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British construction are studying how to get the construction industry closer to circular principles by assessing the Dutch industry´s processes in terms of circularity. For example, the Dutch government has put in place financial support which benefits both the building owner, and the supply chain.

Have you noticed that the topic of energy saving is currently at the heart of all conversations? Energy efficiency, new regulations, decrees or energy saving measures... The time has come to reduce energy consumption. Individuals, companies and local authorities are all being called upon to use less energy. But, in concrete terms, what is expected from companies? Keep on reading to know more!

Why does windows get so much attention in the green building space? Windows play a significant role in a building’s carbon footprint. The specifications can lower energy loss by up to 50% through thermal regulation, the type of windows and their location — all crucial in design.

The heating and cooling grid of the Paris-Saclay science and technology cluster, delivered in 2019, is one of the pilot sites of the European D2Grids project. This so-called "fifth-generation" heating and cooling grid (5GDHC) should make it possible to meet many of the challenges of the energy transition: energy autonomy, consumption of renewable and local energy, grids decarbonation, etc. It covers an area of 28 municipalities in the south-west of the Île-de-France region.

Mawya Rahal, energy project manager at the EPA Paris-Saclay, and Lucas Lazzarini, energy engineer at SEQENS, answer relevant questions on the topic in the following interview. 

Reinhard Six, a retired engineer and European energy efficiency policy and implementation leader, won the Roger Léron Award 2022 in the event celebrated last 4th October in Brussels: “Energy efficiency is not just something we can do. We can do it, but we must do it. So let’s do it!”. 

What is the future and potential for district heating grids in Europe? In this interview, Mathilde Henry, Energy Project Manager at GreenFlex, presents the European D2Grids project: a unique concept so-called “5GDHC” to be developed in North-West Europe, which is experimented on five pilot sites, while working on the potential synergies with renewable electricity. 

The H2020 EXCESS project aims to spearhead four innovative demonstration projects, introducing technical solutions that enable buildings to produce more renewable energy than they consume over the course of a year. One of their demonstration projects is based in Hasselt which represent the coastal climatic zone.

Two years into the Horizon 2020 project ePANACEA, the project partners shared videos of the ePANACEA Assessment Method 1 implemented on the SEPAP (Smart Energy Performance Assessment Platform) on the project’s YouTube channel.

The Green Solutions Awards for sustainable buildings, districts and infrastructures organised by Construction21 and its partners aims to bring out exemplary achievements from around the world, to share them to as many people as possible and to inspire the profession to accelerate the reduction of its carbon emissions.

The current world is defined by technological innovation which has led to a population growth. Hence, there is a need for a sustainable transition towards circularity and circular construction. How can the industry engage stakeholders more to cooperate towards this goal?