Social Proofing of Circular Solutions Workshop

Workshop overview

The third and last workshop of the Social Experiment on Circular Economy in Construction and Buildings, entitled Social Proofing of Circular Solutions was successfully hosted on the 1st of March 2024.

During the workshop our partners and stakeholders had the opportunity through an interactive process to discuss in detail, assess from many different angles and provide feedback for the 3 value propositions (Public digital registry for construction and demolition waste, Outsourced Market Surveillance and Compliance Assessment Process on Circular Projects, Digital Circular construction tool kit for the design of circular construction projects), drafted during the 2^nd workshop.

The 3 suggested solutions were drafted to support overcoming constraints and barriers, as well as incentivizing or facilitating the aspects of collaboration, legislation/policy, and market.

Workshop elements and structure

The 3rd workshop began with an overview of the 1^st and 2^nd workshop, to align all participants, regardless if they took part or not in the previous sessions, and connect the outcomes of the previous workshops to the 3rd workshop.

The 3 value propositions were presented to a wide audience of Circular Economy and Sustainability experts as well as all stakeholders who took part in the drafting process during the previous workshops.

In particular, the 3 value propositions which have been proposed were:

1. Public digital registry for construction and demolition waste
2. Outsourced Market Surveillance and Compliance Assessment Process on Circular Projects
3. Digital Circular construction tool kit for the design of circular construction projects

To extract feedback from different perspectives, Bono’s hats method was used. Through open discussions and brainstorming both the positives as well as the negatives of each solution were addressed. Furthermore, the participants were asked to think beyond the proposed solutions and generate creative ideas, for possible alternatives and additions that could improve the solutions.

Following the Bono’s hats process, a digital survey was conducted for each solution, whereas attendees were asked to assess the solutions against 5 criteria: Innovation, Circularity/ Sustainability, Feasibility, Inclusiveness and Collaboration.

Workshop 3 full report.

Event Photos

The second Workshop of the Social Experiment on Circular Economy in Construction and Buildings successfully took place on January 23, 2024.

The workshop was attended by stakeholders representing the construction industry, competent authorities, and academia/ research. For the purpose of the workshop the participants have been divided into 3 groups.

The workshop, based on the outcomes of the first workshop, which stated the overall challenge the industry is facing towards transitioning to a circular model. Applying an interactive process and a methodology of value proposition canvas, we seek to draft 3 different value propositions that could support overcoming constraints and barriers, as well as incentivizing or facilitating the aspects of legislation/policy, market, and collaboration.

The outcomes of the second workshop will serve as input to the third workshop, focusing on validating value proposition developed.

Workshop Elements

The 2nd Workshop included the following elements:

• Ice-breaking quiz

Ice-breaking quiz to initiate the workshop using the mentimeter tool and accessing the participants perception abut Circular Business Model.

• Overview of the 1st Workshop

At the beginning of the 2nd workshop an overview of the 1st workshop was presented for better communication btw the participants and connection of the outcomes of the 1st workshop with the objectives of 2^nd workshop.

• Presentation about Local Circular Practices

During the workshop four Local Businesses presented their Circular methods developed for the production of a circular product or a circular practice apply through their waste management solution or during the production procedure. The 4 businesses were.

• Elysee Irrigation
• Nicolaides & Kountouris Metal Company
• Pharmakas Quarry PLC / RECS Engineering Quarry
• Latouros Querry

• Group sessions using value proposition Method

The participants were divided in three group and the objective of each group was the design a business solution focused on a specific challenge recognised during the 1st workshop using value proposition canvas method.

At the beginning each group has recognised the customer profile focused on each challenge

Group A Legislation / Policy

• Customer Profile: An industry that wants to build/set up a circular asphalt factory in a community in Cyprus.

Group B Market

• Customer Profile: An industry that wants to design a competitive construction circular product/project.

Group C Collaboration

• Customer Profile:A construction company which needs to manage construction and demolition waste at source.

Group’s Structure

• Group A Legislation / Policy Group Coordinator Elena Demosthenous (CYS)

Group Members:

• Group B Market Coordinator Anna Dionysiou (CYS)

Group Members:

• Group C Market Coordinator Marios Mavroyiannos (CYS)

Group Members:

Group Outputs

GROUP COLLABORATION

Value Proposition 1

GROUP Legislation / Policy

Value Proposition 2

GROUP MARKET

Value Proposition 3

Workshop 2 Full report

Event Photos

In the framework of the Social Experiment performed for the SHARED GREEN DEAL project, focused on Circular Economy in Construction & Buildings, CYS is hosting the 1st workshop on 13/10/2023, 09.00-13.00, at ΟΕΒ offices (https://goo.gl/maps/nL3MAHrCmbrNv2WZ7).

The workshop, first in a series of 3 workshops, aims in mapping circular practices currently implemented in the local construction industry. At the same time the workshop will try to identify barriers, constraints, opportunities, enablers and map the overall challenge for a successful transition to a more circular construction industry.

Workshop Elements

The workshop included the following elements:

• Pre-workshop questionnaire:
  • the level of understanding for CE,
  • necessity for CE,
  • willingness to adapt, implement, collaborate, and contribute to CE
  • Constrains and barriers.
  • Vision and expectations

• Ice breaking quiz to initiate the workshop using mentimeter tool.

• Group sessions using design thinking methodology to define:
  • The problem
  • The challenge
  • Constrains and barriers.
  • Possible solutions

• Open Discussion and presentation of pre-workshop questionnaire results

Workshop outputs

The workshop was attended by all relevant stakeholders involved throughout the entire construction industry supply chain, from design to waste management, including government and academia. In total 22 participants took part.

We focused on analysing the context of the construction industry in Cyprus today and identifying the reasons why a transition to a circular model would be necessary. Furthermore, the stakeholders through an interactive process, seeked to identify the major constraints and barriers that hold back the industry from efficiently transforming and transitioning.

The outcomes of the workshop will serve as input to the following two workshops that will be focusing on developing possible practical solutions, business models, roadmap and/or policy recommendations to kick-start the industry’s transition.

• Pre-workshop Questionnaire results evaluation

The major outputs of the questionnaire were as follows:

• The majority of people responded to the questionnaire assess their level of understanding of CE adequate and above. Also, they consider to have a clear understanding of CE principles. Regenerate natural systems principles seems to be less clear than the other.
• Awareness is the most necessary level of training for local construction and building industry at the moment, to initiate its circular transition. The majority of responses indicate that Cyprus it’s not ready to proceed to the transition although all are willing to implement circular practices.
• Regarding the reasons stakeholders consider as most important for implementing CE, these include reducing environmental impact, reducing of expenses and legal compliance.
• The majority of responses show that CE is not considered important by construction industry stakeholders, and it’s difficult to envision a fast transition in the next years. Also, stakeholders do not foresee a successful transition in less than 5 years, with the majority not being able to foresee the time or the time is more than 10 years.
• The survey shows that stakeholders perception is that there are barriers and constraints blocking the implementation of circularity in construction, but feel optimistic that the barriers can be overcome. The crucial factor towards this is considered to be funding.
• Another important output of the survey is that a significant percentage considers collaboration among stakeholders not important although the majority would be willing to collaborate.
• Finally, the major stakeholders that are considered to play an important role in the transition is the Government and the construction companies.

Defining the challenge – interactive session to define the following: 

• Defining the problem – Why do we need to transition to a circular model?

 The construction industry is highly impactful on the resources of the island, generating large volumes of waste. Furthermore, there are limited available waste management areas and wastes are often disposed in non-regulated locations. Cyprus is an island system with high cost of shipping wastes abroad. There is also low availability of local resources that need to be secured, and a significant amount of raw material is imported. The construction industry has an important impact to the climate goals due to its multiplier effect in energy consumption.

• Defining constraints and barriers

 Construction industry stakeholders culture is traditionally linearly oriented and there is significant resistance to change. There is lack of knowledge of the impacts of the industry by the stakeholders.

• Lack of market surveillance and effective implementation of legislation.
• Small market, in a constrained island system which does not allow the buildup of economies of scale.
• Lack of availability and high cost of circular products and technologies.
• Lack of trust by the construction industry stakeholders towards circular products due to lack of long-term experience, knowledge, standards and certifications.
• Lack of standards and specifications of secondary raw material.
• Lack of linkage of research results and the market on innovative solutions and products.
• Lack of stakeholder’s coordination and leading authority.
• Lack of incentives to implement circular practices in construction projects.

• Defining solutions

 Create collaboration and knowledge exchange platforms.

• Training and education of the entire construction industry supply chain about sustainable and circular concepts.
• Provide incentives and subsidies by the government to support the use and promotion of circular practices and material.
• Develop standards or other specifications for secondary material.
• Create national waste/material repository to support industrial symbiosis.
• Promote the involvement of industry in funded research projects, national and European.

Defining the overall challenge 

• “Create a financially sustainable circular model, for the operation of the entire construction industry supply chain. The model should be tailormade for the specific conditions of the construction industry, taking into consideration the constraints of the Cypriot market, being an isolated island system with cultural rigidities.”

Workshop 1 Full Report

Event photos