The construction industry is a predominantly linear sector with the largest material footprint in raw material use, waste production and emissions. The sector provides modern and refurbished buildings and infrastructure to growing populations, but must become circular for the Nordic countries to meet their obligations and ambitions to protect nature and reduce climate emissions and waste. While many innovative companies in the sector have developed circular solutions, these must be rapidly upscaled to become commercially competitive towards long established linear solutions, and drive the sector towards the tipping point where circularity is the norm, rather than the exception.

The overarching goal of the project is to support selected companies from each country with commercially viable circular and sustainable concepts in the re-trade of construction materials, components, and solutions, to become “Nordic market ready”. This means they have sufficient new strategic insight (into opportunities, barrieres, regulations, funding) to scale up in other Nordic countries. The project's partial goals include recruitment of participating companies, analysis of sub-sector dynamics, company level upscaling strategies, supporting the companies to realise these strategies, and identifying best case public procurement practices for circular construction practices.

Participating companies will be supported in their effort to realise their Nordic market potential through tailored insight, strategic advice and media exposure through NCH channels and events. The recruitment of companies to participate in the project is ongoing through August 2024. Candidate companies from each Nordic country have been identified in a long list, based on Nordic Circular Hotspots experience with the sector, particularly the NCH Transition Group for Circular Construction. 3 – 7 companies will be selected to participate from each country based on their willingness to work with the project to upscale their solutions in the Nordic market.

Nordic Circular Hotspot is the project owner and accountable towards Nordic Innovation. A steering committee of selected NCH-members oversees the project implementation, including NaturalState (NO), Center for CircularEconomy (DK), Fund Forward (SE), Hringrasaretur (IS) and Circular Innovation Lab (DK). The project manager is Jan Thomas Odegard (Natural State). He is supported by a Project Working Group and Technical Support Group.