On 9 December 2025, the DISCOVER project participated in the European Builders Confederation (EBC) high-level workshop in Brussels, “Towards more circularity in construction – a collaborative approach from EU-funded research projects.” The event brought together EU representatives, researchers, and construction stakeholders to advance a more circular built environment.

🌍 High-Level EU Commitment to Circularity

Representing the European Commission, Mr. François Wakenhut, Head of Unit for Circular Economy at DG ENVI, underlined the EU’s strong commitment to circularity. Mr. Wakenhut strongly highlighted the need to transform construction waste into valuable resources through accessible innovation, cross-sector collaboration and evidence-based policymaking—an approach strongly supported by Horizon Europe initiatives.

🔎 Three Horizon Europe Projects Driving Circularity

The workshop featured insights from three Horizon Europe projects, each addressing a key aspect of the circular transition:

• Session 1 – BIO4EEB: Bio-based insulation materials that reduce embodied carbon.

• Session 2 – SUM4Re: Material data acquisition, building stock assessment, and urban mining.

• Session 3 – DISCOVER: Digital tools empowering reuse and circular decision-making

💡 DISCOVER Leads on Digital Reuse Planning

As leader of Session 3,  our partner VITO presented the DISCOVER project, showcasing how its digital platforms can help support practitioners in adopting circular solutions. The presenteation highlighted how these digital tools can enable reuse planning and scenario exploration, material traceability across the value chain and lifecycle-based, data-driven decision-making.

These innovations make circularity practical and accessible, particularly for small and micro construction companies, helping them engage in circular business models and meet growing EU policy demands.