Heerlen is committed to a circular future
Heerlen is taking an important step towards a sustainable future. The board of mayor and aldermen of the municipality of Heerlen has decided to establish the Circular Agenda 1.0 and associated Circular Roadmaps. With this, the municipality is fulfilling its ambition to be 100% circular by 2050 and to use 50% less primary raw materials by 2030.
Circular, unless
The Circular Agenda offers a clear policy framework to integrate circular working in construction and infrastructure projects. With the motto 'circular, unless', circular possibilities are always investigated and implemented, provided that they are feasible within the set frameworks of time, quality and costs.
Alderman circularity Casper Gelderblom : "The construction sector has a huge impact on the use of raw materials and CO2 emissions. By focusing as a municipality on circular area development and infrastructure, we are not only setting a good example, but we are also working on a sustainable future for Heerlen. This agenda and roadmaps provide concrete circular steps that fit perfectly within the Heerlen Sustainability Offensive."
Collaboration and measurability
The Circular Agenda contains Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that monitor the progress of the circular transition. These indicators will be implemented in phases and provide insight into the impact of projects in the field of circularity. In addition, the roadmaps have been developed in collaboration with contractors, educational institutions and housing corporations. This ensures that the plans are in line with practice and are widely supported.
Action in practice
In order for the circular transition to succeed, collaboration is essential between the municipality, various market chains and sectors, and the people of Heerlen themselves. The circular roadmap functions as a compass that not only makes our objectives and actions visible, but also discussable. This instrument brings focus and direction to the collaboration within the city and region. In this way, Heerlen is joining initiatives such as the Parkstad Circulair Implementation Programme, which sets out regional objectives and timelines. In addition, we are working with partners within the European Centre for Circular Construction and Transformation (ECCBT), a Euregional consortium that is accelerating circularity in the construction sector. Steps are also being taken locally, such as the realisation of the Circular Crafts Centre together with Rd4, which offers new opportunities for reuse and recycling in our city.
Research is also being conducted into how the circular approach can add value to tasks such as educational housing and residential construction.