CLOSING THE LOOP: Creating guidelines for a governance and development model in circular construction

Problem

The targets are ambitious, but Lithuania’s construction sector operates in a fragmented way, which poses challenges for the application of circular economy principles. There is a lack of a holistic view of the sector and a coherent action plan to move towards circular construction.  

Looking at the political direction of the European Union, circularity is becoming an important condition for sustainability and cooperation is a prerequisite for the effective application of circular practices. Therefore, in order to move towards circularity in the construction ecosystem, the involvement of all actors in the sector, a unified strategy and the identification of common objectives are essential.  

This project follows up on the work carried out during the first half of the year, which revealed that the Lithuanian construction sector does not have a unified strategy to move towards a circular economy, despite the country’s commitment to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.  

The problem has also been identified by the government – the 19th Government Programme, approved on 13 March 2025, identifies the preparation of a model for the development and management of circular construction as one of the priority actions, and has committed the Ministry of the Environment to prepare one.  

Given the low level of interest in the construction sector in the principles of circularity and the political ambition for circularity, this project is seen as a catalyst for the development of circularity in the construction sector, the results of which will be used as a basis for proposing the continuation of the development of the circular construction model. 

Project implementation tools: 

• Comparison of different foreign strategies / agendas towards circular construction. Based on the examples of leading countries in the field of circular construction, a most suitable direction for Lithuania will be suggested. By the comparative approach the current state of the sector and the existing barriers to circular construction are assessed.  

• Bringing together the actors in the construction sector. In order to assess the current state of the sector and barriers to circularity, construction sector actors are brought together. Discussions and workshops are organised to identify existing challenges and opportunities.  
• Pilot project on resource mapping. Based on the findings of the pilot project, the relevance of circular construction is raised and barriers in practice are identified.  

Goal

The goal of the project is to provide guidelines for the development of a circular construction model. 

Participants

2024/25

Eglė Kliučinskaitė