The conference was opened by Dr. Laura Caldeira, President of LNEC, who welcomed the attendee´s and emphasized the important role of applying circular economy principles to the use of materials from the demolition and rehabilitation of buildings.
Dr. Anabela Carvalho, Secretary-General for Environment, took the floor to congratulate the consortium of CLOSER for the achievements of the project and point out the importance of the EEA Grants, namely the Environment Programme, for the development and establishment of synergies between projects aiming to boost the transition to a circular economy.
The opening session continued with the intervention of Eng. Pedro Guedes Pinto, Member of the Board of Directors of IMPIC, which highlighted two strategic drivers of IMPIC:
i) the national strategy for public procurement and;
ii) the circular economy and sustainability of the construction sector the latter of which CLOSER is part.
To conclude, Eng. Ana Cristina Carrola, Member of the Board of Directors of APA, underline the opportunities and challenges of the European Green Deals concerning the lifecycle of materials and products, from the production to the consumption and the end-of-life.