Combient Pure’s Nordic Circularity Piloting Program was a Nordic industry collaboration designed to bring together companies across the construction value chain to test circular technical building solutions in real building projects. Read below for more about how this program came to be, its contents, and the value it provided to the industry and participants.
The need:
Technical building solutions are a significant part of the climate impact of buildings, representing the second-largest lifecycle emission source in Nordic buildings after main construction materials. While circular solutions have high potential to reduce emissions, extend product lifetimes and create new business opportunities, the industry has lacked real-life examples showing how circularity can work in practice across technical systems such as heating, ventilation, plumping, elevators etc.
After Combient Pure’s previous program, the Circularity Development Program, there was a clear need to bring together actors from across the construction value chain, including manufacturers, property owners, contractors, consultants, installers and circular service providers, to test circular solutions in real projects and identify what is needed for wider scaling.
The solution:
Combient Pure designed and led the Nordic Circularity Piloting Program as a structured, multi-phase program running from November 2024 to June 2026. The program was co-financed and supported by Nordic Innovation and delivered together with a strong Nordic consortium of core partners, including ASSA ABLOY, Cradlenet, Demontera, KONE, Multiconsult, nolla_E, Skanska, Swegon and Vasakronan.
The program first focused on engaging the wider Nordic building industry, building a shared understanding of circularity and matching companies into pilot teams, before moving into hands-on piloting and evaluation.
During the planning phase, the program organized four Value Chain Sessions in Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo and Copenhagen, engaging over 250 participants from more than 130 companies and facilitating 75 one-to-one matchmaking meetings. These activities helped form eight pilot teams, which then tested circular solutions in real building projects across Sweden, Finland and Norway.
The pilots covered five major technical building solution categories: HVAC systems, elevators, access systems, sanitary equipment and electrical systems. The pilot teams were supported through joint piloting clinics, dedicated sparring sessions and site visits, helping companies move from ideas to practical implementation and shared learnings.
Main value points to the industry and participants:
The program strengthened the Nordic ecosystem for circular technical building solutions by bringing together a broad community of companies and experts around shared challenges and opportunities. Through the workshops and matchmaking, participants gained a wider view of available circular solutions, potential partners and practical routes to piloting.
For participating companies, the program created a practical platform to test circular business models, product flows and collaboration models in real building projects, with peer support from the other teams. In total, 21 companies participated in eight pilot teams across three countries, with most teams testing solutions in real buildings during the piloting period.
The pilots demonstrated that circularity in technical building solutions is technically and operationally ready to scale. In the final pilot survey, over 92% of respondents considered their pilot successful, 85% confirmed technical and operational feasibility, 78% saw clear customer demand, and 85% said they were likely or very likely to scale the piloted solution in new projects.
For the wider industry, the program provided concrete proof points, shared learnings and policy recommendations to help accelerate circularity beyond individual pilots. Together, the results show how circular solutions can reduce climate impact, extend product lifetimes, open new business opportunities and become part of everyday practice in real construction projects.
Read the final report of the Program here
Visit also the Program website for more information