Antwerp

Circular economy

Antwerp Circular South - engaging the community in an online and offline circular economy

“The project is about stimulating a sustainable awareness among our citizens.
 This has benefits for all. For example, the energy bill will decrease and less waste will be produced.”

 

Nabilla Ait Daoud, Deputy-Mayor for the environment
The project in numbers
5kg
is the average of materials retained in the cycle per citizen per year
13 liters
more than the Flemish average is Antwerp households daily water-consumption.
13%
of renewable energy, a reduction in electricity and gas consumption by 2020 and CO² neutrality by 2050 is the objective of Antwerp’s Climate Plan aspires to a 13% renewable energy share,
EUR 4,979,239.40
Total ERDF budget granted
Challenge addressed

It is inescapable: thriving cities demand resources. Thus, like other European cities, Antwerp is looking for circular solutions for its waste/materials, water and energy streams. While the dense urban context often puts spatial and regulatory constraints on the implementation of effective measures, density also helps creating the ideal social environment for community buy-in. The development of new residential districts such as 'New South’ offers unique opportunities to guide a growing new community in co-creating their own local circular economy.

Solution proposed

The project’s most innovative aspect is its community-driven approach. Transition theories confirm that circular behaviour requires awareness. In a unique participative approach, the city and residents will therefore test advanced technological solutions together, through online and offline activities.  

Online:
•    A personal dashboard will display real-time data-flows from smart energy, water and waste bin meters, helping to increase awareness about consumption.
•    Behavioural nudging will prompt residents to optimal user behaviour.
•    The block-chain-based system will use a special online rewarding and exchange system to encourage circular behaviour.
•    A local Energy Cooperative will enable experiments with smart energy exchange in line with availability of renewable energy.
    
Offline:
•    A Community Centre will host activities on sharing, repairing and reuse of materials and optimise the exchange of knowledge, skills and ideas.
•    Initiatives such as collective waste challenges, sharing gardening tools, or Design for Disassembly group purchases will further enhance the community’s circular dynamics and reduce its resource footprint.

Partnership
  • City of Antwerp
  • VITO - higher education and research institutes
  • Imec - higher education and research institutes
  • Ecopower
  • Digipolis - infrastructure and service provider
  • Kringwinkel - NGO
  • Pantopicon - SME
  • EnergieID - SME
Expected results

New South is the first urban district to engage its residents in achieving collective circular results.
•    The combined effort of 200 ‘online’ participants and many more ‘offline’ participants will achieve:
o    a 10% reduction in tap water use
o    a 25% reduction in residual household waste
o    a 10% absolute (kWh) and relative (%) reduction of yearly electricity consumption
o    25% less use of peak power
o    an average of 5kg of extra materials retained within the cycle per citizen, per year
•    The Circular South Energy Cooperative will allow 80 inhabitants to experiment with exchange within a of collective energy system.
•    The Circular South Community Centre aims to convince 4500 participants and attract 6000 visitors per year.

The short-term goal is to collectively reduce resource-consumption. Yet the city also wants to create a platform which can be applied in other districts.

Main milestones

December 2018: the energy cooperative is established and the online dashboard is operational

April 2019: The energy cooperative has at least 80 members and the first online behavioural nudging experiment is conducted

June 2019: 200 participants use the online dashboard and the first waste challenge is started. The shared energy system is in place and activities are started in the community centre. An impact assessment of the dashboard is carried out with the community and the community-engagement strategy is in place.

December 2020: An impact assessment of the community-engagement strategy and online and offline activities is delivered. All the project results are presented in a press-conference and multiple-level knowledge sharing is taking place.

The project in numbers
5kg
is the average of materials retained in the cycle per citizen per year
13 liters
more than the Flemish average is Antwerp households daily water-consumption.
13%
of renewable energy, a reduction in electricity and gas consumption by 2020 and CO² neutrality by 2050 is the objective of Antwerp’s Climate Plan aspires to a 13% renewable energy share,
EUR 4,979,239.40
Total ERDF budget granted
Contact of the project
Joren Hofman
Project manager
Marcelline Bonneau
UIA expert

Project news & events

Last UIA Antwerp Circular South Journal: Circularity as a new framework for cities

Last UIA Antwerp Circular South Journal: Circularity as a new framework for cities

This last journal of the UIA Antwerp Circular South project accounts for the evolution of the project after UIA funding was stopped. It details the di...
Circular Zuid Brochure

Antwerp Circular South project's lessons learnt: Summary brochure

A group of residents from the New South neighbourhood in Antwerp accepted the challenge to live for three and a half years a circular lifestyle. ...
PVs at VITO/EnergyVille (source: VITO/EnergyVille)

Making the most of solar energy in the new residential area of Antwerp Circular South (3rd Zoom-In)

This Zoom-In presents the different features of the solar energy system in Antwerp Circular South as well as the challenges it has faced due to the cu...
Antwerp Circular South Journal 5: Last Mile and Wrapping Up

Antwerp Circular South Journal 5: Last Mile and Wrapping Up

“The Antwerp Circular South project is entering its final stage in strange times. As the rest of society, it has been affected by the current Covid-19...
News from the Circular South project!

News from the Circular South project!

Under the wings of the Circular South project, Ecopower united 80 enthusiastic residents in a neighbourhood energy group within the project area in An...
Café CIRCUIT

Café CIRCUIT @ the Circular South Community Centre in times of COVID 19

Circuit, the Circular South Community Centre, is the visible and static part of Antwerp Circular South. It engages with citizens through co-creating a...
Go beyond Circular South and discover the future of circular cities.

Go beyond Circular South and discover the future of circular cities.

How would you establish a circular city? What are the benefits – and pitfalls? Register to discover more in a free, international virtual event on Fri...
Circular South Project Team

Circular South – Group purchases Designed for disassembly.

One of the goals for the Circular South project was the organisation of circular group purchases concerning products that are designed for disassembly...
Antwerp Circular South Journal 4

Antwerp Circular South Journal 4: Well into the project, but far enough?

UIA Expert Marcelline Bonneau reveals that “some specific aspects are becoming more prominent now: showing the added value to both residents and owner...
Antwerp Circular South Zoom-In 2: “What if you could see how much energy you consume at home and that you could change it?”

Antwerp Circular South Zoom-In 2: “What if you could see how much energy you consume at home and that you could change it?”

UIA Expert Marcelline Bonneau reveals how “the Circular South Project started with their “nudging experiments” to test innovative ways of supporting c...
Antwerp Circular South Journal 3

Antwerp Circular South Journal 3: Half-Way Through State Of The Art

In her latest Journal, UIA Expert Marcelline Bonneau reports that “almost everything is ready, and the experimentation can start. It is finally becomi...
The smart living community of Antwerp Circular South

The smart living community of Antwerp Circular South becomes real

In co-creation between the project’s partners Vito, imec, Digipolis Antwerpen and EnergieID the data platform is nearing completion. At this moment en...
Antwerp Circular South journal 2

Antwerp Circular South Journal 2: Moving towards direct implementation

Antwerp Circular South has begun unfolding. ...
Circuit Antwerp Circular South

Antwerp Circular South Zoom-In: CIRCUIT in the focus

UIA Expert Marcelline Bonneau presents the first steps of CIRCUIT – the Circular South Community Centre. As she explains, “the Antwerp Circular South ...
Antwerp Circular South at EU Partnership meeting

Antwerp Circular South at the 11th meeting of the Urban Agenda Partnership on Circular Economy

Marcelline Bonneau, expert for the UIA Antwerp Circular South project, seized the opportunity to strengthen the links between UIA and the Urban Agenda...
100%free waste challenge Antwerp Circular South

Living waste free

More than 100 households living with the area of Antwerp Circular South project participated the 100-100-100 waste campaign and tried during 100 days ...
Antwerp journal

Antwerp Circular South UIA Expert Journal – changing consumption behaviours for a more circular economy

UIA Expert, Marcelline Bonneau, gives a first look on how the project is being implemented ...
Gabrielle Van Zoeren

Being a super civil servant, what does it take, where does it lead us to?

Interview with Gabriëlle Van Zoeren, Antwerp Circular South Project Coordinator...
towards sustainable consumption parctices

The difficult transition for consumers towards more sustainable practices

Read the opinion of Marcelline Bonneau, UIA expert for the Antwerp Circular South project, on supporting sustainable consumption practices....
CIRCUIT by Antwerp Circular South

Launch of CIRCUIT!

To become a circular citizen you need to have an ecosystem that facilitates your life. A place where you can share, repair, lease or have a designer t...
Meeting with residents

Building an online circular community

As the success of Circular South strongly relies on the commitment of the residents, we regularly organise events to inform and engage the people of t...
Green Waste Challenge

Getting ready for the Green Waste Challenge

One of the goals of the Circular South project is to raise awareness of the New South residents with regards to their individual waste sorting behavio...

Media

Circular South explained

Opening Circuit

CIRCUIT! circularity centre

Opening Circuit 2

CIRCUIT! circularity centre

100% waste free challenge

100% waste free challenge

Circular South posters

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