Leitat participated in the Sustainable Places 2025 Conference, held in Milan and organized by R2M Solution, one of Europe’s leading events for collaboration and innovation toward a sustainable built environment.
Our colleagues Marco Mori (Principal Investigator in Energy Efficiency), Davide Cerra (Researcher in Energy Efficiency), and Sara Dimovska (Innovation & Business Development Manager – Construction) presented Leitat’s research and innovation work through two Horizon Europe projects: InBUILT and EASI ZERo, in dedicated workshops showcasing practical solutions for circularity and energy-efficient renovation in the building sector.
From Waste to Worth: Circular Pathways for Decarbonising the Built Environment
In this workshop, Leitat presented the InBUILT project and our research on Urban Mining, an innovative approach focused on recovering valuable materials from existing buildings and construction waste.
The session included interactive discussions where participants explored real-world Urban Mining cases, shared experiences, and debated barriers and future scenarios for implementation. This event marked the third in a series of collaborative workshops on Urban Mining, following earlier editions in Procida (May 2025) and Barcelona (September 2025).
One of the first tangible results of this initiative will be published in November 2025 within the InBUILT framework: a database of Urban Mining initiatives and key European stakeholders active in the field.
To learn more about Urban Mining and participate in data collection efforts, visit the official InBUILT website: Urban Mining: Transforming Construction Waste into Valuable Resources – News & Events – INBUILT Project
Envelope Material Portfolio for Zero Energy Buildings and Renovation – The EASI ZERo Project
In another workshop, Leitat showcased the EASI ZERo project, which develops a holistic approach to deep renovation using low-carbon, easy-to-install building envelope components. These include bio-sourced insulation materials, lightweight frames, and integrated renewable solutions that significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Leitat’s presentation, “Environmental and Social Performance Assessment of Innovative Products from Material to Component Scale,” highlighted the application of eco-design and circular economy principles from the earliest design stages. Through Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and Social Life Cycle Assessments (S-LCA), the project evaluates environmental and social impacts across the entire product life cycle, guiding data-driven decisions to improve sustainability outcomes while ensuring social value.
Another presentation, “Energy Performance of Sustainable Building Renovation Products – From Lab Environment to Real Buildings,” demonstrated how Leitat links laboratory research with practical application. By testing bio-based and low-carbon materials in both experimental and real building scenarios across France, Norway, and Germany, we assess energy performance and validate results through digital modelling and Life Cycle Assessment. This approach ensures that EASI ZERo products deliver measurable sustainability gains, highlighting the crucial role of building envelopes and windows in reducing environmental impact and improving operational performance.
Learn more about the project in EASI ZERo’s website: EASI ZERo
This participation in Sustainable Places 2025 reinforces Leitat’s commitment to innovative, circular, and low-carbon solutions for the built environment, contributing to a more sustainable and socially responsible future for European construction.
