ASCEND - an Interreg project

There is a great deal of interest

It is heartening to see such a high level of interest in circular processes. Within the project, we have a large network of interested companies and organisations in the construction and property sector.
There is also considerable interest from students in both Lund and Aarhus, and we are gradually incorporating modules on circularity into the curriculum for prospective engineers.

Work packages

Existing buildings

Eisting building can be viewed as a ‘materials bank’. However, there are currently no methods for assessing the balance of this ‘account’. We will develop methods for surveying, assessing the condition of, and classifying materials and components that can be reused. There is a great need for, for example, energy-efficiency refurbishment and conversion of existing buildings, and here we will work on providing a basis for decision-making, including risk assessments for various measures; refurbishment (reusing the entire property), which usually requires energy-saving measures or the reuse of materials and structures.

New buildings

New buildings should be constructed from renewable materials and designed to facilitate future recycling. Modular timber construction offers great potential in this regard. We are examining the construction industry’s current approach, focusing on identifying opportunities for better material utilisation and the use of recycled materials in modules, just as we are developing principles for separating and adapting modules.

Materials and components

Materials and components must be able to be safely extracted from existing buildings, and their quality must be known so that they can be reused in the best possible way. We will therefore be working on techniques for the safe dismantling of buildings, as well as classification methods, whereby the quality of recycled materials and components is determined using non-destructive testing methods.

Within the work packages, companies in the construction and property sectors are collaborating with two research groups from Lund University and Aarhus University respectively. Relevant ongoing construction projects within the ÖKS area serve as case studies.