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10 March 2022

CityLoops organises demolition procurement workshop

On 8 March, CityLoops organised its first circular procurement workshop, focusing on demolition procurement. The workshop included an overview of demolition procurement in Europe, as well as examples of two CityLoops case studies (the circular demolition of a hospital and healthcare center in Mikkeli, and the selective demolition of Hall 11/12 in Roskilde) in which demolition procurement was used. The aim of the workshop was to identify challenges and solutions for making demolition procurement more circular.

One main conclusion of the participants was that circular procurement should not be seen as a technical challenge, but as a behavioural one. Incentivizing individuals to change what they know and do something different is not easy, but it can help if they understand that it’s not just about social and environmental factors. There are financial benefits to circular procurement - it helps save money.

For circular demolition procurement to be effective, it is important to involve all stakeholders as early as possible in the project. Especially end-users need to be included, as they know what functionalities are needed in the new construction. This can help set dedicated targets for construction and demolition and ensure that perfectly usable materials are not demolished for no good reason.

Finally, the participants argued for more regulation related to circular procurement. Circularity in procurement has to be mandatory, not voluntary. Circular principles need to be embedded in legislation. The EU can support with this by providing more clarity about what its legal frameworks make possible, and by helping harmonise national frameworks.