Naples, 5 March 2026
The CircHub workshop, held in Naples and co-organised by the BIOBUILD project, brought together five Horizon Europe projects — BIOBUILD, CIRC-BOOST, RECONSTRUCT, ATRIUM, and DRASTIC — to exchange insights on bio-based materials, circular construction, and energy-efficient buildings.
Following project presentations, participants engaged in a World Café discussion structured around three themes:
(1) bio-based and circular materials,
(2) energy efficiency and building performance, and
(3) circular construction practices.
💡 Here’s what stood out:
🔹 Innovation is not the issue – trust is
Promising materials (mycelium, lignin, PHA, plant-based binders) exist, but lack of reliable performance data limits their uptake.
🔹 Technology is ahead of the system
Solutions are ready, but regulation, certification, and market demand are not yet aligned.
🔹 We need better connections, not more knowledge
Innovation is fragmented – stronger knowledge transfer between research, industry and policymakers is key.
🔹 Circularity starts at design
From design for disassembly to lifecycle thinking, circular principles must be embedded from the very beginning.
🔹 System change is essential
Standardisation, harmonised data, and supportive policy & procurement frameworks are critical enablers.
📢 Policy direction is clear:
– Better data & lifecycle evidence
– EU-wide frameworks (e.g. material passports)
– Lifecycle-based procurement
– Stronger research–industry links
– Circular design principles
🤝 These insights show the value of CircHub — connecting projects, aligning knowledge, and pushing circular construction forward together.
