SIRCULAR Project meeting: November 13–14, Spain
18.11.2024The CARTIF Technology Center in Valladolid, Spain, hosted a meeting of the SIRCULAR Project partners on November 13–14, bringing together partners from six European countries, including from Estonia.
Initially in Estonia and Spain, then in Germany and Greece, the SIRCULAR initiative tests and showcases cutting-edge building and refurbishment technologies and services in four regional clusters. The Estonian cluster consists of TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology, Estonian Union of Co-operative Housing Associations, Tartu Regional Energy Agency and Balti Vara Ehitus OÜ.
Throughout the two days, the planning and updates for the SIRCULAR demo site renovation projects in Estonia, Spain, Greece, and Germany were discussed, as well the tools and methodology on how to include different interest groups and the general public in these countries to the activities SIRCULAR.
During the Regulatory Sandboxes Workshop the Estonian partners explored the most significant challenges in residential building rehabilitation today using their practice as an example. Such barriers to reconstruction were observed on the Estonian side, among other things, including:
💡 complexity in assessing the importance of the building’s renovations, which could lead to a need for a larger majority than anticipated when making decisions at the cooperative’s general meeting;
💡a situation where the housing cooperative only owns the land underneath the building and the necessary extensions must go through a long-term and uncertain bureaucratic process in the municipality; this makes it difficult to add an elevator or increase the balconies while renovating; and
💡carelessness in guaranteeing the quality of renovation works as well as the professional certification of the workers engaged.
💻 For more information over the following three years, the newly established website https://sircularproject.eu/ will provide updates on the SIRCULAR project’s progress and the conclusions reached in collaboration with the project partners.
The Estonian Union of Co-operative Housing Associations is responsible for the training and participation activities for the SIRCULAR Estonian cluster and also takes part in the analysis of the procedures that affect the community throughout the renovation.
Contact in EKYL:
Anu Sarnet
Head of International Relations and Projects
Anu.Sarnet@ekyl.ee