About
The construction industry is the greatest consumer of mineral and other non-renewable resources in the EU. In 2018, the industry generated 35.7% of the total waste in the European Union (in the UK, this was a staggering 48.8%, Eurostat, 2020), most of which was produced during the construction and demolition stages. Despite the number of initiatives to tackle the issue of C&D waste, landfilling is still prevalent.
There are two broad reasons for the current unsatisfactory situation regarding CDW: low rates of recovery in some EU countries and the low value of reused or recycled materials/products. The end customers generally lack confidence in the quality parameters and reliability of recycled CDW due to improper sorting and contamination and low control over the material quality and homogeneity. Firstly, the volume of materials entering the CDW stream has to be minimized and, secondly, CDW has to be treated accordingly and controlled better to provide materials for reuse of high-value products, with traceability and quality assurance.
The solutions that enable achieving these goals shall be easily adoptable by all stakeholders involved in the processes of CDW generation and management to reach the expected future EU target of high CDW recovery (to be set by the European Commission in 2024 or beyond) and, most importantly, the status of zero CDW by 2050. This is the ambition of the RECONMATIC project, entirely in line with EU Waste Framework Directives (European Commission, 2019) and the Circular Economy Action Plan (European Union, 2020).
Mission
The RECONMATIC project aims to make life-cycle C&D waste management a core element in the planning, construction, operation, and deconstruction of buildings. It provides automation and digital tools to improve communication and information-sharing among stakeholders, helping to minimize waste and enhance decision-making in material reuse and recycling. By structuring and utilizing relevant information, RECONMATIC strives to advance the construction sector toward a zero-waste industry by 2050.
In C&D waste management, RECONMATIC seeks solutions to achieve cleaner material streams, improve logistics, and optimize C&D waste processing with higher levels of reuse and recycling. The goal is to reduce waste generation through efficient construction management and increase waste valorization.
Objectives
01
To develop, test and promote digital tools for material and/or component tracing and C&D waste management in different types of construction or demolition sites (using existing databases for waste management)
02
To develop automated solutions for de-construction and waste separation processes
03
To implement cross-sectorial holistic solutions involving glass, concrete, steel, ceramics, non-ferrous materials, etc. from the perspective of construction products and materials as well as waste management, transportation and construction equipment and machinery aspects
04
To demonstrate solutions (reuse, recycling, transformation, etc.) in at least four implementation sites across different European countries in the areas of material recovery, transformation and utilisation
05
To assess and evaluate the value of the solutions in economic, business, environmental and societal terms (e.g., monetary value/reduction of CO₂ emissions produced)
06
To develop learning resources and contribute to relevant standards, policies & best practice
Demonstrators
RECONMATIC will deliver 6 demonstration case studies, to be carried out in 5 different European countries, that will each pilot technologies on building and infrastructure projects covering different stages of the project lifecycle as well as at recycling plants or centers. Each demonstrators will be assessed by a sustainability and circularity assessment tool to provide additional verification and proof of implementation capability in real market conditions.
-
Greece
-
Italy
-
Czech Republic (2 Demos)
-
Spain
-
United Kingdom
Open Days
The RECONMATIC Project will organise Open Day Events in Europe (Czech Republic, UK, Spain, Greece) and China in order to engage public interest and enthusiasm for project technologies.
Local communities, students, businesses and local and national authority departments will be invited to participate. The Open Days will facilitate collaboration and synergies with other projects and initiatives running in the city and will contribute to shaping a common vision for the future of the city and its citizens.
We invite you to contact us if you are interesting in attending. More information about the Open Days in each country are available below:
Advisory Board
Soňa Jonášová, INCIEN, CZ (F) onášová, INCIEN, CZ (F)
)
Soňa is the founder and director of the Institute for Circular Economy the first and to this day the only non-governmental organisation in the Czech Republic that is advocating for the transition to Circular Economy on a national level. She is the co-founder of a Change for Better Initiative which gathers more than 100 companies that embrace sustainability as their core principle of operations. In the past, she was involved in two research projects funded by the Technological Agency of the Czech Republic both with a focus on Circular Economy. She is also member of many working groups on Circular Economy such as at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Environment or Ministry of Regional Development. Currently, she is involved in a Horizon 2020 project called Bus-Go-Circular Stimulate demand for sustainable energy skills with circularity as a driver and multifunctional green use of roofs, façades and interior elements as focus.
Professor Peter Hopkinson, University of Exeter, UK (M)
)
Peter is Director of Exeter Centre for Circular economy and Co-Director of UK National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research Programme a four year £30M programme to improve the scientific evidence base for CE modelling, evaluation and policy impact. This programme involves co-ordination of 5 National CE Centres including Building Minerals, metals and Chemicals. Peter has been PI on a number of UKRI funded projects including EXeMPLaR, (2019-2021) to design future circular economy systems for plastics and REBUILD (2017-2021) to develop novel engineering techniques and systems modelling as a basis for the development of new circular economy building and construction systems.
Siya Wang, MBA, Beijing Architectural Society, China (F)
)
Siya is a senior engineer in inorganic non-metallic materials. She participated in many projects in the areas of concrete and solid waste utilization, mainly engaged in scientific research, standardization, and technical services of building materials. She participated in the “13th Five-Year” national key research and development plan sub-project “Research and Application of the Preparation of Green Concrete Using Pozzolana Slag (2016YFC0701002-03)” and several other research projects. In terms of standardization, she is the editor-in-chief of CECS “Technical Regulations for Fine Separation of Refurbishment Waste” and has participated in the compilation of several technical standards (e.g. “Technical Regulations for the Application of Limestone Powder in Concrete”). As an expert member of the 35 pilot cities of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, she participated in the final evaluation work in Shanghai, Nantong and other places. She is a member of the Construction Waste Management and Resource Recycling Committee of the China Urban Environmental Sanitation Association, and concurrently. Siya is Deputy Secretary-General of the Building Materials Branch of the Architectural Society of China and other groups.
Prof. Benoit Furet, Institute of Technologies of the University of Nantes, France (M)
)
After studying an engineer school in Nantes Benoit gained MSc degree at E.N.S. Cachan; in 1994, his PhD was on monitoring in machining, he became associate professor at the University of Nantes. Currently, he is full Professor and researcher in LS2N Laboratory. He has been invited Professor at Polytechnique Montréal and at Beihang University in China. He developed the following research topics: Robotics for machining, CFRP composites machining, Process Monitoring, Smart Machining, Additive Manufacturing, 3D printing for construction. He has supervised 17 PhD and 42 MSc Students. He has work on more than 27 research projects. He was involved in H2020 European COROMA, CleanSky, RODEO projects and the BATIPRINT3D project. He is author or co-author of 55 articles in international journals, 120 oral Communications at Conferences and of 8 patents. He is the Assistant for the President of the University of Nantes in charge of Innovation on Factory of the Future. Benoit is co-founder of the company BATIPRINT3D specialized in robotics systems to 3D printing, construction or renovation for housing, building or civil engineering.
Dr. Kati Manskinen, Kymenlaakson Jäte Oy, Finland (F)
Kati Manskinen is Doctor of Science in Environmental Technology within Process Industry, MSc Environmental Management and Responsible Business, and MSc in Applied Chemistry. He has 23 years of work experience in private and public sectors, developing her competencies in circular economy and bioeconomy, waste management and recycling, and environmental management and engineering. She was a research Director for Materials Technology and Environmental Safety at Mikkeli University of Applied Science (2014-2015), and RDI Director at LAB University of Applied Science (2015-2021). She has recently been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Kymenlaakson Joy Ltd, company responsible for municipal waste management in Finland. She has participated as a Board Member at different organisations in Finland, such as Mikpolis (Research, Development and Innovation Unit of Southern-Eastern Finland University), Ekokaari (Waste Management Service in Kouvola) and Kymijoen vesi ja ympäristö (Kymijoki Water and Environment Association).
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus König, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany (M)
Markus is the head of Computing in Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering at the University in Bochum. He was in charge of the first scientific monitoring of the German pilot projects for the application of Building Information Modeling for Governmental BIM Initiative and the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. He was a member of the team of experts for the development of the German road map for "Digital Design and Construction". Currently, Markus is deputy director of the German Center for the Digitalization of Construction (BIM Germany). He published more than 250 technical papers and led several large research projects. In 2020, he was awarded the Konrad Zuse Medal of the German Construction Industry Association for his scientific and practical activities on the digitization of construction.
Dr. Cristina Sousa Rocha, The National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG), Portugal (F)
Cristina is a senior researcher at LNEG focusing on sustainability and LCA topics. She graduated in Environmental Engineering and holds, an MSc degree in Sanitary Engineering (Faculty of Science and Technology, New University of Lisbon). In 2002 she was awarded a PhD-equivalent degree in Environmental Management. Cristina is expert in life cycle-oriented environmental management and design for sustainability. She is project manager of several national and international projects in the fields of design for sustainability and circularity (e.g.(De)Construir for Circular Economy, KATCH_e, SInnDesign and InEDIC, international manager), product-service systems, EPD’s and other life cycle oriented strategies and tools (e.g. LCiP, national manager). Cristina is also a member of the Portuguese Technical Committees on Environmental Management, Circular Economy, Social Responsibility and Business Ethics. In addition, she belongs to the Technical Committee for the implementation of the Environmental Product Declarations programme for building products in Portugal (DAP Habitat). She represents LNEG at FECA and is the lead researcher at LNEG in the Portuguese CoLab for a Circular Economy.
Jingjiang Liu, Department of the Housing Industrialization Promotion Center of the Ministry of Housing and
Urban-Rural Development, China (M)
Jingjiang Liu, a professor-level senior engineer, graduated from Harbin Institute of Technology. He is currently the director of the Green Building Materials Department of the Housing Industrialization Promotion Center of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MHURD), and the director of the Green Building Materials Evaluation Management Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. He is concurrently serving as a national Member of the Technical Committee for Standardization of Building Energy Conservation, and Member of the Technical Committee for Standardization of Building Products and Components of the MHURD. In recent years, he has presided over the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Science and Technology Planning Project "Technical Guidelines for the Resource Utilization of Construction Waste", "Research and Development of Composite Wall Panels for Green Prefabricated Farm Houses", "Research on the Classification and Operation Mechanism of Green Building Materials Catalogue", "Green Building Materials Information Database Research and Construction", "Prefabricated Parts Green Building Materials Guidelines Compilation" and other ministerial projects. Jingjiang Liu participated in preparing several technical standards and published more than 20 scientific papers.
Professor Vasilis Sarhosis
Professor Vasilis Sarhosis is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Fellow of FICE, FIMechE, and FHEA, as well as a member of MASCE. They are Chair in Resilient Structures & Infrastructure and International Lead at the School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds.