ICEBERG (Innovative Circular Economy Based Solutions Demonstrating the Efficient Recovery of Valuable Material Resources from the Generation of Representative End-of-Life Building Materials)

ICEBERG (Innovative Circular Economy Based Solutions Demonstrating the Efficient Recovery of Valuable Material Resources from the Generation of Representative End-of-Life Building Materials) was a major research and innovation project funded by the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, implemented over the period 2020–2024. The project was designed within the broader European transition towards a circular economy, with a particular focus on improving the recovery and reuse of valuable materials derived from construction and demolition waste streams.

ICEBERG addressed one of the construction sector’s most pressing sustainability challenges: the generation of large volumes of end-of-life building materials and the limited efficiency of existing recovery pathways. In response, the project developed and demonstrated innovative circular economy-based solutions for the selective separation, treatment, and valorisation of construction and demolition waste. Its overall aim was to transform representative end-of-life building materials into secondary raw materials of sufficient quality and performance to be reintroduced into the production cycle, thereby reducing waste disposal, conserving natural resources, and supporting more sustainable material management practices in the built environment.

ICEBERG is particularly significant in that it combined research, technological development, and practical demonstration within an integrated circular construction framework. Beyond material recovery itself, the project contributed to the wider objectives of resource efficiency, environmental protection, and low-carbon transition in the construction industry. By promoting the recovery of high-value materials and encouraging their reuse in new applications, the project supported the development of more resilient and sustainable construction systems aligned with European circular economy and innovation priorities.