Daria Beliavskaia
Jorg Hogerheijde
Rosalie Moesker
Isabella Trabucco
Nando Versteeg
Tutors: Daniele Cannatella, Nikos Katsikis, Remon Rooij
Key words: circular economy, water infrastructure, building materials, circular hubs
To achieve a circular economy in South Holland by 2050, the construction and demolition sector must use resources efficiently, close materials loops and work with fewer emissions. Currently the recycling of building materials is already an approach. Yet, since this costs a lot of energy and results mostly in downcycling, it is thus not an ideal long-term solution to achieve a durable circular economy. Adding to this is the space limitation to continuous growth. The usage of the existing space and infrastructure has to be optimized. This research is answering the question: what is the best strategy to close material loops in South Holland while reusing the existing water infrastructure, amplifying it with integrated (data) networks and improving sociospatial justice with circular hubs? The research was executed by analysing the most efficient waterways to use in the area, defining transformation locations according to a data-driven matrix and designing the most efficient circular hub network possible. The waterways will connect circular hubs on three scales, a regional processing hub, a city storage & purchase hub and a flexible last mile hub. Transporting materials and goods in between the circular hubs helps in reducing CO2 emission and can substantiate traffic on the roads. This leads to less busy highways, safer city centres and efficient use of transport. All the logistic flows and usedmaterial flows come together in the virtual realm, where all used-material data is accessible and a twin-region is ensuring spatial justice. In this way the concept of Virtual X Water defines the transition towards a circular economy in 2050.