Carolin Spirinckx

What if the buildings in which we live and work could lead the way to a more sustainable future? The recently published report of the European Environment Agency (EEA) “Addressing the Environmental and Climate Footprint of Buildings” sets out a transformative path for the EU’s buildings sector.

Today VITO/EnergyVille signs a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation with NIRDA, the National Industrial Research and Development Agency, and CPCIC, the Cleaner Production and Climate Innovation Center in Rwanda. The goal is to work even more intensively with the East African country, which has a strong interest in circular construction. A VITO/EnergyVille pilot project on circularity in the Rwandan construction sector is already up and running, and this collaboration will further strengthen ties.

A first for VITO/EnergyVille: for the first time it is carrying out a project on circular construction outside Europe. It is no coincidence that this is happening in Rwanda, which has had a strong interest in circular economy for years. In a project financed by Enabel, the Belgian federal development agency, ten local producers of building materials - 'Made in Rwanda' - are learning about circularity in practice.

To make its port climate-neutral by 2050, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is moving towards more sustainability and circularity. NextGen District, a new industrial cluster to be built on the former Opel site, will play an important role in this transition. To make the site as sustainable and circular as possible, the port authority called on VITO's rich expertise in sustainability assessments. Banner image: Copyright Port of Antwerp-Bruges

If we effectively want to transition to a more sustainable economy and society, the inclusion of a circular model for the construction sector is crucial.  Source header image: A-Practice