RE.build - circular construction in the Recklinghausen district

RE.build is developing a practical model for circular construction within municipal structures in the Recklinghausen district. The project centers on a real-world laboratory in the form of the new building for the local craftsmen’s association, which will incorporate 30–60 percent reused building components and test a CO₂ budget. A digital platform, a physical component warehouse, educational programs and governance components are all interconnected. The project partners are examining how a circular construction industry can be established from an organizational, logistical and digital perspective.

The project goal of RE.build is the establishment of a transferable system for circular construction in the Recklinghausen district. At its core is the systematic reuse of building components in the construction of the building for the Kreishanderwerkschaft (district craftsmen's association) instead of demolition followed using primary raw materials.

The project addresses several challenges. Deconstruction and new construction occur at different times and material flows are difficult to manage without storage facilities. Used building components require certified documentation, such as proof of load-bearing capacity or fire safety. Planners, trades businesses, administrative bodies and municipal building yards operate with different routines, procurement rules and IT systems.

RE.build addresses these challenges with a real-world laboratory, practical storage and platform structure and governance approaches. The project thus creates a foundation for embedding the circular economy in the construction sector within municipal processes.

Through RE.build, the institute provides a practical research initiative for circular construction.

• Design and construction of a physical building component warehouse with a modular structure that tests the acceptance, sorting, storage, processing and provision of used building components.
• Development of a digital platform for recording, evaluating and facilitating the exchange of building components between deconstruction, storage, planning, tender and construction work
• Preparation of reuse-specific tender documents and carbon dioxide (CO2) budgets in the real-world laboratory.
• Development of educational and training programs for tradespeople, planners, administrative staff and citizens interested in building culture.
• Development of governance and operational models to ensure the continued operation of the storage facility, platform and network after the project ends.

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"Circular construction is still new territory for many architects, planners, and tradespeople. The use of secondary materials requires a shift in thinking and initially raises numerous technical, organizational, and legal questions."
Anna Preut M. Sc. conducts research on circular construction at Fraunhofer IML

RE.build combines three elements into one integrated solution: a real-world lab, infrastructure, and a network and governance framework. The real-world lab is constructing a new training workshop for the Painters’ and Varnishers’ Guild using 30 to 60 percent reused building components. A carbon dioxide (CO₂) budget guides the planning process and evaluates bids that allow for reuse.

At the same time, Fraunhofer IML is designing a physical component warehouse. This is based on a needs and location analysis, list of requirements and modular warehouse structure. A temporary pilot site serving as a “minimum viable warehouse” enables test runs under real-world conditions.

A digital platform links the warehouse, the real-world lab and municipal tools. It records components, maps storage locations, integrates Building Information Modeling (BIM) models and displays CO₂ values and availability periods.

Governance and educational components support this infrastructure. The Kreishanderwerkschaft (district craftsmen association) is developing training programs. The district administration and the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) are working on governance models that define roles, processes and sustainability. 

The project partners are preparing several transfer products for professional practice, administration and research.

• A pilot handbook with guidelines, standards and recommendations for integrating circular principles into municipal construction processes.
• A governance transfer report presents transferable approaches for other districts and municipalities.
• Handbook on intermunicipal cooperation in the context of the circular economy, including strategies for sustaining circular construction.
• Policy paper on the transferability of the developed structures and processes to other regions.
• Scientific publications and technical articles will disseminate the project results.

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As part of the real-world laboratory a new facility is being built for the training workshop of the Recklinghausen Painters’ and Varnishers’ Guild. The planning team is designing a building that incorporates separability, Dismantlability and multiple uses. The design and construction planning integrates 30 to 60 percent of available reused building components.

The process begins with a needs assessment that includes an analysis of the room functions. From this, the project derives qualitative goals, such as space utilization and multi-use. During the preliminary planning phase, the participants align requirements with available materials in the component warehouse and on the digital platform. Materials from the RE.build process of the District Craftsmen’s Association are recorded, documented and prepared for later integration into the platform.

Throughout the design and permitting phases, the team develops variants that incorporate reused building components. In consultation with testing agencies and authorities, the team clarifies technical and regulatory requirements. During the construction planning phase, the team prepares detailed, reuse-specific specifications for the request for proposals. 

The project systematically documents all planning decisions. The results feed into training programs, knowledge transfer and future construction projects. The real-world laboratory thus serves as a scalable model for circular construction in municipal new-build projects. 

Two closely interlinked project components form the logistics core of RE.build. Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) is developing the concept for the physical building component warehouse. Based on a needs and location analysis, the team determines quantity frameworks and material flows using waste statistics, data on the building stock and interviews with waste management and demolition companies. Building on this, the team creates a catalog of requirements for suitable sites within the district.

The team categorizes the materials, defines recycling options and designs a modular storage structure with areas for delivery, sorting and storage and retrieval. Interfaces with the digital platform establish minimum requirements for data quality and transactions. A temporary pilot site, serving as a “minimum viable warehouse,” is used to test the processes of acceptance, registration, storage, order picking and retrieval.

The registered association Baukreisel e.V. (Link) operates the reuse warehouse. Standardized processes govern warehouse logistics, material handling, quality assurance and record-keeping. Regional craft businesses handle material inspection, refurbishment and handling. The system supplies components on a just-in-time basis to the real-world laboratory and other construction projects.

Monitoring processes track inventory turnover, processing costs, transportation routes, carbon dioxide (CO₂) savings and reuse rates. The consortium is developing business and operational models that municipal, intermunicipal and public-private entities are evaluating. 

A digital platform connects the physical warehouse with planning, tendering and execution. At the start of the project, the project team analyzes relevant user groups such as government agencies, warehouse operators, trades businesses and the private sector. This analysis results in defined roles, access levels and a catalog of functions for future use.

A data model describes the most important characteristics of the building components and forms the basis for digital management. Interfaces connect warehouse management, Building Information Modelling (BIM) models and municipal applications.

The platform displays available building components, storage locations, timeframes and relevant carbon dioxide (CO₂) values. The team is preparing the platform for use on desktops and mobile devices and is evaluating further integrations with existing systems.

During the pilot phase, the real-world laboratory uses the platform for planning and component selection. At the same time, insights from the trades, administration and planning are incorporated into the iterative development process. Based on an operational model and a financing concept, the project develops a transferable digital component exchange for municipal material flows. 

RE.build brings together several areas of expertise relevant to the circular economy in the construction sector. The real-world lab provides insights into the integration of reused building components, CO₂ budgets and re-use-specific tenders. The physical warehouse offers expertise in needs analysis, site selection, warehouse structure, material handling and monitoring of material flows.

The digital platform is developing a scalable data and system design with multi-client capability and interfaces to BIM, warehouse management and municipal tools. Training and certification programs are aimed at tradespeople, planners, public administrators and those interested in building culture.

Networks and governance form the core of the initiative. A Circular Economy Coordinator oversees the project. A “Circular Construction” working group establishes ongoing forums for exchange. The governance design analyzes administrative structures, develops organizational models and prepares manuals, evaluation reports and policy papers. The results support a regional circular economy in the construction sector and can be linked to European frameworks such as the CCRI—Circular Cities and Regions Initiative.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML leads the RE.build project for the design and setup of the physical building component warehouse. The institute determines quantity frameworks, analyzes regional material flows and creates a catalog of requirements for warehouse locations in the Recklinghausen district. Building on this, the team designs a modular warehouse structure that encompasses delivery, sorting and storage as well as retrieval. In addition, Fraunhofer IML is developing interfaces between warehouse operations and the digital platform, defining minimum requirements for data flows and evaluating the use of a warehouse management system. The project team uses a temporary pilot site to test standardized target processes, such as goods receipt, documentation, order picking and order fulfillment.

Fraunhofer IML also supports the establishment of warehouse logistics and the development of a guide to material handling. In addition, the project team develops a monitoring concept to track environmental impacts such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) savings and reuse rates.

In the project’s governance area, the institute contributes its expertise in material flow analysis and logistics organization. It provides support for process mapping, the development of sustainable governance structures and the formulation of recommendations for embedding circular material flows within institutional frameworks.

The Recklinghausen district is establishing a position for a Circular Economy Coordinator. This coordination office will oversee the entire project. It will coordinate the real-world laboratory, warehouse, platform and educational modules, and ensure compliance with objectives, timelines and milestones.

An intermunicipal working group titled “Circular Construction in the Recklinghausen District” brings together municipalities, tradespeople, planning authorities, municipal building yards and civil society. The working group facilitates the exchange of experiences, the coordination of requirements and the development of joint strategies. celano GmbH helps design formats and strengthens dialogue on circular economy topics.

The German Institute for Urban Studies is taking the lead on governance structures. It analyzes administrative processes in planning, permitting, procurement, property management and climate and sustainability management. Based on this analysis, the team develops organizational models with clearly defined roles and decision-making pathways.

A pilot handbook, an evaluation report, a governance transfer report and a handbook on intermunicipal cooperation document the results. In addition, the project produces policy papers and academic articles. In this way, the project is developing a governance structure that will firmly establish the circular economy in the construction sector in the Recklinghausen district for the long term. 

“Circular Economy – CircularCities.NRW” funding competition