On October 17th, 2024, a key meeting took place in Castellón, Spain, as part of the European research project DeCO2. The event brought together project partners from Castellón City Council, CoCircular, AIDIMME, IAAC and IVE for a day of strategic discussions and site visits in both Castellón and Valencia.
The morning session began with a visit to the Castellón Library, identified as Building 1 of the Spanish Demo. This library is undergoing an extensive renovation as part of the project’s efforts to promote sustainable construction and the circular economy. While IAAC personnel conducted a detailed scan of the library, the other project members convened at the Castellón Town Hall for a working session. Discussions focused on the Demo’s description and timeline, Gantt chart tasks, and the presentation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
High-priority topics included coordinating the inventory of materials, particularly earth and ceramics, salvaged from the Castellón site to ensure their reuse in the project’s circular economy goals. Strategies for stakeholder engagement, including collaboration with the Industrial Developers Board (IDB), were also addressed.
In the afternoon, the group travelled to Valencia to visit the UPV campus, which will serve as Building 2 of the Spanish Demo. This site will host a regulatory sandbox, scheduled for construction in 2026, where innovative secondary materials and cutting-edge construction technologies will be tested under real-world conditions.
The Spanish Demo is a cornerstone of the DeCO2 project, which aims to facilitate the recirculation of construction materials and reduce carbon emissions. By transforming resource emitters into receivers, depending on the phase of the construction process, the project is setting a new standard for sustainability. The Castellón Library renovation, set for completion in 2026, will prioritize dismantling and material reuse, showcasing how construction and demolition waste (CDW) and byproducts can be reintegrated into the construction cycle.