Join us on 7 November at the University of Udine to discover how to integrate the circular approach into the design and construction of zero-emission buildings.
The series of meetings for the Circular.Buildings project continues with a new event organised by partner University of Udine, dedicated to one of the most pressing issues for the future of the construction sector: how to design and build zero-carbon buildings using a circular approach.
The workshop will be held on Thursday, 7 November 2025, starting at 8:45 a.m., in room B034 of the Polo Scientifico dei Rizzi (Udine).
The initiative is mainly aimed at students enrolled in the master's degree programmes in Industrial Engineering for Sustainable Manufacturing and Civil Engineering, but is open to all students interested in sustainability and innovation in the construction sector.
From design to construction: integrating circularity and carbon neutrality
The meeting will offer concrete reflections on how circular economy principles can guide the transition towards truly sustainable buildings, reducing resource consumption and CO₂ emissions at every stage of the construction process — from design to management, through to decommissioning and reuse of materials.
Through the analysis of international best practices and evidence gathered by the University of Udine in the report “Analysis of circular economy systems and strategies in the construction sector”, the workshop will offer practical insights on topics such as:
- design for disassembly and component durability;
- efficient use of materials and reverse logistics;
- life cycle assessment (LCA) and digital support tools;
- models of collaboration between companies, designers and institutions to promote the circular transition.
The speakers
The workshop will be led by professors Damiana Chinese and Alice Bolzan from the Polytechnic Department of Engineering and Architecture at the University of Udine, and by expert Lennard De Klerk, who will present case studies and research findings from the Circular.Buildings project.
Thanks to the speakers' contributions, students will be able to understand how circular design strategies translate into concrete solutions for achieving the goal of zero carbon emissions in the construction sector.
An opportunity for businesses and professionals to exchange ideas
The Udine workshop is part of the cross-border training programme promoted by Circular.Buildings, which between October 2025 and January 2026 will offer 14 parallel workshops in Italy and Slovenia dedicated to key topics in innovation in the construction sector: artificial intelligence, BIM, energy efficiency, renewable sources and circular design.
Each meeting is designed to offer participants concrete and replicable tools, with the aim of accompanying small and medium-sized enterprises in their transformation towards more competitive and sustainable construction.
A step towards zero-emission construction
Reducing the environmental impact of the construction sector — which currently generates over 36% of CO₂ emissions and 37% of total waste produced — means radically rethinking production and design models.
The workshop on 7 November is an opportunity to understand how circularity, integrated with energy efficiency and digitalisation, can become the driving force behind a zero-carbon construction supply chain, capable of combining competitiveness, innovation and environmental sustainability.
