Aligning actors in a road renovation project by a co-design process: the road to circularity?. Issue 1 (1st September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Entrop, A G; Hagen, L; van Leeuwen, J P
• Is Part Of: IOP conference series. Volume 1078:Issue 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09-01
• Subjects: road renovation -- co-design process -- circularity -- experiment -- actors; Earth sciences -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Congresses; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; 550.5
• DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/1078/1/012119
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-1307

Abstract

Abstract: In a circular economy, the aim is to close material loops that retain the highest utility, quality, and value of products, components, and materials. The environmental impact of the material used in constructing, maintaining, and renovating roads is severe. Within the European H2020 project CityLoops, the municipality of Apeldoorn prepares a circular road renovation project, yet wonders: how to align the actors in public infrastructural projects to come to a circular and, at the same time, executable project? A literature study and experiment were conducted. The experiment consisted of a co-design process aiming for the renovation of a residential road constructed in the late seventies. When conducting road renovation, multiple departments within the municipal organization and different external organizations need to collaborate. To them, circular material usage was introduced as a new specific sustainable objective, while traditional constraints, like time and costs, remained. It was visualized in a process journey, showing who is expected to meet which collaborative milestones and when. The insights from this experiment might help other municipalities, principals, and contractors to come to circular design processes in the road construction industry.