VTT is coordinating a new international project, CIRCBUILT, which develops sustainable solutions for the construction sector by turning agricultural, food and forestry residues into valuable building materials. The three-year project brings together 12 partners from Finland, Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland.
The building and construction sector accounts for 37% of global emissions (2023). To mitigate the environmental impact of this sector, bio-based products are a promising solution especially when they are sourced from secondary bio-based materials.
The CIRCBUILT project aims to enhance the resource efficiency of bio-based waste by creating new material applications that perform on par with fossil-based counterparts. These solutions aim not only to support a circular economy, but also to inspire a broader shift toward sustainable and aesthetically pleasing construction materials. At the core of the project are three intermediate bio-based components, focused on resource-efficient processing and with broad market potential:
- Foam-formed materials manufactured using novel resource-efficient processes
- Novel nanocellulose-based films and coatings with thermochromic particles
- Sustainable binders made from bio-based materials
These components will be used to develop and test four construction products made entirely from secondary bio-based materials, such as thermal insulation panels, construction panels, adaptive cooling windows and indoor acoustic panels.
Multidisciplinary consortium led by VTT
“VTT oversees and coordinates EU-CIRCBUILT activities. In research and development, VTT leads innovation in product development, particularly in biorefining and high-consistency processing technologies. VTT main tasks involve developing CNF-based films and coatings, creating thermal insulation panels, and designing adaptive cooling smart windows. These efforts are supported by cross-disciplinary collaboration aimed at enhancing sustainability and material performance in construction applications.” says Minna Lahtinen, Lead, EU projects in lignocellulose materials at VTT.
CIRCBUILT is actively engaging with stakeholders in the value chain including construction, research and design sectors through a dedicated Stakeholder Forum, contributing directly to product design and development. By combining technical innovation with co-creation, CIRCBUILT actively supports the New European Bauhaus (NEB) values of sustainability, beauty and inclusiveness.
The project gathers expertise from 4 research and technology organisations (VTT, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment INRAE, Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), Euroquality SARL, 3 universities (Bern University of Applied Sciences, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) and 5 SME’s (Aisti Corporation Oy, CertiMaC, Environment Park, Strane Innovation, SEITISS).
The project is funded by the European Commission under New European Bauhaus initiative. Project duration: 2025–2028.
For more information, please contact:
Amit Sonker, CIRCBUILT-Coordinator, [email protected]
Akio Yamamoto, CIRCBUILT-Project Manager, [email protected]
Katariina Torvinen, CIRBUILT Project Owner, [email protected]
