Klo +

AI Quick Summary

The initiative promotes the recovery, refurbishment, and reuse of sanitary objects (sinks, toilets, urinals) to reduce waste in the construction industry. By integrating reuse processes into demolition, renovation, and procurement, the project enables cities, contractors, and developers to access high-quality second-life sanitary products. The approach includes quality testing, logistics coordination, and training programs to create a scalable, circular economy solution for sanitary materials. What challenge in the circular building and construction industry does your idea address? (max. 50 words)Sanitary objects are rarely reused due to perceived hygiene risks, lack of standardized recovery processes, and fragmented supply chains. This results in unnecessary waste and high CO₂ emissions from manufacturing new products. The initiative tackles these barriers by creating logistical, quality, and market solutions for second-life sanitary objects.What is your vision for solving this challenge, and why is your approach innovative? Who will benefit from a solution to this problem? (max. 200 words)Our vision is a scalable and standardized process for dismantling, reconditioning, and reselling sanitary objects, ensuring they meet safety and aesthetic standards.Innovations include:Public recovery protocols: Guidelines for safe dismantling, transport, and cleaning.Quality assurance framework: Inspection and certification process to address hygiene concerns.Marketplace integration: Connecting recovered sanitary objects to construction firms, municipalities, and private buyers.Training & workforce development: Collaboration with BTVZ and others to integrate sanitary reuse into vocational programs.Who benefits?Construction industry: Developers and contractors access cost-effective, sustainable materials and reduce material use and disposal. Cities & municipalities: Reduced waste disposal costs and lower environmental impact. Additional jobs opportunities can open.Circular economy entrepreneurs: Opportunities in reconditioning, logistics, planning and resale.This approach mainstreams sanitary reuse into construction workflows, creating a viable circular market.How could your idea positively impact the planet, people, or economy in the future? (max. 100 words)Planet: Reduces CO₂ emissions and waste from ceramic and porcelain production.People: Creates jobs in deconstruction, sanitation, and resale, while improving workforce skills.Economy: Provides affordable sanitary solutions, reduces disposal costs, and promotes circular business models.With proper scaling, thousands of sanitary objects can be diverted from landfill annually, transforming waste into value while reducing the construction sector's ecological footprint.What assumptions or ideas do you want to test? What do you plan to work on during the booster program, and what is your goal to deliver at the end? (max. 200 words)We will test:Technical feasibility: Can sanitary objects be efficiently recovered, cleaned, and resold at scale?Market demand: Will contractors and municipalities buy certified second-life sanitary products?Economic viability: Do cost savings on materials and waste disposal justify reuse investments?Booster Program Focus:Refine collection & refurbishment protocols.Identify buyers & distribution channels.Launch pilot projects with partner cities.Evaluate cost-benefit & environmental impact.Deliverable at the end: A tested reuse framework with clear recovery, cleaning, and resale processes, along with pilot sales data and policy recommendations.Has your idea been tested before? If yes, what were the results, and what remains to be tested? (max. 100 words)Pilot projects in small-scale deconstruction sites have shown that sanitary objects can be successfully recovered and reused with hygiene assurances. However, challenges remain in logistics and scaling.With the support of the CBI Booster, we will:Refine cleaning / testing standards.Develop business case for large-scale adoption.Engage buyers to establish a market.Develop concepts and presentations for municipalities and construction companiesScreening/contact of suitable municipalities and objects for material harvestLogistics concept: from dismantling, transport, storage, and cleaning to deliveryStorage costs Who is in your team, and what expertise or roles do they bring? (max. 150 words)Roto Reuse (Lead): Experts in material recovery and circular construction.BTVZ (Implementation partner): Provides networking and industry expertise.Regional Cities & Municipalities (Partners): Offer pilot sites for implementationKompotoi (Logistical Support): Support with finding temporary sites for storageÖbu (network support): Finding partners and fundingResearch Partner (HSLU) for assessing customer feedbackHow do you plan to secure the 10% third-party funding required? (max. 100 words)We will source funding from:Municipal partners interested in waste reduction.Construction sanitary firms seeking sustainable procurementÖbu will support us in networking and fundraising

Project Idea Metadata

• Project Idea Name: Klo +
• Date: 4/8/2025 8:55:26 PM
• Administrators:

Project Idea Description

1. What challenge in the circular building and construction industry does your idea address? (max. 50 words)

Sanitary objects are rarely reused due to perceived hygiene risks, lack of standardized recovery processes, and fragmented supply chains. This results in unnecessary waste and high CO₂ emissions from manufacturing new products. The initiative tackles these barriers by creating logistical, quality, and market solutions for second-life sanitary objects.

1. What is your vision for solving this challenge, and why is your approach innovative? Who will benefit from a solution to this problem? (max. 200 words)

Our vision is a scalable and standardized process for dismantling, reconditioning, and reselling sanitary objects, ensuring they meet safety and aesthetic standards.

Innovations include:

• • Public recovery protocols: Guidelines for safe dismantling, transport, and cleaning.
  • Quality assurance framework: Inspection and certification process to address hygiene concerns.
  • Marketplace integration: Connecting recovered sanitary objects to construction firms, municipalities, and private buyers.
  • Training & workforce development: Collaboration with BTVZ and others to integrate sanitary reuse into vocational programs.

Who benefits?

• • Construction industry: Developers and contractors access cost-effective, sustainable materials and reduce material use and disposal.
  • Cities & municipalities: Reduced waste disposal costs and lower environmental impact. Additional jobs opportunities can open.
  • Circular economy entrepreneurs: Opportunities in reconditioning, logistics, planning and resale.
  • This approach mainstreams sanitary reuse into construction workflows, creating a viable circular market.

How could your idea positively impact the planet, people, or economy in the future? (max. 100 words)

• Planet: Reduces CO₂ emissions and waste from ceramic and porcelain production.
• People: Creates jobs in deconstruction, sanitation, and resale, while improving workforce skills.
• Economy: Provides affordable sanitary solutions, reduces disposal costs, and promotes circular business models.
• With proper scaling, thousands of sanitary objects can be diverted from landfill annually, transforming waste into value while reducing the construction sector's ecological footprint.

1. What assumptions or ideas do you want to test? What do you plan to work on during the booster program, and what is your goal to deliver at the end? (max. 200 words)

We will test:

• • Technical feasibility: Can sanitary objects be efficiently recovered, cleaned, and resold at scale?
  • Market demand: Will contractors and municipalities buy certified second-life sanitary products?
  • Economic viability: Do cost savings on materials and waste disposal justify reuse investments?

Booster Program Focus:

• • Refine collection & refurbishment protocols.
  • Identify buyers & distribution channels.
  • Launch pilot projects with partner cities.
  • Evaluate cost-benefit & environmental impact.

Deliverable at the end:

A tested reuse framework with clear recovery, cleaning, and resale processes, along with pilot sales data and policy recommendations.

1. Has your idea been tested before? If yes, what were the results, and what remains to be tested? (max. 100 words)

Pilot projects in small-scale deconstruction sites have shown that sanitary objects can be successfully recovered and reused with hygiene assurances. However, challenges remain in logistics and scaling.

With the support of the CBI Booster, we will:

• • Refine cleaning / testing standards.
  • Develop business case for large-scale adoption.
  • Engage buyers to establish a market.
  • Develop concepts and presentations for municipalities and construction companies
  • Screening/contact of suitable municipalities and objects for material harvest
  • Logistics concept: from dismantling, transport, storage, and cleaning to delivery
  • Storage costs

1. Who is in your team, and what expertise or roles do they bring? (max. 150 words)
   • Roto Reuse (Lead): Experts in material recovery and circular construction.
   • BTVZ (Implementation partner): Provides networking and industry expertise.
   • Regional Cities & Municipalities (Partners): Offer pilot sites for implementation
   • Kompotoi (Logistical Support): Support with finding temporary sites for storage
   • Öbu (network support): Finding partners and funding
   • Research Partner (HSLU) for assessing customer feedback

1. How do you plan to secure the 10% third-party funding required? (max. 100 words)

We will source funding from:

• • Municipal partners interested in waste reduction.
  • Construction sanitary firms seeking sustainable procurement
  • Öbu will support us in networking and fundraising

The initiative promotes the recovery, refurbishment, and reuse of sanitary objects (sinks, toilets, urinals) to reduce waste in the construction industry. By integrating reuse processes into demolition, renovation, and procurement, the project enables cities, contractors, and developers to access high-quality second-life sanitary products. The approach includes quality testing, logistics coordination, and training programs to create a scalable, circular economy solution for sanitary materials.