Perspective is taking part in the ASSET project in the Interreg programme

Perspective and Brussels environment join forces in a new Interreg project on the circular economy of construction materials on a Eurodelta scale.

Working together across Eurodelta

Harbour cities and regions within the Eurodelta, a historically strong economically-related area that covers the Rhine, Scheldt and Meuse delta conurbations (including the Randstad, Belgium and Rhine-Ruhr area) have come together to explore if collaboration can help to accelerate the transition to a circular economy; an economy that promotes environmental quality, economic development and social equity, to the benefit of current and future generations. In a circular economy, the ‘end of life’ concept has been replaced with new concepts like reducing, reusing, recycling, and recovering of materials throughout the supply chain.

A transition with spatial implications

This economic shift has spatial implications e.g. for storage, production areas for biobased materials, building hubs, logistic hubs, new industrial sites, etc. The change to a CBE can result in increased demand for space at one location and less at another; therefore, it requires strong involvement of the economic and social sector in planning and different design principles However, the so-called ‘spatial requirements’ – how much land and where it is located – is largely unknown territory. Policymakers are only beginning to realize the far-reaching spatial implications of a truly circular built environment.

The ASSET project

The objective of ASSET is to develop a strategy and action plan to understand the spatial implications of the circular transition of the built environment for the Eurodelta, as well as to come up with innovative solutions on different scales(building, neighbourhood, city, region and macroregional scale).

By using the Province of South Holland's Spatial Circular strategy as the base of the research, the project partners focus on two main questions:

What is necessary to develop a spatial-economic strategy and action agenda for the circular transition of the Eurodelta?

Can cooperation between cities and regions in this area help to solve local spatial problems?

By focusing on the construction sector, which is responsible for 40% of the CO2 emission within the Eurodelta, the project partners build on forming an alliance of experts and students on circularity, economics, planning and mobility from the public and private sectors throughout the Eurodelta to gather information, raise awareness, create additional capacity and to discover technological innovations and capabilities within the region.

Final products:

Capacity building by creating a network of governmental institutions, the academic field and the private sector.

2 Final publications:

1. Publication containing policy highlights, strategy, action plan & policy recommendations

2. Inspirational publication: Best practices, student work, research & Design Principles

ASSET Conference with publication of a manifesto

For Perspective and Brussels Environment, this project is an opportunity for different cities and regions to exchange views on the subject, to gain a better understanding of the spatial consequences of a circular economy in Brussels, and to see how the macro-regional scale of Eurodelta can add value.