On the 10th of June we kicked off an important conversation during our EU Green Week partner event ”Building Circular Futures: Advancing Circular Economy in Construction in the Western Balkans” co-organised with the Horizon Europe-funded RECONMATIC project.
While the construction industry contributes between 5.7–11% to the GDP and employs 6–10.5% of the population across the WB Six (Eurostat, 2021), it remains one of the most polluting sectors globally. Key issues include underreported waste due to illegal dumping, lack of dedicated landfills, unclear regulations, and limited production of secondary raw materials.
The event brought together diverse voices from the region and Europe, offering insights on how stakeholders are working to make the industry more circular and environmentally responsible. The speakers who took part in the discussion were:
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Angelina Taneva-Veshoska, (Director at IECE, Event Moderator)
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Nastasija Stojanovikj, (Western Balkans Programme Officer, Helvetas)
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Jan Valentin, (Deputy Head of Road Structures, CTU Prague)
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Theodoros Theodosiou, (Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
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Sanela Klarić, (MP and Professor, International BURCH University)
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Fakrush Azemi, (Founder, Kosovo Green Building Council)
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Gordana Kopilovic, (Owner at Apa Dekor Cigla)
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Alexandros Karydis-Karandreas, (Chief Legal & Governance Officer, Sporus Platform)
Green Building Councils (GBCs) are one of the prime organisations supporting the WB countries in making the construction industry more environmentally friendly. We heard from established councils like GBC BiH, as well as newer ones in Kosovo and North Macedonia—highlighting the need for stronger regional collaboration and support.
Jan Valentin introduced innovative tools and digital solutions developed within the RECONMATIC project aimed at reducing waste and energy use in construction—showing how tech and innovation can accelerate change.
Finally, inspiring case studies were shared by companies like APA DEKOR CIGLA (Serbia) and the Sporos Platform (Greece), demonstrating real, market-ready circular solutions already in use.
A big thank you to all participants for their engagement and interest.
📹 Missed it? Watch the full recording below.
