from EUKI and Leszek Drogosz (City of Warsaw), who emphasized the importance of cross-border collaboration. Discussions focused on circular building design, featuring insights from Kryštof Kratochvíl (Skanska CEE), Barbora Vlasatá (UCEEB) and Ewa Kowalska-Ocneanu of WSP, concluding that circular design helps both the budget and climate as the biggest cost of the project is embedded in preparation time.

Next session was dedicated to sustainable procurement strategies, led by experts such as Petran van Heel from Colliers, Leszek Drogosz and Marcin Grądzki from City of Warsaw, Łukasz Rymarz from the Ministry of Development and Technology, Piotr Wołejko from the Construction Employers‘ Association stating that flexibility in procurement process is a powerful drive bringing circularity in construction.

Innovative low-carbon building materials were a key focus, with contributions from experts such as Mateusz Kozicki and Sebastian Wall from Building Research Institute (ITB), Alenka Mauko Pranjić from ZAG, Dominik Campanella from Concular, and Ben Hague from INCIEN demonstrating how materials can reduce environmental impact while maintaining high design standards. The experts also explored material cadastres and urban resource mapping, showcasing solutions from Leibniz Institute by Georg Schiller, Chalmers University by Asst. Prof. Maud Lanau, and the National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning represented by Katarzyna Domagalska and Marta Akińcza presenting case studies on how to optimize resource efficiency in cities.

The event concluded with a forward-looking discussion on scaling circular construction, featuring Jakob Norman-Hansen of Bloxhub, Marten de Jong  of de Architekten Cie. B.V., Paweł Wołejsza, Architect and Olivier Pickartz from the Hot Dip Galvanizing Industry Association. Experts stressed that Europe possesses extensive expertise but must strengthen collaboration to scale circular solutions beyond pilot projects.

Moderated by Ron van Bloois and Agnieszka Sznyk, PhD, the conference was inspired by circularity guides designed to help investors, architects, and construction companies implement sustainable techniques. These resources support the reduction of waste and resource consumption, promoting a more circular economy in the construction sector.

What’s Next for Circular Construction?
As the conference concluded, one question remained: Where do we stand on the Circular Economy tipping point? The answer lies in how effectively we integrate knowledge, policy, and industry action. With the right design, circular construction can be both aesthetically compelling and functionally effective, proving that sustainability and innovation go hand in hand.