Circular Economy in Wooden Construction Erasmus Project

Project Title

Circular Economy in Wooden Construction

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

Circular economy is a prominent action to tackle climate change and the need for sustainable development. As wood is the only significant renewable construction material, wood can also contribute to a more circular construction sector. Wood is renewable and it uses low energy processes and generates little waste that cannot be recycled or used as a source of renewable fuel.
Circular construction is not only about resource recovery, re-use and recycling; it is a much broader concept. Circular economy principles must be applied across a building’s life cycle: starting from growth and extraction of materials, production, continuing with design, construction, building maintenance, and ending with building demolition and recycling of waste.
There is a significant body of literature on the drivers and benefits of circular economy; however, little research or wide scale application has been undertaken within a wooden construction context. Challenges of circular economy in wooden construction require scientific research and well-educated graduates, who are able to think holistically and interdisciplinary, to research, assess and model sustainable construction solutions.
Project “Wood in Circle” aims at delivering innovative student-centered transdisciplinary education in circular economy-based wooden construction to postgraduate students across the European countries.
Objectives:
1. To integrate innovative student-centered phenomenon based, research based, blended learning and social leadership approaches into Master’s degree study programmes;
2. To develop a new course, educate and involve postgraduate students and teachers in scientific research on whole life cycle of wooden construction;
3. To ensure strategic transdisciplinary transnational cooperation among higher education institutions and business enterprises in development of new learning methodology and the course;
4. To increase academic and public awareness and promote sustainability and circular economy in construction sector.
The project will be implemented by five higher education institutions from Lithuania, Finland, Latvia and Italy.
Main target groups are higher education institutions, in particular teachers, researchers and MSc students of civil engineering and related programmes. It is also envisaged that the project will be relevant for business companies and will foster further research and development of circular wooden construction.
In frames of the project five intellectual outputs will be developed: 1) Methodological framework; 2) E-learning course “Circular Economy in Wooden Construction” (12 ECTS); 3) E-learning platform; 4) Case studies; 5) Joint academic publications.
At least 15 teachers/researchers will participate in intensive training course in Finland, where competences on innovative phenomenon based, research based, blended learning and social leadership approaches will be developed and practically applied in development of the new methodological framework and curriculum of the course. They will improve their pedagogical competences and joint curricula development skills and will be able to apply innovative teaching methods in their daily practices.
The new e-learning course will be tested in education of 15 MSc students for six months. For this purpose two intensive learning/teaching courses will be organized in Finland and Italy, with a blended learning period between them. Students will be involved in joint scientific research, resulting in research-based projects (cases) and academic publications. They will increase their awareness, gain innovative transdisciplinary knowledge and holistic understanding about the circular economy in wooden construction; using innovative learning approaches they will develop their research, teamwork, communication, cooperation, creative thinking, problem solving, social leadership skills required in modern daily work environment.
Stakeholders whose activities are related to construction and, in particular, wooden construction, e.g. associations and private enterprises will be involved in the development of new e-learning course, therefore they will have a possibility to share their expertise and include the topics that will help to acquire competences required in labour market. In this way collaboration between academic and business sector will be strengthened.
At least 20 international and 30 local participants from HEIs, educational authorities and business companies will attend the international conference in Latvia, where innovative intellectual outputs will be presented. It will result in increased public awareness about the outputs of the project.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 210919 Eur

Project Coordinator

VILNIAUS GEDIMINO TECHNIKOS UNIVERSITETAS & Country: LT

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO
• LAUREA-AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY
• HAMEEN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY
• RIGAS TEHNISKA UNIVERSITATE