Competence Centre for Circular Construction in Winterthur

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On 1 November 2024, Wick Upcyling GmbH will open the first-of-a-kind Competence Centre for Circular Construction in Switzerland. Supported by the Chair of Circular Engineering for Architecture (CEA) at ETH, the center combines professional practice with research and education towards principles of circular construction. At the heart of this Centre is the production and exchange of knowledge and the documentation of reuse processes to make circular construction more accessible and tangible for the public. Over the past years, momentum has been built to push Switzerland’s construction industry towards circularity. The motivation for reuse is omnipresent, the necessary knowhow is available, but the thorough implementation is yet missing. More hands-on work is needed to test, fail, loop feedback and to eventually become more experienced towards the systematic reuse of building components.Together with the CEA Lab from ETH, industry partners, local politicians and experienced consultants, a place is created for the transfer of practical knowhow regarding the principles of circular construction. The sharing of insights from real-life applications will contribute to ameliorate processes in upcoming reuse projects. Digital platforms like the Library of Reuse or Reuzi can be linked to share the documentation of exemplary projects of reuse, methods for efficient disassembly and the processing of materials for further life cycles. Workshops and lectures offered at the Competence Centre further facilitate accessibility to the general public towards accomplishing reuse projects on an individual, private scale. In addition, a building situated at Ruemikerstrasse 43 in Winterthur serves as a physical hub for Circular Construction with an area of about 1’000 m2, supplying reuse materials on a more systematic and industrial scale.Why is all of this necessary?Implementation processes with and for reuse are time-consuming and responsible actors often lack experience. Hence, the implementation of circular construction with reused materials is still limited and the impact is still low. Many challenges remain present and prevent scalability of reuse in the construction sector. Some challenges to implementing reuse on a wider scale have been identified as:A lack of experience in the work with reused componentsDifficulty to find and gather informationLimited time to search for circular materialsLack of financial incentives for reuseThe knowledge on how to properly dismantle existing building elements is missing due to the very few opportunities for hands-on learning, but also the lack of documentation.Who?The team of Wick Upcycling brings the needed expertise to develop the competence center with more than six years practical experience in the planning and implementation of the disassembly of materials and the logistics of their reuse. In the past, Wick Upcycling has worked with numerous partners like: baubüro insitu, Zirkular, Studio reuse, RE-WIN and Empa. Further, a series of workshops in collaboration with the CAS “Regenerative Materials” and the CEA Lab has been successfully carried out to train future generations in not only dismantling processes but also reversible construction techniques. Wick Upcycling currently successfully runs several initiatives like Wiederverwerkle in Winterthur (an upcycling workshop with wood and metal), doitBrocki (a machine rental and used machine shop) and a depot with 600m2 used material and construction elements.The Chair of Circular Engineering for Architecture at ETH conducts innovative research in digital transformation for circular construction. Numerous tools like reality capture, tracking and tracing components with material passports, complex life cycle assessments, extended reality, digital fabrication and artificial intelligence (AI) are being tested and explored within the realm of teaching and research. Experiences, pioneers, projects and building materials are documented and stored on digital platforms, such as the “Library of Reuse”, which allows for easier access and better communication between stakeholders. The Competence Centre for Circular Construction aims to contribute to the digital story-telling for reuse. It further offers room for application, development and teaching of the principles of circularity to future generations of designers, planners and builders. Zehnder Holzhandel AG is a merchant enterprise specialized in timber. They have a wide assortment of wood products and a wide palette of modern machinery facilitating the processing of wood and wood-based materials. Zehnder Holzhandel AG is a well established company in Winterthur and a strong industry partner in the realization of the project. As they are currently tenants at the Rümikerstrasse 41 and will be the future neighbors of the Competence Centre for Circular Construction.Synergies will be established to foster systematic material reuse within the wood industry.Moreover, Barbara Buser, an architect with over 30 years of experience in reuse, coaches the team in setting up a business plan. Councilor Anetta Steiner of the municipality of Winterthur has expressed her full support to continue developing the project. Further, Swiss companies and foundations like Coop or Umwelt Arena Schweiz have expressed interest in the contribution of specialists and the transfer of knowledge as well as potential funding for pilot projects.Hence, the team is multi-faceted, interdisciplinary and highly competent to successfully develop the Competence Center for Circular Construction. For whom?The peopleThe threshold for using reuse material is lowered. The wide range of materials in the shop, as well as the expert knowhow provided, fosters participation. By carrying out distinct reuse projects and interacting with experts and peers, the learning effect is guaranteed.The craftspeopleAccording to our own experience with craftspeople, they are becoming increasingly interested in the domain of reuse. Not only the construction, but also the dismantling becomes a field of interest. Especially, the thereby gained knowledge about mounting systems By accompanying the whole process, experts share important knowhow which they acquired by working day by day with corresponding material and machinery.The institutionsThe already existing Collaboration with research institutions like the ETHZ and FHWN will be enhanced. The Wick Upcycling GmbH continues running dismantling and reuse workshops. Students are welcomed to propose distinct projects and carry them out at the reuse Center. PhD Candidates might propose projects to optimize the process of reuse in e.g. information, tracking, storage systems, dismantling.The public handThe city of Winterthur will be supported to achieve its climate goal of Netto zero until 2040. The new reuse Hub will strengthen the location of Winterthur by offering a unique solution with low level access for everyone to know how. The City will become even more attractive for investors and the population by supporting this pioneer project.How does your challenge have a positive impact on the planet?Waste reductionCO2 emission reductionLess raw material extractionLess transport of goodsAppreciation of local craftsmanshipBoosting local economyEducation and sharing of knowledgeProducing knowhow by developing reuse projects and carry them outEnlarge lifespan of material, keeping them in the loopDeveloping a concept which can be applied in other parts of Switzerland or the worldEnabling circular constructionHas your idea been tested before?In Switzerland, several initiatives exist to make reused materials more accessible. Either through virtual platforms (useagain.ch, salza.ch etc.), chats to share information, or physically with so called “Bauteilbörsen”. But searching for materials remains a laborious process for people, especially if they don’t have any prior experience in reuse. The association Matériuum, based in Geneva and Lausanne, has given practical workshops on the topic of reuse similarly to Wick Upcycling. On (de-)construction sites, participants actively dismantle building elements to improve their craft skills and learn about different mounting systems. The economical value of a material as well as envisioning what to make with it, is also part of the course. While facing the sheer amount of what is being disposed, stimulates looking for and working with reuse materials, the inaccessibility to construction sites for the regular person and the intricate process to find these materials remains an obstacle. This issue can be tackled by providing a Competence Centre for Circular Construction a place to encounter highly competent people. Professional craftspeople would accompany the whole process of individual project development, relying on their experience and sharing their knowhow. Hence, it becomes easier for people to work with reuse material as the venue provides a wide assortment and tools in order to not having to rely on primary materials, while at the same time offering qualitative and experienced guidance. The holistic approach of combining practice with education and research strengthens the exchange and makes use of synergies. With the future Competence Center the daily work of both the CEA and Wick Upcycling which aims to push the circular building economy can be intensified further. More workshops will be held directly on construction site not only for educational stakeholders but also companies. Disassembly work will be intensified while increasing the awareness in other construction companies for circular processes. The wide assortment of secondary materials at Ruemikerstrasse 43 and the competent craftspeople provides low level access for everyone. Through this initiative and the contribution of the CBI Booster circularity in the construction industry can be taken to the next level and have an impact as big as possible.The Competence Center for Circular Construction positions itself to make the reuse of materials less expensive and to improve the management of information and time. Highly skilled craftspeople, such as carpenters, locksmiths and architects with experience in practical reuse assist in the individual project development, making the reuse of material more accessible to everyone.What are you planning on working on throughout the booster?With the support of the booster, the Competence Center for Circular Construction will be further developed. In the future KPIs will be defined to measure progress towards the SDGs, especially during the operation phase from November 2024 onwards.The Chair of Circular Engineering for Architecture at ETH contributes to on-site workshops and lectures with researchers, students and experts. In a collaborative manner, different case studies are developed and documented to gain hands-on experience. The goal is to establish a physical hub for circular construction operations and the integration of digital platforms and tools. Public awareness campaigns and outreach will provide a framework for evaluation and monitoring of circular case studies and allow for similar centers and systems to grow into other regions. Collaborations with existing initiatives are promoted to make use of synergies.What are you expecting from the booster?The booster will support this ambitious project through financial contribution, marketing and networking. This support will contribute to real impact on climate change and continue the important work on implementing circular construction in the industry.How will you abstract the 3rd party funding?Studio Buser will support the project as 3rd party support.

Project Idea Metadata

Project Idea Name: Competence Centre for Circular Construction in Winterthur
Date: 3/15/2024 1:50:36 PM
Administrators:
- Philip Kaiser

Project Idea Description

Over the past years, momentum has been built to push Switzerland’s construction industry towards circularity. The motivation for reuse is omnipresent, the necessary knowhow is available, but the thorough implementation is yet missing. More hands-on work is needed to test, fail, loop feedback and to eventually become more experienced towards the systematic reuse of building components.

Together with the CEA Lab from ETH, industry partners, local politicians and experienced consultants, a place is created for the transfer of practical knowhow regarding the principles of circular construction. The sharing of insights from real-life applications will contribute to ameliorate processes in upcoming reuse projects. Digital platforms like the Library of Reuse or Reuzi can be linked to share the documentation of exemplary projects of reuse, methods for efficient disassembly and the processing of materials for further life cycles. Workshops and lectures offered at the Competence Centre further facilitate accessibility to the general public towards accomplishing reuse projects on an individual, private scale. In addition, a building situated at Ruemikerstrasse 43 in Winterthur serves as a physical hub for Circular Construction with an area of about 1’000 m2, supplying reuse materials on a more systematic and industrial scale.

Why is all of this necessary?

Implementation processes with and for reuse are time-consuming and responsible actors often lack experience. Hence, the implementation of circular construction with reused materials is still limited and the impact is still low. Many challenges remain present and prevent scalability of reuse in the construction sector. Some challenges to implementing reuse on a wider scale have been identified as:

A lack of experience in the work with reused components
Difficulty to find and gather information
Limited time to search for circular materials
Lack of financial incentives for reuse

The knowledge on how to properly dismantle existing building elements is missing due to the very few opportunities for hands-on learning, but also the lack of documentation.

Who?

The team of Wick Upcycling brings the needed expertise to develop the competence center with more than six years practical experience in the planning and implementation of the disassembly of materials and the logistics of their reuse. In the past, Wick Upcycling has worked with numerous partners like: baubüro insitu, Zirkular, Studio reuse, RE-WIN and Empa. Further, a series of workshops in collaboration with the CAS “Regenerative Materials” and the CEA Lab has been successfully carried out to train future generations in not only dismantling processes but also reversible construction techniques. Wick Upcycling currently successfully runs several initiatives like Wiederverwerkle in Winterthur (an upcycling workshop with wood and metal), doitBrocki (a machine rental and used machine shop) and a depot with 600m2 used material and construction elements.

The Chair of Circular Engineering for Architecture at ETH conducts innovative research in digital transformation for circular construction. Numerous tools like reality capture, tracking and tracing components with material passports, complex life cycle assessments, extended reality, digital fabrication and artificial intelligence (AI) are being tested and explored within the realm of teaching and research. Experiences, pioneers, projects and building materials are documented and stored on digital platforms, such as the “Library of Reuse”, which allows for easier access and better communication between stakeholders. The Competence Centre for Circular Construction aims to contribute to the digital story-telling for reuse. It further offers room for application, development and teaching of the principles of circularity to future generations of designers, planners and builders.

Zehnder Holzhandel AG is a merchant enterprise specialized in timber. They have a wide assortment of wood products and a wide palette of modern machinery facilitating the processing of wood and wood-based materials. Zehnder Holzhandel AG is a well established company in Winterthur and a strong industry partner in the realization of the project. As they are currently tenants at the Rümikerstrasse 41 and will be the future neighbors of the Competence Centre for Circular Construction.Synergies will be established to foster systematic material reuse within the wood industry.

Moreover, Barbara Buser, an architect with over 30 years of experience in reuse, coaches the team in setting up a business plan. Councilor Anetta Steiner of the municipality of Winterthur has expressed her full support to continue developing the project. Further, Swiss companies and foundations like Coop or Umwelt Arena Schweiz have expressed interest in the contribution of specialists and the transfer of knowledge as well as potential funding for pilot projects.

Hence, the team is multi-faceted, interdisciplinary and highly competent to successfully develop the Competence Center for Circular Construction.

For whom?

The people

The threshold for using reuse material is lowered. The wide range of materials in the shop, as well as the expert knowhow provided, fosters participation. By carrying out distinct reuse projects and interacting with experts and peers, the learning effect is guaranteed.

The craftspeople

According to our own experience with craftspeople, they are becoming increasingly interested in the domain of reuse. Not only the construction, but also the dismantling becomes a field of interest. Especially, the thereby gained knowledge about mounting systems

By accompanying the whole process, experts share important knowhow which they acquired by working day by day with corresponding material and machinery.

The institutions

The already existing Collaboration with research institutions like the ETHZ and FHWN will be enhanced. The Wick Upcycling GmbH continues running dismantling and reuse workshops. Students are welcomed to propose distinct projects and carry them out at the reuse Center. PhD Candidates might propose projects to optimize the process of reuse in e.g. information, tracking, storage systems, dismantling.

The public hand

The city of Winterthur will be supported to achieve its climate goal of Netto zero until 2040. The new reuse Hub will strengthen the location of Winterthur by offering a unique solution with low level access for everyone to know how. The City will become even more attractive for investors and the population by supporting this pioneer project.

How does your challenge have a positive impact on the planet?

Waste reduction
CO2 emission reduction
Less raw material extraction
Less transport of goods
Appreciation of local craftsmanship
Boosting local economy
Education and sharing of knowledge
Producing knowhow by developing reuse projects and carry them out
Enlarge lifespan of material, keeping them in the loop
Developing a concept which can be applied in other parts of Switzerland or the world
Enabling circular construction

Has your idea been tested before?

In Switzerland, several initiatives exist to make reused materials more accessible. Either through virtual platforms (useagain.ch, salza.ch etc.), chats to share information, or physically with so called “Bauteilbörsen”. But searching for materials remains a laborious process for people, especially if they don’t have any prior experience in reuse.

The association Matériuum, based in Geneva and Lausanne, has given practical workshops on the topic of reuse similarly to Wick Upcycling. On (de-)construction sites, participants actively dismantle building elements to improve their craft skills and learn about different mounting systems. The economical value of a material as well as envisioning what to make with it, is also part of the course. While facing the sheer amount of what is being disposed, stimulates looking for and working with reuse materials, the inaccessibility to construction sites for the regular person and the intricate process to find these materials remains an obstacle.

This issue can be tackled by providing a Competence Centre for Circular Construction a place to encounter highly competent people. Professional craftspeople would accompany the whole process of individual project development, relying on their experience and sharing their knowhow. Hence, it becomes easier for people to work with reuse material as the venue provides a wide assortment and tools in order to not having to rely on primary materials, while at the same time offering qualitative and experienced guidance.

The holistic approach of combining practice with education and research strengthens the exchange and makes use of synergies. With the future Competence Center the daily work of both the CEA and Wick Upcycling which aims to push the circular building economy can be intensified further. More workshops will be held directly on construction site not only for educational stakeholders but also companies. Disassembly work will be intensified while increasing the awareness in other construction companies for circular processes. The wide assortment of secondary materials at Ruemikerstrasse 43 and the competent craftspeople provides low level access for everyone. Through this initiative and the contribution of the CBI Booster circularity in the construction industry can be taken to the next level and have an impact as big as possible.

The Competence Center for Circular Construction positions itself to make the reuse of materials less expensive and to improve the management of information and time. Highly skilled craftspeople, such as carpenters, locksmiths and architects with experience in practical reuse assist in the individual project development, making the reuse of material more accessible to everyone.

What are you planning on working on throughout the booster?

With the support of the booster, the Competence Center for Circular Construction will be further developed. In the future KPIs will be defined to measure progress towards the SDGs, especially during the operation phase from November 2024 onwards.

The Chair of Circular Engineering for Architecture at ETH contributes to on-site workshops and lectures with researchers, students and experts. In a collaborative manner, different case studies are developed and documented to gain hands-on experience. The goal is to establish a physical hub for circular construction operations and the integration of digital platforms and tools.

Public awareness campaigns and outreach will provide a framework for evaluation and monitoring of circular case studies and allow for similar centers and systems to grow into other regions. Collaborations with existing initiatives are promoted to make use of synergies.

What are you expecting from the booster?

The booster will support this ambitious project through financial contribution, marketing and networking. This support will contribute to real impact on climate change and continue the important work on implementing circular construction in the industry.

How will you abstract the 3rd party funding?

Studio Buser will support the project as 3rd party support.

On 1 November 2024, Wick Upcyling GmbH will open the first-of-a-kind Competence Centre for Circular Construction in Switzerland. Supported by the Chair of Circular Engineering for Architecture (CEA) at ETH, the center combines professional practice with research and education towards principles of circular construction. At the heart of this Centre is the production and exchange of knowledge and the documentation of reuse processes to make circular construction more accessible and tangible for the public.