International Energy Saving Day, celebrated on 18 February, is an opportunity for the Circular.Buildings project to reflect on the strategic role that the construction sector plays in reducing energy consumption and emissions. It is from this awareness that Circular.Buildings was born, a cross-border initiative between Italy and Slovenia that supports construction companies and professionals in moving towards more efficient, sustainable and competitive development models.
The construction sector, one of the largest consumers of energy, water and resources, is now one of the priority areas for action in terms of sustainability and energy saving. Improving the performance of buildings, reducing waste throughout their life cycle and adopting more conscious design and plant engineering solutions means generating concrete environmental benefits and, at the same time, strengthening the economic solidity and competitiveness of businesses.
From research to concrete action: the Circular.Buildings approach
Circular.Buildings addressed the issue of energy saving, starting with an important analysis phase based on research and studies that examined best practices in the circular economy and innovations in the sector. The focus was particularly on the durability of buildings, the optimisation of resources and the reduction of energy consumption throughout all stages of the life cycle.
The results of this phase formed the basis for the definition of targeted actions, built on the real needs of construction companies, installers and technical professionals, with the aim of overcoming one of the main critical issues in the sector: the difficulty of translating the principles of sustainability into daily operational choices that are truly applicable in the design phase and on site.
Training and tools to reduce consumption
One of the main activities carried out as part of the project was a series of thematic workshops, held jointly in Italy and Slovenia, which are now almost entirely complete. The workshops also addressed the topic of energy efficiency and renewable sources in a practical manner, proposing application solutions, concrete examples and case studies on high-performance buildings.
Training was a key step in supporting businesses and technicians in acquiring the skills needed to effectively address energy consumption, improving the quality of interventions and the ability to respond to future market challenges.
These activities were accompanied by the development of the cross-border circular construction web platform, which is already online. The platform provides fact sheets on good practices, industry innovations, training content and ongoing support tools, serving as an operational reference point to guide those working in the construction sector towards more efficient and informed choices over time.
Saving energy also pays off for businesses
The message that Circular.Buildings is promoting on International Energy Saving Day is clear: reducing consumption is not only an environmental responsibility, but also a strategic lever for growth. More efficient buildings mean lower operating costs, higher quality interventions, new skills that can be leveraged on the market, and a better ability to respond to future customer and regulatory demands.
In this process, the project acts as a facilitator, providing knowledge, tools and opportunities for discussion to help SMEs in the construction industry and technical professionals transform energy saving from an abstract goal into everyday practice.
For information and to participate in activities, please write to: circular.buildings@ecipa.eu
