Last month, Circ-Boost partners in Norway took the stage at the Sortland Business Breakfast to promote circularity, reuse, and sustainability in the construction sector. The event, co-hosted by GAIA Vesteralen/Museum Nord and Sortland byforening, brought together local businesses, architects, researchers, and policymakers for a morning of insight and inspiration.
This was more than just a networking breakfast – it was a Circ-Boost WP7 training activity in action, hosted in the region of our Vesteralen pilot. Experts from UiT- The Arctic University of Norway, Veidekke Norge, Lundhagem, and Natural State presented real-world strategies and success stories for reducing construction waste and reusing materials like concrete.
Highlights included:
- Boy-Arne Buyle (UiT) on the urgent need to reduce concrete-related emissions and rethink construction through circular practices
- Iveta Novakova (UiT) presenting hands-on work on selective demolition and Recycled Concrete Aggregate from the old Nortura slaughterhouse in Sortland – now a key resource for the GAIA Vesteralen Museum
- Jens-Henrik Andersen (Museum Nord) and Erlend Eidsaa (Lundhagem) showcasing the design and progress of the fully circular GaiaVesteralen MuseumL
- Alf Egil Mathisen (Veidkke) sharing lessons from building Veidekke’s HQ with reused materials
- Cathrine Barth (Natural State) inspiring participants with historical perspectives and the power of local leadership in the circular transitiona
The event reinforced why Circ-Boost matters: local action, real results, and cross-sector collaboration are key to accelerating circular construction across Europe.
Huge thanks to all participants and partners – including Museum Nord, UiT, Reno-Vest, and Lundhagem – for moving the circular agenda forward.
