European projects

UNITED CIRCLES: Networked industrial-urban symbiosis value chain demonstrators for biomaterials, C&DW, circular water loops & WWTPs, driven by Hubs 4 Circularity

Information

About project

United Circles supports and accelerates the transition towards a decarbonized, waste-free future characterized by closed resource cycles. Through an innovative and problem-solving-oriented circularity culture, the project aims to enhance the transformation of urban waste into resources, integrating sustainable processes between process industries and cities.

The initiative is part of the Processes4Planet program, developed through the public-private partnership between A.SPIRE and the European Commission, by creating seven Hubs for Circularity (H4C) in seven EU and non-EU regions. Three of these will implement advanced demonstrators (TRL7) to innovate production chains in the field of Industrial-Urban Symbiosis, laying the foundation for a network of institutionalized, collaborative, and self-sufficient hubs. The experience gained and the models developed will then be replicated in the four mirroring hubs.

By contributing to making the construction sector, wastewater treatment sector, and biorefining sector completely circular, United Circles is the driving force behind a real change towards a sustainable and integrated industry, ready to lead Europe towards a future that does not compromise the environment.

Details

Project in progress

Program: Horizon Europe GA n. 101178798

Theme: #Bio-basedProducts, #CircularEconomy, #Governance and Funding Methods, #Industrial-Urban Symbiosis, #Up-scaling

http://Visit%20the%20project%20website

Start

November 2024

End

September 2028

Links and downloadable documents
Objectives

Project objectives

Creation of Hubs for Circularity to promote Industrial-Urban Symbiosis through the upcycling of waste into resources

Develop institutional and governance frameworks to promote a culture of circularity.

Develop methodologies, digital decision-support tools, and social innovations for the Hubs for Circularity.

Expand the H4C value chain and replicate the management and analysis model developed by the project in the Mirroring Hubs, Seed Hubs, and beyond United Circles.

Results

Concrete Actions

  • Development of 15 innovative technologies from technology readiness level (TRL) 5 to TRL 7 in integrated value chains, promoting zero-waste cities and a circular and decarbonized process industry.
  • Production of 10 upcycled resources: cement, CBPB, PIR foam, bio-products, biochar, biostimulants, water, syngas, toilet paper, biofuels.
  • Expansion and promotion of the international Processes4Planet network through the creation of 3 + 4 Hubs for Circularity.
  • Development and/or refinement of six digital tools to facilitate and support the development of the IUS network and the building of its community.
  • Mapping of industry standards through the creation of a standardization toolkit.
  • Transfer of project results to the market through the proposal of a European pre-standardization document (CWA) concerning the methodology for analysis, management, and development of the H4C Feasibility towards Financing (F2F).
Partner

Project partners

45 EU and non-EU partners, including companies, research centers, universities, public bodies, and international organizations.

Organizations
FUNDACION CARTIF, Spain
BASTAS-BASKENT CIMENTO SANAYI VE TICARET A.S., Turkey
ECOWISE EKODENGE LIMITED, UK
EKODENGE MUHENDISLIK MIMARLIK DANISMANLIK TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI, Turkey
FCC AQUALIA SA, Spain
INNOMINE DIGITAL INNOVATION HUB NONPROFIT KFT, Hungary
RECYCLE LEBANON, Lebanon
STENUM UNTERNEHMENSBERATUNG UND FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH, Austria
KENT COUNTY COUNCIL, UK
ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNION, Greece
UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
UNI – ENTE ITALIANO DI NORMAZIONE, Italy
INTRACT INOVASYON DANISMANLIK LIMITED SIRKETI, Turkey
COMET GLOBAL INNOVATION, SL, Spain
NOVAMONT SPA, Italy
MATER-BIOTECH SPA, Italy
NOVAMONT IBERIA S.L., Spain
CONTARINA SPA, Italy
SHERPA SRL, Italy
MIRAT FERTILIZANTES SL, Spain
KIMBERLY-CLARK EUROPE LIMITED, UK
ZEDO-ZENTRUM FUR BERATUNGSSYSTEME EV, Germany
ECOLOCUS URBAN INNOVATIONS LAB LTD, UK
FUNDACION PATRIMONIO NATURAL DE CASTILLA Y LEON, spain
GATE2HORIZON APS, Denmark
UNITED NATIONS INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH (UNITAR), Switzerland
MINOVA PROSES MADENCILIK LIMITED SIRKETI, Turkey
TEPE BETOPAN YAPI MALZEMELERI SANAYI VE TICARET AS, Turkey
PERIFEREIAKO TAMEIO ANAPTYXIS ANATOLIKIS MAKEDONIAS THRAKIS, Greece
Z.E.H. ENERGETIKAI ES EPITOIPARI KFT, Hungary
TECH TAKEBACK LTD, UK
CLAIRE POTTER DESIGN LTD, UK
COVESTRO DEUTSCHLAND AG, Germany
FCC MEDIO AMBIENTE SAU, Spain
METABUILDING ASBL, Belgium
INSAAT MALZEMESI SANAYICILERI DERNEGI, Turkey
NEGATIVE EMISSIONS CIC, UK
ZEOS RAVNANJE Z ELEKTRICNO IN ELEKTRONSKO OPREMO DOO, Slovenia
LEGA NAZIONALE DELLE COOPERATIVE E MUTUE, Italy
FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT EV, Germany
NOBATEK INEF 4, France
ELECTROCHAEA GMBH, Germany
CIAOTECH SRL, Italy
INNOVATION ENGINEERING SRL, Italy
SCUOLA UNIVERSITARIA PROFESSIONALE DELLA SVIZZERA ITALIANA (SUPSI), Switzerland

The project is co-funded by the European Research & Innovation Programme Horizon Europe under Grant Agreement no. 101178798

Insight

News & Info

Tutti gli insight

Edilizia e costruzioni

Articles

CALL FOR SUBCONTRACTING ACTIVATION FOR THE EUROPEAN PROJECT ROBÉTARMÉ

28 November 2024

Beni di consumo e materiali

News

Portal for read-only access to national adoptions of specific harmonized European standards for European public access

The purpose of this portal is to make the content of specific harmonized European standards (national adoption) available for European public access.

28 June 2024

Qualità e valutazione di conformità

News

Italy and Georgia are closer

The Twinning Project with the Georgian National Agency for Standards and Metrology (GEOSTM) continues.

16 March 2023

Contact us for more information

Innovation Division
E-mail: sviluppo.progetti@uni.com