During the Final Seminar, we have the honor of hearing a keynote speech from Aura Salla, a member of the European Parliament, different points of view on circular economy in the built environment, and at the end of the event, we will present the results of our Promoting circularity and sustainability for the construction and real estate sector (CircBuild) project.
We are delighted to announce that the Final Seminar is held in Brussels at the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU)’s office on the 1st of December 2026 at 11:00-16:30 thanks to Olga Wessels, the Head of Brussels’ Office of the ECIU.
Program
11:00 Welcome, Jaakko Kinnunen, Tampere University, Olli Koskela, Häme University of Applied Sciences HAMK and Olga Wessels, the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU)
11:05 Keynote speaker: Aura Salla, member of the European Parliament
11:25 2. Keynote: Where is the Circular Economy Act at and how does it affect us?
11:40 Regional points of view on Circular economy in Häme
11:50 Finnish companies’ views on sustainable construction
12:30 Research point of view on Circular Economy
12:45 Summary and Q&A
13:00 Lunch
14:00 The results of the CircBuild project
15:30 Drinks and Discussion
16:30 End of the Final Seminar
There may be changes to the program. Please find the official invitation’s pdf here: CircBuild Final Seminar 2026
Registration
Please register through this Webropol link or by the QR code below: https://link.webropolsurveys.com/EP/C78E95415A2EC82E
The registration is open until the 10th of November or until the space limit is full. It is not possible to attend online.
What is the CircBuild project?
The CircBuild project is focused on finding practical solutions that help implement the circular economy into companies’ business practices. Each of the six pilots we’ve completed has grasped onto real issues our cooperation partners and their companies have faced. Tampere University and Häme University of Applied Sciences HAMK have operated the project from January 2025 to December 2026. In addition to the pilots, the project organised public workshops for Finnish companies and other organisations about the implementation of the circular economy.
Alongside the work in Finland, the CircBuild project group members travelled abroad to seek information on good practices and recent results (Italy and Australia).
Results, pilots and cooperation partners
During the Final Seminar, we are proud to present the results of the CircBuild project, highlighting the company pilots, their synergies, and how circular economy principles are reflected in business solutions. The six participating organisations represent different parts of the construction and real estate value chain, including three housing owners and developers, a construction company and developer, a building materials manufacturer, and a real estate education and training provider.
CircBuild’s published results: Understanding Circular Economy Implementation in Apartment Building Projects: A Systematic Literature Review
Pilots for housing owners and developers
- Towards Regenerative Housing Construction – Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Ecosystem Relocation in a Construction Project. A-Kruunu
- Opportunities for the client to promote circular economy and low-carbon goals in renovation projects. Hoas
- Assessing material reuse potential and integrating circular economy requirements into renovation contract documents. Y-Säätiö
Pilot for a construction company and developer
- 1990s Buildings as Material Banks: Inventory, Digital Deconstruction and Circularity Potential. Hartela
Pilot for a Building Material Manufacturer
- Cooperation between the client and the construction product manufacturer in large-scale renovation projects. Saint-Gobain Finland
Pilot for a real estate education and training provider
Specialist postgraduate education and training package on implementing the circular economy solutions in the construction and real estate sector. Kiinko
We hope to see you at the Final Seminar!
More information:
Jaakko Kinnunen
Project Manager
Faculty of Built Environment
Tampere University
jaakko.kinnunen@tuni.fi
Alisa Hakola
Researcher
Faculty of Built Environment
Tampere University
alisa.hakola@tuni.fi
The CircBuild project, implemented by Tampere University and Häme University of Applied Sciences, is co-funded by the European Union and the Economic Development Centre. Additionally, the project is funded and partnered by A-Kruunu Oy, Hartela-Yhtiöt Oy, Foundation for student housing in the Helsinki region (Hoas), Kiinko Real Estate Education, Saint-Gobain Finland Oy, and Y-Säätiö.
