SMILE CITY provides realistic circular systemic solutions to support the evolution towards a carbon-neutral, environmentally sustainable, toxic-free, circular economy by 2050. The contribution to C02 reduction works on two levels: - an intensive use of recycled materials in replacement of virgin ones, without decreasing the performance of final products; - the use of such products and applications to increase sustainable mobility. The project aims to integrate innovative systemic solutions in up to 100 km of cycling paths and implement 20 e-bike charging stations, developed using different types of recycled urban waste: construction materials, EoL tyres and EoL batteries from Electric Vehicles. The foreseen innovations include the creation of e-bike charging stations made of recycled concrete precast elements and PV panels equally produced with recycled materials, the installation of recycled rubber moulded products for urban furniture such as rubber bollard, lane dividers, and rubberized asphalt, which contributes both to increase sustainability and safety. SMILE CITY will thus assemble the technological state of the art of the different value chains involved to implement circular systemic solutions in 7 different EU and non-EU countries, backing the transition towards a regenerative, inclusive and circular economy at local and regional scale across Europe and therefore boosting interregional and cross-border cooperation. In addition, the project will also increase resource efficiency, reinforcing Europe’s strategic autonomy and reduce the negative environmental footprint related to current recycling techniques of the considered urban waste value chains. By supporting awareness raising and information spreading, SMILE CITY will engage both citizens and industrial leaders in the green transition towards climate-neutral solutions for Circular Cities, bolstering the market uptake of circular solutions through regional and local actions. Two partners are CCRI members.

Reduction of embodied emissions is crucial for achieving sustainable and low-carbon building practices. GreeNest creates an ecosystem that integrates CO2 neutral building materials (reused, recycled and locally sourced biogenic materials) and renewable energy sources (abiotic components) into the building design, together with human response and natural/green systems (biotic components) to demonstrate resource efficient construction that needs less materials and implements energy-efficient circular construction practices. The project targets 100% carbon free construction through the application of biogenic materials that store carbon, the reduction of embodied emissions by 50% with respect to NZEB standard, ZEB or even positive energy standards via renewable energy sources with remaining primary energy consumption less than 30-40 kWh/m2, reduction of GHG emissions by 60% and increased productivity of construction by >30%. GreeNest delivers a palette of innovative solutions for new buildings, addressing all stages of the building’s life, from the design stage up to the end of the building’s lifetime and disposal stages (including re-use and recycling of components). It proposes sustainable envelope components based on low carbon and carbon-neutral market mature materials, using on-site renewable energy, reducing waste, enhancing productivity of construction through digitization and demonstrating circular economy principles. The innovative solutions will be fully demonstrated in four real and two virtual new construction projects in five countries using local and regional value chains increasing the potential for replication across Europe. The GreeNest consortium benefits from a strong industrial and commercial involvement with 11 SMEs 1 Large Company 3 Universities, 3 Associations and 2 Public bodies from 8 European countries.

SusPIRE project assimilates in its conception the sustainable energy use challenge described in the European SETPLAN and in SPIRE road map. It addresses its efforts to energy intensive industries and within this segment market to energy recovery from residual heat streams. To achieve this goal a two clearly differentiated working areas will be key aspects of this project. Technology area will include the development of materials and equipments. New Heat Transfer Fluids (HTF) and Phase Change Materials (PCM) will be the base for manufacture high efficiency heat exchangers in terms of energy capture and storage. Two Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTE) areas(low temperature range (30-50ºC) and medium (50-80ºC) will support a energy cascading concept where energy will be sequentially used and finally stored for further use or commercialized to third parties. The methodology aspects of this projects wants to establish a framework to foster the energy commercialization of surplus energy . Living areas , symbiosis with other companies in industrial parks, sports centers.. will beneficiate from cheaper energy, environmental impact reduction and social acceptance of energy intensive industrial activities. The coordination of the manufacturing and the energy recovery processes will be carried out by means of a smart methodology. A protocol definition software will deploy actions to create best practices in terms of process adjustment and operating instructions. Management concepts based on energy recovery rate as Key Process Indicator (KPI), will be integrated into the decision making mechanism of the company assuring permanent advances in this field of activity in forthcoming years.