Cities charting a circular future for Europe’s buildings
The CirCoFin project has launched this year. Four different showcase regions, with support of nine additional partners, will develop their own pilot hubs will aim to scale circular construction across Europe.
Construction accounts for roughly a third of Europe’s material use, 35 % of its greenhouse-gas emissions and 40 % of its waste. CirCoFin (short for Circular Construction Finance) has been launched to turn those figures around. Backed by the EU’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative, the city-led consortium will demonstrate how dismantling, reuse, refurbishment and repair can become the new business-as-usual in the built environment.
At the heart of the project are Circular Construction Hubs (CCHs): hybrid marketplaces that combine a physical material bank with a digital platform matching supply and demand for reclaimed components. By proving that CCHs can generate reliable income streams and measurable carbon savings, CirCoFin aims to unlock mainstream investment in circular construction across Europe.
Four diverse showcase regions (Munich, Copenhagen, Scotland and Lisbon) will develop their own pilot hubs, covering everything from legal frameworks and technical processing to business plans and financing models. The pilots are supported by a multidisciplinary consortium of nine additional partners spanning circular-economy start-ups, research institutions, city networks and standards bodies. Together they are building a practical, modular toolbox that any European city or region can adapt to local conditions.
The project, supported by EU funding with a total of six million euros, will be developed between 2025 and 2028.
CirCoFin kicked off in January 2025 in the city of Munich, and is now inviting municipalities, developers, architects, investors and community groups to follow the pilots, test the tools and join the conversation. If your city wants to cut waste, shrink its carbon footprint and keep valuable materials in circulation, follow the project on LinkedIn or contact the team to learn how a Circular Construction Hub could work for you.
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