As part of the EU-funded project “XRGREEN.CON”, the webinar series continues to explore how Circular Economy (CE) principles and Extended Reality (XR) technologies are transforming the construction sector.
The second webinar, titled “Circular Economy in Practice – Opportunities and Solutions,” focused on translating theoretical concepts into practical applications and real-world solutions. Building on the foundations established in the first session, the webinar shifted the perspective from why circular economy matters to how it can be effectively implemented.
The session was again led by Anton Breinbauer, Director at fors.earth GmbH, who provided participants with valuable insights into practical strategies, business models, and case studies demonstrating circular economy in action. Participants explored how circular principles can be applied across the entire building lifecycle – from design and construction to use, renovation, and end-of-life processes.
Through concrete examples, the webinar highlighted solutions such as modular construction, reuse of existing buildings, and design for disassembly, showing how these approaches can significantly reduce waste, lower emissions, and improve resource efficiency. It also demonstrated how circularity can create environmental, economic, and social value simultaneously, for example by reducing construction waste, shortening project timelines, and enabling more flexible use of buildings.
In addition, the session addressed key challenges and barriers faced in real – world implementation, including fragmented value chains, regulatory complexity, lack of standardisation, and limited data transparency. Practical approaches to overcoming these challenges were discussed, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, lifecycle thinking, and digital tools such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and digital product passports.
Overall, the webinar provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of how circular economy principles can be operationalised in practice, bridging the gap between theory and implementation. It also underlined the importance of skills development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative technologies in driving the transition towards a more sustainable construction sector.
