The Role of a Shared Glossary in Advancing Circular Construction (+webinar recording)
- Feb 25
- 3 min read
Circular Construction Cluster Webinar – 18 February 2026
On 18 February 2026, the Circular Construction Cluster, coordinated by RECONMATIC and organised by Future Needs, hosted the webinar “The Role of a Shared Glossary in Advancing Circular Construction.” The event brought together researchers and practitioners to explore how a shared terminology can reduce misunderstandings and support the real implementation of circular construction practices.
The session highlighted a common challenge: inconsistent terminology slows down collaboration, procurement, reporting, and policy alignment. A shared glossary can act as a practical tool to align stakeholders and support the transition to circular construction.
The webinar agenda included presentations from RECONMATIC and CircularB partners, followed by a panel discussion.
Why a Shared Glossary Matters
Circular construction involves many disciplines, including engineering, architecture, policy, waste management, and digital technologies - each with its own terminology. This complexity makes consistent communication difficult.
As discussed during the webinar, the same term can have different meanings depending on context. For example, policymakers, researchers, and industry partners may interpret concepts such as circular building or digital twin differently, creating confusion and inefficiencies.
Speakers emphasised that terminology is evolving quickly alongside EU regulations and industry practices, making shared definitions essential for effective collaboration.
The CircularB Glossary
Meri Cvetkovska and Philip Griffiths presented the CircularB glossary for the circular economy in the built environment, developed within the COST Action CA21103.
The glossary contains 500+ terms related to circular construction and provides definitions compiled from:
EU legislation
ISO standards
UNEP resources
Ellen MacArthur Foundation materials
The glossary aims to:
Provide a clear understanding of circular economy terminology
Support the implementation of circular practices
Reduce ambiguity across disciplines
Support knowledge dissemination
It is designed as a living resource that will continue evolving alongside policy and industry developments.
The RECONMATIC Glossary
Juan Antonio Ferriz-Papi from the University of Salford, presented the RECONMATIC glossary, developed to support unified communication across the construction and demolition waste sector.
The glossary addresses challenges such as:
Rapid adoption of new concepts
Conflicting definitions
Regional and contextual differences
Lack of official definitions
Definitions are based on:
International standards bodies (ISO, CEN, BSI)
European Commission documentation
Industry reports
Academic literature
Examples shared during the webinar demonstrated how terms such as by-product, backfilling, digital twin, and retrofitting can be interpreted differently depending on the source, highlighting the importance of a harmonised approach.
The RECONMATIC Glossary as a Web Resource
Sami Sechante from Future Needs presented the upgraded RECONMATIC online glossary, which now includes more than 200 key terms published directly on the project website.
The glossary has been redesigned with:
User-friendly navigation
Individual term cards
Improved accessibility
Structured definitions
The goal is to make circular construction terminology easier to access and use for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals.
Key Takeaways from the Discussion
Shared terminology improves collaboration across projects and countries
Glossaries should remain living resources that evolve with new standards
Cross-project cooperation is essential for alignment
Digital publication increases usability and impact
About the Circular Construction Cluster
The Circular Construction Cluster was launched in January 2024 by the Horizon Europe project RECONMATIC, coordinated by Future Needs. It brings together EU-funded projects to accelerate circularity and climate neutrality in construction by promoting collaboration, waste traceability, and learning resources. The Cluster facilitates the exchange of technical expertise, joint communication campaigns, and shared exploitation strategies. It also supports co-organisation of events and contributes to standards and best practices. Its core mission is to prevent, reuse, and recycle construction and demolition waste across the industry.
If you are interested in joining the cluster, please contact egle@futureneeds.eu.