News
06 Dec 2024

Glavbolgarstroy and partners presented the progress of the MOBICCON-PRO project in Brussels

At the end of November 2024, the partners in the international research project MOBICCON-PRO gathered in Brussels to review in detail the progress made in achieving the objectives of the initiative, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe programme. Progress meetings are held every six months and are a key element of the project's governance mechanism, helping to identify difficulties in a timely manner as well as solutions to address them. They also provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and plan next steps, both in terms of achieving the project objectives in particular and in the wider context of the circular economy and sustainable construction.

The partners involved in MOBICCON-PRO presented reports on the implementation of the individual commitments and the different activities included in them against the set timeframe. They also discussed the activities of the already established Territorial Cluster Centre, which functions as a hub for collaboration, knowledge sharing and resource management. The Centre, administratively located in the town of Sofia, is supported by members of the consortium as well as municipalities, NGOs, small and medium enterprises and academic institutions.

The team reported on the final phase of the commissioning and testing of the mobile pilot plant for processing of inert construction and demolition waste, located in Sofia, which is designed to recycle the materials directly on site. The meeting also highlighted the potential of innovative construction products created from recycled fractions as part of efforts to change existing construction practices towards sustainable ones.

The demonstration and validation of the practical application of the solutions developed within the MOBICCON-PRO project was also discussed. In addition, partners focused on selective demolition practices and technologies that are being used to improve resource recovery during dismantling as part of efforts to promote circular construction.

During the meeting, the project partners visited the recycling centre of the Belgian company G&A De Meuter, a leader in the processing of construction waste and materials from demolished buildings. The company, established in 1977, is proven as one of the leaders in the field of earth and demolition works. It operates the two main recycling centres in the Brussels metropolitan area. The recycling centre in Grimbergen, spread over 8 hectares, receives hundreds of tonnes of inert construction waste which, after processing, is used as a substitute for virgin materials in the construction process. At the sorting centre in Neder-Over-Hambeck, on the other hand, the construction waste undergoes mechanical and manual sorting, resulting in high-quality and reusable materials. The company is also actively investing in innovation and recycling technologies, enabling it to achieve high levels of processing of incoming volumes and minimising the need to landfill residual waste.

The presence of the MOBICCON-PRO team on site provided a valuable opportunity to learn about innovative processes for collecting, sorting and recycling construction waste into valuable resources. As the project moves into its next phase of implementation and validation, MOBICCON-PRO remains committed to advancing the principles of circular economy and sustainable construction. Upcoming activities will include additional training sessions, technical visits, and pilot demonstrations to ensure the continued development of the initiative and the realization of its stated goals.

About the project:

MOBICCON-PRO is an international research project in the field of circular economy in the construction sector funded by the EU Horizon Europe programme. The aim of the project is to develop, introduce and demonstrate innovative circular solutions to recover resources from construction and demolition waste and to reduce the consumption of primary construction materials, by applying selective demolition, innovative recycling and the production of high quality recycled and innovative construction materials and products.

The project is being developed by a consortium of 10 European organisations led by Glavbolgarstroy. It involves partners from France, Belgium, Denmark, Bulgaria and Serbia. Bulgarian construction holding is playing a leading role in the project, coordinating and managing key activities including the development of innovative technological solutions for recycling and the creation of new construction products and materials for subsequent testing and validation. The company is a key driver in the integration of circular economy principles in the construction sector in the country and in the SEE region and is actively involved in collaborating with international partners to achieve sustainable solutions in the sector.