On December 1st the Public Private Cooperation (PPC) Chair of Vrije Universiteit Brussel headed by professor Lieven De Moor brought together a panel of experts for the eleventh time to study how ‘circular’ thinking can be applied in the traditional PPC framework.
A first obstacle is that PPC projects are often very complex and that the actors involved have opposed interests. Also they tend to include a large number of different suppliers that do not all produce according to the principles of the circular economy. That is why a circular approach in the selection criteria of suppliers should be included.
Sector experiences innovation as a risk
Governments do not tend to always encourage innovative solutions. The public sector attaches a lot of importance to compliance to the contract and timely delivery of the project. Innovation implies risks and can lead to delays in the project timings. To avoid fines for late delivery the private sector also has a tendency to stick to known technologies.
On March 10th 2016 the Brussels Capital Region approved the Regional Program for the Circular Economy, intending to profile itself as a pioneer in the field. So concluding that the government remains aloof as a whole wouldn’t be accurate.
Create added value for all stakeholders
The European Commission also wants to lead the way in the shift to a more circular economy. In September 2015 the BAMB-project - Buildings As Material Banks 0 started in which 16 partners - including the VUB research group TRANSFORM - from 8 different countries will work together to realise this shift in the construction sector. One of the ideas is the creation of an electronic ID that keeps a log concerning the materials that are used in a product, so that it can be recycled easier at a later time. The project also aims to change design of buildings so that they can accommodate multiple functions (commercial, residential, professional). Finally the project want to come up with a strategy to bring these ideas onto the market successfully.
‘The circular economy it the future of PPC’ says professor De Moor. ‘The value of PPC used to be mainly evaluated from a budgetary point of view. A circular approach allows us to go back to the core of PPC, i.e. create as much added value for all stakeholders involved. Sustainability can become a crucial new component in that.’
The VUB Chair for Public Private Cooperation aims to study the potential and successful realisation of PPC projects. The chair was established in 2010 by Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Deloitte, Sweco and Laga. In 2014 KBC and Triodos Bank joined. The Chair is held by Lieven De Moor and Elvira Haezendonk. Wouter Thierie is attached as a researcher.