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Design & Crafts Council Ireland, also a CIRCULÉIRE Member, is running the 3rd edition of the challenge – open for public vote now! 🗳️ Public vote is live now: click here and access DCCI’s Irish Business Challenge Page CIRCULÉIRE Members Farrell Furniture and ReFunk Upcycling have proceeded to the public vote in the Irish Business Design Challenge (IBDC) , a competition run by Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) , also a CIRCULÉIRE Member. The challenge involves micro, small and medium enterprises in Ireland that have designed sustainable products, services, or strategies that have benefitted their customers, communities and the environment at large.  This is the third year of the Irish Business Design Challenge. It has always highlighted the resilience, ingenuity, and creativity of Ireland’s MSMEs and it is a privilege to shine a light on these businesses. This year’s entries clearly show how a greener outlook and design thinking can come together to ensure a more sustainable outcome for businesses and their customers. Farrell Furniture and 'Do More With Less' project In 2022, Farrel Furniture was granted the CIRCULÉIRE’s Innovation Fund to run the pilot project ‘Do More With Less’, a collaborative furniture take-back and remanufacturing scheme that moves Government from green procurement to circular procurement. Farrell realised certain furniture was reaching end of life prematurely due to office trends. They brought the idea of remanufacturing furniture forward to their staff, a research institution - GMIT Letterfrack (now ATU - Atlantic Technological University) and their client - The Office of the Public Works (OPW) to jointly form a project to extend the life-cycle and honour examples of Irish furniture design. “Our aim was to set an example that circular procurement is not just achievable but it is a viable business model. And so our 'Do More With Less' project was born”, stated the company. Learn more about Do More With Less here and read Farrell Furniture’s submission to Irish Business Design Challenge here . ReFunk Upcycling ReFunk joined CIRCULÉIRE in 2022’s cohort for the Circular Venture Innovation and Mentoring Programme . They are a one-stop eCommerce platform that facilitates the buying, selling and commissioning of pre-loved and upcycled furniture through their marketplace. Their entry to the Irish Business Design Challenge states that 7 out of 8 furniture upcyclers want to scale up their business but find it difficult as there is no one platform for upcycling to enable them to do so with ease. The ReFunk platform purpose is to solve the furniture upcyclers’ problem of scaling their creative passion into a business and empowers consumers to extend the lifetime of their furniture without compromising on design, all while addressing the shocking statistic that 10 million tonnes of furniture is discarded annually in the EU.  “At ReFunk, we believe the return to local craft and the prioritisation of refurbishment of existing materials is a necessary element in the journey to decelerate climate change. Our mission is to empower consumers and craftspeople, by connecting them and facilitating the accessibility of artisan trade, for the Earth.”, stated the company. Read ReFunk Upcycling’s submission to Irish Business Design Challenge here. DCCI’s Irish Business Design Challenge Design & Crafts Council Ireland’s Irish Business Design Challenge will grant a prize fund of €15,000 each plus free publicity and promotion (winner); €2,000 each plus free publicity and promotion (runner up); and Business Mentoring plus free publicity and promotion (highly commended). CIRCULÉIRE wishes the best of luck for all competitors in this challenge. Learn more information about the challenge here . About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Industry Perspectives From c.11am to c.12:30pm as part of CIRCULEIRE’ “ Accelerating the transition to a Circular Economy ” Conference on Wednesday 24th November 2021 hear from CIRCULEIRE’s Network Industry Members as they reflect on the circular drivers, barriers, and opportunities they are encountering in the pharmaceutical, food, and consumer electronics sectors respectively. Austin Geraghty ​, Global Health, Safety & Sustainability Snr Director, Hovione will be reflecting on “ Hovione’s Sustainability Journey and the Challenge of the Circular Economy ” Brian Cloonan , General Manager, Western Proteins & By products recovery, Dawn Meats will be speaking about “Opportunities and Challenges” Elizabeth O’Reilly ​, Head of Environmental Compliance & Membership​, WEEE Ireland will be reflecting on “ Circular Opportunities in meeting the E-Waste challenge ” Paul McSweeney ​, CEO​, The ZeroNet ​​ will be speaking about how “ The circular economy needs a whole new operating system and introducing the ZeroNet ” Join our hybrid event: In person at 2021 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expo: Register Here Or virtually through Irish Manufacturing Research’s YouTube Channel: Join Virtually Here Please note if attending in person, while the event is free to attend, it will take place under COVID-19 public health guidelines – all visitors will be required to provide a vaccination certificate on arrival, valid identification and also to wear a mask for the duration of the event. About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Circular Innovation Insights From c.12:30 to 1:30pm on Wednesday, 24th November 2021, hear from CIRCULEIRE’s team and IMR’s specialists about circular innovation insights. Sophie Reynolds ​, Circular Economy Technologist​, IMR, will be reflecting on “ Circular Innovation Opportunities & Sectoral Best Practice ” Dr Mohamed Abokersh ​, Senior Circular Economy Researcher, IMR, will introduce “CIRCULÉIRE's Circular Maturity Toolkit ” Dr Damian Coughlan​ , Senior Circular Economy Researcher, IMR, will be speaking about “ CircThread: Building the digital thread for the Circular Economy” Dr Geraldine Brennan , Head of Circular Economy, IMR, will be reflecting on “ CIRCULÉIRE in 2022 and beyond... ” Join our hybrid event: In person at 2021 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expo: Register Here Or virtually through Irish Manufacturing Research’s YouTube Channel: Join Virtually Here Please note if attending in person, while the event is free to attend, it will take place under COVID-19 public health guidelines – all visitors will be required to provide a vaccination certificate on arrival, valid identification and also to wear a mask for the duration of the event. About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

Ahead of our upcoming hybrid 2021 Circular Economy Conference at National Manufacturing & Supply-Chain Expo this Wednesday, 24th November 2021 - meet our growing network of cross-sectoral members who are on the journey to transition from a linear to circular business models with support from CIRCULEIRE. Check out the Network Members: Associate Members Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Automotive Decotek Built Environment Farrell Furniture Freefoam Plastics Masonite Novum Food and Drinks Aryzta Ballina Beverages / Coca-Cola Biowave Dairy Gold Dawn Meats Kerry Group The Culinary Food Group Wyeth Nutrition Medical Devices Boston Scientific DePuy Synthes J&J Vision Care ICT/WEEE Digital Array Control Systems (DACS) European Recycling Platform FPD Recycling IQuTech Optel Group The Zero Net WEEE Ireland Wisetek Solutions Limited Packaging Automatic Plastics Limited Pharmaceutical & Chemical Brockley Group Ltd. Hovione Pfizer Second-Life Enablers Avoca Seafood Dowmann Front Row Engineering Gannon Eco Novelplast Offerre P. Carney Ltd Repak Textiles & Fashion Cirtex Design & Crafts Council Ireland I am not Virgin Join our hybrid event: In person at 2021 National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Expo: Register Here Or virtually through Irish Manufacturing Research’s YouTube Channel: Join Virtually Here Please note if attending in person, while the event is free to attend, it will take place under COVID-19 public health guidelines – all visitors will be required to provide a vaccination certificate on arrival, valid identification and also to wear a mask for the duration of the event. About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

In the pursuit of a more sustainable and resilient future, Industry 5.0 is emerging as a crucial driver of circular economy principles and overall business success. Through the power of digitization and data exchange systems, a new era of product lifecycle management is unfolding, offering profound insights into circular design and enhanced resource productivity in manufacturing processes Picture source: www.freepik.com EU's Sustainable Products Initiative: Navigating Circular Transformation The European Union's (EU) Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI) takes the lead in boosting circularity within its market. SPI integrates sustainability from product inception, with a focus on showcasing goods' circularity and eco-friendliness. Digital Passports: Empowering Sustainability Digital Product Passports (DPPs) emerge as linchpins. They gather product data, spanning material composition to circular actions like repair and recycling. Irish Manufacturing Research 's (IMR) ' CircThread ' pioneers a digital thread platform, providing users with insights from materials to manufacturing, extending product lifetimes. AI's Role in Circular Innovation Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key enabler of circular implementation, particularly in challenging areas like electronics waste. Advanced AI technologies have proven their prowess in recovering secondary raw materials from e-waste, an otherwise hazardous and complex task. Innovations such as 'RoboCRM ,' spearheaded by FPD Recycling/Peregrine Technologies , leverage AI to detect and sort electronics containing batteries. This not only aids in safe recycling but also enhances the recovery of critical raw materials. Towards a Circular Future with AI Projects like the 'AI for Circular Economy' (AI4CE), funded by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and led by IMR, signify a forward push. AI4CE investigates the potential of AI to expedite circular implementation. Through this initiative, a toolkit will be developed to empower companies in embracing AI to accelerate their circularity efforts. In essence, the fusion of digitization and Industry 5.0 holds the key to scaling up the circular economy. With data-driven insights, digital passports, and AI-powered innovations, businesses are well-equipped to drive circular transformation, benefiting not only their bottom line but also the well-being of future generations. Through these advanced strategies, the journey towards sustainability becomes a shared endeavor that promises lasting positive impact. The content from this post has been taken from the article Industry 5.0 is key to circular economy and business success written by Damien Coughlin and published by Profit with Purpose Magazine in Summer 2023 and businessnews.ie . About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners, CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

On 28th and 29th May 2024, CIRCULÉIRE participated in the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition (MASC) in the RDS Dublin, contributing to discussions on cutting-edge advancements in circular innovation. MASC is the largest manufacturing conference in Ireland with a focus on a wide range of sectors.   Day 1 Highlights : Dr Geraldine Brennan presenting on the Sustainability Stage at MASC 2024 Dr Geraldine Brennan, PhD, IMR's Head of Circular Economy and CIRCULÉIRE lead, delivered an impactful presentation on the Sustainability Stage titled "Transforming Business Models towards Circularity." Geraldine emphasised the importance of combining multiple circular strategies to unlock ESG outcomes, stating, “The transformational potential of circularity comes from combining multiple circular strategies... moreover, there are many different ESG outcomes and impacts.”   Meanwhile, IMR’s Circular Economy project funded by EPA Ireland , AI4CE project (AI for Circular Economy), took to the IoT & Industry 4.0 Stage with a presentation titled "AI-Driven Circularity: Insights & Opportunities for Irish Enterprise." Enya O'Connell Hussey and Veena Grace Thomas of IMR presenting on AI4CE on the IoT and Industry 4.0 Stage at MASC 2024 This innovative project aims to demystify AI adoption in manufacturing while advancing circular economy strategies. Enya O'Connell Hussey (Circular Economy Project Officer, IMR), highlighted the vital role of AI in this space, saying, “AI-driven circularity is more than a trend; it's the future of sustainable manufacturing.” Veena Grace Thomas, Industrial Analyst Researcher, IMR, added, “In the race towards sustainability, data science is our most powerful tool. Let's harness its potential to transform waste into wealth and redefine manufacturing.”   Day 2 Highlights : The second day of MASC saw Dr Geraldine Brennan participating in a Fireside Chat on the Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences Stage. Joined by Duncan Flack, Chairman and Global Sustainability Lead at CiPPPA and Honeywell , the discussion focused on "Closing the Loop: Advancing Sustainability in Pharmaceutical Packaging."   Dr Geraldine Brennan and Duncan Flack participating in Fireside Chat on the Pharmaceuticals & Life Science Stage at MASC 2024 Later, Geraldine joined a dynamic panel discussion on the Sustainability Stage featuring CIRCULÉIRE member Paul McSweeney ( The ZeroNet ), Mike Townsend ( Earthshine Group ), and Francis O’Haire ( Techies Go Green ). Together, they explored the challenges of transitioning from linear to circular models, spotlighting industry exemplars such as IQUTECH, The ZeroNet, Freefoam Building Products Ltd, and Evolve for their gold-standard circular transitions. Geraldine remarked, “Circular Economy is not without its challenges, but everything is to play for,” encapsulating the opportunities and obstacles in mainstreaming circularity.   Francis O'Haire, Dr Geraldine Brennan, Paul McSweeney, and Mike Townsend participating in Panel Discussion on the Sustainability Stage at MASC 2024   Spotlight on Members : CIRCULÉIRE members Huhtamaki Cup Print and IQUTECH also exhibited at MASC, exemplifying circular innovation in action. Brian McDowell and Dr Geraldine Brennan at MASC 2024 Huhtamaki’s environmentally friendly paper cups are both recyclable and compostable, setting a benchmark for sustainable packaging solutions. IQUTECH continues to lead in circularity by offering clients bespoke software solutions and consultancy services, empowering companies to meet their Sustainable Development Goals and manage circular economy activities effectively. Members of the CIRCULÉIRE and IQUTECH Teams at MASC 2024   CIRCULÉIRE: Driving the Future of Circular Innovation CIRCULÉIRE’s presence at MASC 2024 highlighted the intersection of circular innovation and manufacturing to create a more sustainable future. From showcasing AI-driven decision-making tools to demonstrating industry-leading exemplars, the event reaffirmed that the future of manufacturing is circular.

On the 19th of June 2024 Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, with responsibility for the Circular Economy and Communications, Ossian Smyth announced the call for the 2024 funding round of the Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme (CEIGS). The CEIGS grant scheme aims to support innovation and circular economy projects by social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations and businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Since being established by Minister Smyth in April 2021, almost €1.14 million has been awarded to 23 projects covering a wide range of circular economy themes including food waste, plastics, single-use plastics, packaging, construction, textiles and general waste. In 2024, total CEIGS funding of €650,000 was made available and was awarded to 13 projects. CIRCULÉIRE are delighted to celebrate three of our network members, who were awarded funding for innovative projects aimed at driving Circular Economy in Ireland   Bladebridge - BladeBridge repurposes retired wind turbine blades into sustainable infrastructure such as bridges and e-bike charging hubs.  Wind blades are made from a composite material which is incredibly strong and durable and can be used to substitute raw materials such as steel and concrete for lower carbon & lower maintenance products. Rezero - Rezero eliminates waste by preventing millions of unused cigarettes from being incinerated annually, addressing a global issue. By isolating cellulose acetate from the cigarette filters, Rezero manufactures sustainable products like buttons and eyewear frames, reducing reliance on virgin materials and supporting the circular economy in the fashion industry and beyond. Zerobin Group (TA The ZeroNet) – The ZeroNet are creating the world’s first cloud-based technology platform designed around managing the domestic recovery of e-waste with a key ethos: transforming the way in which products and materials are recovered and facilitating a transformation in high value, zero-waste recovery.

CIRCULÉIRE members and team visiting Celtic Renewables on Sighthill Ct, Edinburgh on 10th November 2025. Irish Manufacturing Research, in our capacity as the secretariat of CIRCULÉIRE in collaboration with Zero Waste Scotland, curated a multi-sectoral circular innovation exchange in September 2025 for our industry members which included multiple site visits to Scottish circularity pioneers.     During this two day trip to Scotland we travelled to Celtic Renewables in Grangemouth, to see how a lab project has grown into Scotland’s first industrial biorefinery. What began in test tubes and 50ml flasks has scaled to 100,000-litre fermenters, operating 24/7 and shipping green chemicals to customers in pharma, cosmetics, and industry.     What They Do    Celtic Renewables adapts the ABE fermentation (Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol) process to use waste and by-products instead of food crops. This makes the process both more sustainable and more commercially viable.     Key feedstocks include:     Whisky by-products (pot ale, draff)   Reject potatoes (unfit for sale or processing)   Molasses from sugar production     These are converted into bio-acetone, bio-butanol, and bioethanol — chemicals essential to modern life but currently made almost entirely from fossil fuels.     From Research to Reality    Celtic Renewables spun out of Edinburgh Napier University and was founded by Prof. Martin Tangney. Backed by a mix of private investors, government support, and crowdfunding, the company has grown from lab trials to full-scale demonstration. CEO Mark Simmers highlighted how difficult but vital financing was in getting the Grangemouth plant operational.     Circular & Environmental Benefits    Over 60% lower emissions compared with petrochemical equivalents   Waste streams become valuable inputs, cutting transport miles and supporting farmers   Potential to capture hydrogen and CO₂ by-products, further enhancing circularity   Integration with anaerobic digestion could deliver even greater efficiency and value     Why It Matters for Ireland ?  Celtic Renewables proves that by-products from distilling and agri-food can be transformed into high-value green chemicals at scale. Ireland, with its strong feedstock base and industrial clusters, is well positioned to adapt and replicate this model and explore industrial symbiosis opportunities particularly between the pharma and Agri-Food & Drinks Sector.     Conclusion    Celtic Renewables shows what happens when research, investment, and policy align: a proven process, real carbon savings, and tangible circular benefits. For Ireland, the opportunity is clear.  Our industries can seize similar models and lead in the shift to greener chemistry whilst creating jobs, cutting emissions and advancing the circular bioeconomy.     IMR in its capacity as designer and lead of CIRCULÉIRE are delighted to represent our members as circular economy experts in DAFM’s National Bioeconomy Implementation Forum which explores how to scale circular bioeconomy in Ireland.      🔗 Learn More     2021 Circular Bioeconomy Report   (This report was co-designed and delivered by IMR in collaboration with the Irish Bioeconomy Foundation who are developing the National Bioeconomy Campus in Lisheen Mine).   2021 Circular Food & Drinks Good Practice Sectoral Guide   2021 Circular Agriculture & Biobased Industries Good Practice Sectoral Guide   For a great example of a CIRCULÉIRE member pioneering biotech solutions, take a look at Niskus Biotech or our case studies on Irish agrifood companies pioneering the bioeconomy such as Meade Farm  and Monaghan Mushrooms .      #CircularEconomy #LetsGetCircular #GreenChemicals #Innovation #CircularBioEconomy #Biorefinery #CoLocation #IndustrialSymbiosis

Jackie Rafferty (HPE) welcoming and hosting CIRCULÉIRE members and team during their visit to the HPE facilities on Erskine Ferry Road, Bishopton, Scotland, on on 9th November 2025. Irish Manufacturing Research, in our capacity as the secretariat of CIRCULÉIRE in collaboration with Zero Waste Scotland, curated a multi-sectoral circular innovation exchange in September 2025 for our industry members which included multiple site visits to Scottish circularity pioneers.     During this international trip we visited HPE’s Technology Renewal Centre in Erskine, where they are redefining how we view aged IT such as laptops and servers - treating used technology not as waste, but as a valuable resource. Through their Technology Renewal Centres, HPE extend the lifecycle of equipment, unlock funds from existing technology and return that value to their customers.       Why does this matter?   E-waste is no longer just a waste management problem.  It is a strategic, economic, and environmental challenge. According to The Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 , the world generated 62 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, an 82% increase since 2010 and is on track to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030. Despite Europe having the highest collection rate globally (42.8%), over half of e-waste still escapes formal systems, resulting in lost critical raw materials and avoidable emissions.      The problem to solve    Much of today’s discarded IT equipment such as laptops, desktops, monitor and servers still hold significant economic and functional value. Premature disposal leads to resource depletion, increased demand for virgin materials, and escalating CO₂ emissions from manufacturing new devices. In Ireland, per capita e-waste generation is among the highest in the world (20,6 kg per person), yet collection rates remain under 50% .      Circular strategies: a better way forward    Recycling alone cannot close the gap. Circular strategies and practices like as-is reuse, refurbishment, and remanufacturing can keep ICT products in use for longer, extending life-spans and reducing the need for virgin resource extraction.     Reuse ensures devices find a second life through redeployment or resale as-is.   Refurbishment inspects reported faults with a view to restoring equipment to a high-quality for resale / extended life.   Remanufacturing goes further by rebuilding products to a guaranteed to perform “as new” standards whilst saving costs and related emissions.     These circular strategies offer measurable business and environmental benefits, including lower total cost of ownership and reduced Scope 3 emissions.  Over the past 3 years, HPE returned 9.5 million IT assets (including laptops, servers) to use achieving a 96% resale rate for laptops and 84% for servers.  Interestingly what is key to HPE’s takeback and resale success is the financing they provide companies to rekit their new products whilst taking back their outdated ICT – an approach that could be replicated by others.    Irish Context - Role of EPRs & Public Procurement as a Catalyst   In an Irish context, WEEE Ireland , one of the two national e-waste Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance schemes, is moving beyond a recycling-first approach to embrace as-is reuse, repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing initiatives to co-develop the Irish circular electronics and IT ecosystems required to keep products in use for longer and unlock greater value from recovered materials.      Ireland’s Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria for ICT (2024) include clear requirements for the supply of refurbished or remanufactured equipment, enabling the Public Sector to lead by example, embedding circularity into procurement frameworks, setting market expectations, and stimulating demand for circular business models.       What can you do?     Whether you’re in the public or private sector, now is the time to reimagine your IT asset strategy: think beyond traditional ownership, explore leasing and as-a-service models, integrate remanufactured and refurbished equipment into your procurement and IT Asset Disposition  strategies. This strategy defines how an organisation securely, responsibly, and efficiently manages end of life IT assets. It covers data sanitisation, reuse, refurbishment, resale, recycling and compliant disposal to minimise data risk, reduce environmental impact, and maximise recover value.    By giving ICT technology a longer use-life, we can protect critical raw materials , reduce emissions, and unlock value, demonstrating that waste can be transformed into a resource.   IMR are proud to be leading the Irish pilot of the Interreg NWE CircularShift project which seeks to accelerate the transition to a circular economy by scaling up circular procurement practices for frequently purchased public-sector products such as phones, laptops, and workwear across 5 regions Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Ireland.     In 2026 IMR will reach out to organizations across Ireland's public procurement landscape and value chain partners to understand training needs and unlock new opportunities. We will also establish a dynamic working group centered on a procurement pilot for laptops or phones and host an innovative "Meet Your Supplier" event.  Watch this space for details as plans take shape!   🔗 Learn More     CIRCULÉIRE (2024) Remanufacturing Insights Report    CIRCULEIRE (2022) Circular ICT /EEE Good Practice Sectoral Guide   CIRCULÉIRE Member Case Study – Green IT

CIRCULÉIRE members and team visiting Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE‑ST) on Watt Place, Glasgow, Scotland, on 10th November 2025. Irish Manufacturing Research, in our capacity as the secretariat of CIRCULÉIRE in collaboration with Zero Waste Scotland, curated a multi-sectoral circular innovation exchange in September 2025 for our industry members which included multiple site visits to Scottish circularity pioneers.     Whilst in Glasgow in we visited with two organisations who have been rolling their sleeves up on how best to direct cutting-edge circular innovation practices to transform the construction sector. Built Environment - Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) is Scotland's national innovation centre for construction and the built environment which is also home to the Mass Timber Centre of Excellence – a centre which exists to redesign Scotland’s approach to delivering the built environment to meet the demands of climate change and the housing crisis and also lead the neighbouring Scotland’s National Retrofit Centre.     The background   The construction sector’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions account for  approximately 40% of global GHG emissions   – about one-third from the construction phase, and the remaining two-thirds from buildings in use ( WEF, 2021 ). Here in Ireland, we are simultaneously facing a severe shortage of housing. Recent Housing Commission estimates find underlying shortages range from 212,500 to 256,000 homes ( Social Justice Ireland, 2024 ).     Reducing the emissions and environmental footprint of the sector - whilst steadily meeting the scale of demand - requires innovative ways to build more sustainable, low-impact and affordable housing at scale and speed.     At BE-ST, we spoke with Hannah Lundstrom, Impact Manager, who highlighted the significant impacts of the built environment on people and planet: the UK construction sector contributes 45% of emissions, 50% of waste, and 60% of material consumption. BE-ST seeks to transform the sector, focusing on circular economy projects, off-site manufacturing, sustainable, bio-based materials (like cross-laminate timber and hemp insultation) and retrofits. Key achievements to date include generating £1.8 billion in additional revenue and launching 386 new products, including a brick made from recycled construction waste.    The promise of these solutions is clear. Take for instance the Nest House prototype - a sustainable, quick, and efficient timber modular housing solution – which can be fully fabricated for around £70K in under three days. The prototype is the result of a partnership with Social Bite, a charity with a mission to end homelessness, which partnered with Ecosystems Technologies to create an innovative housing solution for their Social Bite Villages. In early 2026, one such ‘Recovery Village’ will be created in Dundee Village, offering fifteen houses, a communal community hub to support people struggling with homelessness and addiction.      The homes are net-zero carbon and built with local, sustainable materials, supporting both the environment and local economies. While still niche, this approach presents a blueprint for how we might tackle homelessness - by providing affordable housing rapidly, integrating circular innovation, local supply chains, and minimal on-site disruption. The villages also offer a holistic housing-first type solution for those facing homelessness and addiction, by creating a communal support system, including skills training and recovery services. Social Bite plans to expand with new villages in Dundee and South Lanarkshire by 2026.    Just a couple of hundred metres away, we visited another lighthouse example of circular construction in practice - Scotland’s National Retrofit Centre. Also led by BE-ST and supported by the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund, it offers a fabric-first approach using natural, locally sourced and sustainable materials alongside modern construction methods. The Centre is poised to tackle yet another major barrier facing the sector – the shortage of skilled labour. Parallels with the challenges facing us here in Ireland are evident here too: we will needs thousands of workers to be trained with retrofitting skills to hit our 2030 targets of upgrading 500,000 houses to a B2 Building Energy Rating (BER) or better . The Centre offers apprenticeships, trainings and a learning hub to equip a new generation of workers with the necessary skills to future-fit our homes.     Our recent trip demonstrates the value in ongoing learning and exchange with our international neighbours about novel and holistic approaches to meet the scale of the challenges ahead and IMR is poised to collaborate with key ecosystem stakeholders like Irish Green Building Council, WoodConnect, Construct Innovate and Mount Lucas Training Centre to further the deployment of circular practices in the construction sector.       🔗 Learn More     CIRCULÉIRE Circular Construction & Built Environment Good Practice Guide     For great examples of CIRCULÉIRE members pioneering built environment solutions, take a look at our case study on BladeBridge and Arcology .

Youtube Video: All-Island Circular Venture Awards 2025 Highlights, 27th November 2025. For our closing round-up of the 2025 All-Island Circular Venture Awards, we present our highlights video showcasing all the elements of a successful event -  speeches from Minister of State with responsibility for Circular Economy, Alan Dillon TD and Micheal Cassidy IMR CTO; all the shortlisted companies, expert judges, ESB’s fantastic venue, circular award fabrication, the audience, award giving by Martina Hennessy, Department of Climate, Energy & the Environment (DCEE) and a collective team effort!   Congratulations again to our winners Mary O´Riordan and Lisa O´Riordan from  HaPPE Earth  with their transformation of single-use PPE into a circular solution, replacing plastics with compostable materials, converting waste into fertiliser, and delivering ESG insights cutting costs, carbon, and complexity. Having seen their sharp, passionate and precise pitch, we were thrilled that the judges chose HaPPE Earth to take the award home! HaPPE Earth embodies   circular innovation, excellence, execution strength, commercial viability, and a persevering, pioneering vision.   Congratulations to Adam Hankin from  Gemell  Technology, first finalist with their digital solution for the textile sector to reduce unnecessary sample waste through data driven 3D visualisation and analytics.  Gemell   Technology pioneers digitally based technologies that make it easy for actors and supply chains to reduce waste and scale sustainably. We were delighted Adam’s engaging presentation about Gemell’s digital twins of fibre, yarn and fabric earned the venture second place!   Congratulations to Lavanya Bhandari   from  Ecoroots , second finalist with its data-driven compostable mycelium packaging.  Ecoroots’ holistic circularity story exemplifies the systemic level of change required to bring the circular economy to life. We were extremely happy to see how Lavanya’s visually stunning presentation connected with the audience and gained Ecoroots third place.   We look forward to the 2026 All-Island Circular Venture Awards! Keep an eye on our socials for updates.

Geraldine Brennan (IMR/CIRCULÉIRE), Gareth McAllister (Ahascragh Distillery), Daina Vaz (IMR), and Colm Martin (SEAI) at IMR’s Network Symposium on 20th November. Industrial heat is the backbone of manufacturing, powering everything from food processing to metal production. In the month of November, CIRCULÉIRE held Enabling Circularity in Energy Systems , a webinar about Power to Heat (P2H) and Thermal Storage (TES) as a route for decarbonising energy in Irish Industry, which evidenced how the conversation around decarbonisation of heat is shifting toward heat electrification.  Co-authors of the guide and IMR’s Sustainability and Energy Researchers,  Elahe Bolhasani , and  Davis Rusmanis , offered an overview of the seven available technologies to implement P2H and TES solutions to maximise resource efficiency, cut emissions and reduce costs within the Irish landscape. The overview included case studies where these technically and commercially viable technologies have been deployed in Ireland and other countries in Europe.   Ireland’s strong pharmaceutical and food industries make it an ideal candidate for heat electrification. However, adoption here trails behind Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, where public-private collaboration and knowledge sharing have accelerated progress.  Diana Vaz , co-author of the guide and IMR’s Senior Programme Manager, concluded the session with current barriers and next steps for the Irish context, where electrification of heat continues to be a decarbonisation gap.    Vaz explained the areas of focus to close this gap, such as reducing electricity costs and improving grid access, strengthening technical support, aligning incentives, and building industry capacity through pilots and staff training. She also outlined steps for industrial sites to adopt P2H and TES solutions, including mapping heat demand, assessing feasibility of mature solutions or exploring onsite renewables options.   Vaz ended the session inviting attendees to take part in a  collaboration survey  aiming to develop practical methodologies and tools for identifying the best electrified heat solutions for industry. The conversation was chaired by Circular Economy Best Practice and Toolkits Lead, Paul McCormack Cooney, who opened the event with a brief introduction about Circular Economy and CIRCULÉIRE´s publicly available range of sectoral guides .   Geraldine Brennan (Director of Circular Economy Innovation, IMR/CIRCULÉIRE) presenting the 11th Good Practice Guide during IMR’s Network Symposium on 20th November. The webinar provided some insights from CIRCULÉIRE’s 11 th  Good Practise Sectoral Guide,   Industrial Power-to-Heat: Enabling Circularity in Energy Systems ,   which was also discussed and launched at the discussion panel Electrification of Heat: Strengthening Energy Resilience and Sustainability  during IMR’s Network Symposium on 20 th  November, with the participation of Dr Geraldine Brennan, Director of Circular Economy Innovation at IMR and editor to the guide; co-author of the guide and IMR’s Senior Programme Manager, Diana Vaz; Manager of EXEED Program at SEAI, Colm Martin; and Founder & Managing Director at Ahascragh Distillery, Gareth McAllister.