Public debate: People matter: exploring the social relevance of circularity

The debate will feature circular initiatives that have an experimental character but are formally supported, and also initiatives that have been conceptualised and are carried out by groups of individuals informally, outside the margins of what is otherwise considered standard practice. Three guests will be joining us for this highly interactive session: Maurice Specht (Buitenplaats Brienenoord), Jeroen Apers (De Ceuvel), and Césare Peeren (Boschgaard). 

Our guests will share their lessons learned and help us to understand:

• what motivated them to become involved with their group in the first place;
• how the group members came together;
• how they co-defined their objectives and their roles, but also how they evolved over time;
• what or who facilitated the realisation of their ideas beyond the group members;
• how they position themselves now with regards to the rest of society. 

After a short round of introductions, participants will split in four groups, one per case, and with the help of our guests, elaborate on these questions. A plenary session at the second part of the meeting will help us contextualize our findings with one another but also reflect on the impact of these peripheral and experimental circular activities: how can we benefit from the knowledge produced by their success or failure? Should we opt at scaling up or at making ubiquitous?

• Read more about the public debate series 'Making the Circular Built Environment a Reality'.
• Please feel free to contact the Circular Built Environment Hub for further information.