{"id":3108,"date":"2025-05-30T15:47:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T15:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/?p=3108"},"modified":"2025-05-30T15:47:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T15:47:00","slug":"in-the-right-circles-europes-cities-and-regions-lead-the-green-transition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/3108\/in-the-right-circles-europes-cities-and-regions-lead-the-green-transition\/","title":{"rendered":"In the right circles: Europe\u2019s cities and regions lead the green transition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Local and regional authorities play a crucial role in driving the shift toward a circular economy. Leading by example, Finland\u2019s Tampere region is pioneering innovative solutions to cut waste in the construction sector and lower CO\u2082 emission.<\/p>\n

By<\/em> Michaela Nesvarova<\/p>\n

In a landscape full of clear blue lakes and deep green forests, it is the old redbrick buildings that tell the story of Tampere\u2019s industrial heritage. Former factories, which once housed machine and linen production, still dominate the architecture of this Finnish region.<\/p>\n

Although the roar of industrial machinery has long died out, the \u201cTampere spirit\u201d, as the locals call it, remains deeply rooted in the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cTampere has a reputation for being innovative,\u201d said Tanja Tyvimaa, senior specialist at the City of Tampere, the largest city in the region. \u201cIf there is a good reason to start a pilot and try out a new approach, we just do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Circular region<\/strong><\/p>\n

It therefore comes as no surprise that the Tampere region is one of the 12 pilot regions selected to receive tailored support from circular economy experts as part of the EU\u2019s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI).<\/p>\n

Launched in October 2021, the CCRI is part of the EU\u2019s broader effort to help cities use resources more efficiently and reduce waste.\u00a0It brings together more than 140 cities, towns and regions across Europe to lead the shift toward a more circular and sustainable way of living.<\/p>\n

This initiative is also a key part of the European Green Deal \u2013 the EU\u2019s overarching plan to grow the economy while protecting the environment. Since local communities manage most of Europe\u2019s resources, cities and regions play a crucial role in making this green vision a reality.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to tackle this issue at the city and regional level,\u201d said Tyvimaa, a specialist in sustainable housing and construction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we ask private companies to focus on circularity, the public sector needs to lead by example. We can\u2019t change the world on our own, but we can point it in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Waste-free construction<\/strong><\/p>\n

The main pillars of a circular economy could be described as reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling. Instead of constantly producing new goods as is done in the current linear economy, the system aims to reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of existing products.<\/p>\n

The region of Tampere, with 23 municipalities including the city of Tampere itself, has already made significant strides toward a circular economy. A key focus of these efforts is one of the region\u2019s largest industries: construction.<\/p>\n

The construction sector is a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. In the EU, buildings account for nearly half of total energy consumption and generate over one\u00a0third of the EU\u2019s total waste.<\/p>\n

The situation is no different in Finland, where the construction industry alone is responsible for 30 % of all CO\u2082 emissions, according to Karoliina Tuukkanen from Circular Pirkanmaa, a publicly funded development centre for the circular economy in the Tampere region.<\/p>\n

In close collaboration with the Council of Tampere Region, Circular Pirkanmaa focuses on improving circular economy practices in the construction sector. This includes housing, infrastructure development and industrial material flows.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are aiming very high,\u201d said Tuukkanen. \u201cOur goal is to bring about systemic change. We need big changes to happen quickly to reduce our heavy reliance on natural resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Tuukkanen put it, Circular Pirkanmaa is looking for ways to embed circular economy principles in the municipalities\u2019 plans and business strategies.<\/p>\n

One key achievement is the development of new criteria for infrastructure construction, ensuring that circularity is now a core requirement in public tenders in Tampere.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a big shift,\u201d Tuukkanen said. \u201cPublic procurement involves significant spending and influence. By changing its rules, we can make a real impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Old to new\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Tampere region is also actively promoting the reuse of materials from deconstructed buildings, including bricks and concrete. For instance, the cities of Nokia and Orivesi have each recovered and plan to reuse a combined total of 42\u00a0000 bricks in local construction projects.<\/p>\n

Another notable example is the EU-funded\u00a0ReCreate\u00a0project, which focuses on the reuse of precast concrete for circular construction. Involving partners from Tampere and other regions in Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Croatia, the project\u00a0team\u00a0aims to deconstruct and reuse concrete elements from end-of-life buildings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese concrete elements weren\u2019t originally designed for disassembly, but we have been quite successful so far,\u201d said\u00a0Satu Huuhka, a professor of sustainable renovation at Tampere University.<\/p>\n

Replacing newly manufactured materials with reused ones offers significant environmental advantages. \u201cThe carbon footprint of reused elements is just 5 % of that of newly produced ones,\u201d said Huuhka, who coordinates the\u00a0ReCreate\u00a0initiative.<\/p>\n

As part of their work, the ReCreate partners have carried out deconstruction and reuse pilots. This involves salvaging structural elements from actual end-of-life buildings and incorporating them into new construction, including a block of flats and an exhibition pavilion.<\/p>\n

According to Huuhka, the process has proven technically viable and safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese buildings weren\u2019t decommissioned due to structural failures, but rather because of evolving urban and societal needs, which allows us to ensure the quality of the reused materials,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The ReCreate team was pleasantly surprised by how straightforward the deconstruction process turned out to be, Huuhka added. \u201cIn fact, some of our industrial partners have already begun applying our methods\u00a0to commercial projects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sharing knowledge\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The next challenge is learning how to design buildings using reused products.<\/p>\n

\u201cDesign and architecture will need to adapt because we\u2019re working with existing elements that come with predefined dimensions, characteristics and load-bearing capacities,\u201d said Huuhka.<\/p>\n

To support this shift, the city of Tampere is developing guidelines for architects and embedding circular economy principles into its new climate neutral roadmap.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hope is that in five years, circular economy practices will no longer be seen as exceptional \u2013 they\u2019ll simply be a standard part of the construction process,\u201d said\u00a0Tyvimaa.<\/p>\n

Creating knowledge and making it widely accessible is a crucial step in the green transition, she added. \u201cThe main challenge in implementing the circular economy is the lack of practical experience and know-how.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is where initiatives like the CCRI can make a real difference in helping Europe become more circular.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe CCRI is crucial for knowledge-sharing and setting benchmarks,\u201d said Tuukkanen. \u201cMany of the practices developed here in Finland could be easily adapted elsewhere \u2013 and vice versa. It\u2019s vital that we connect and learn from one another.\u201d<\/p>\n

Research in this article was funded by the EU\u2019s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees don\u2019t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u200bThis article was originally published\u202fin\u00a0Horizon<\/a>\u00a0the EU Research and Innovation Magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n

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