Circular.Office

Several companies, research organisations, institutions and associations from North Rhine-Westphalia have joined forces in the Circular.Office project team to drive forward the transformation towards a circular economy in the office furniture and interiors industry.

The aim of this project is to pick up on current trends and changes in office design to develop circular product prototypes and new business models that meet both the requirements of "new work" and the principles of circular economy. In order to reduce material and resource consumption, reuse and recycling of office equipment and materials is to be promoted and sustainable procurement processes are to be established. A central component of the project is the creation of a Living Lab in Wuppertal as an exhibition and experimental space where circular office design can be tested and demonstrated under real-life conditions.

Workshops, training courses and information campaigns will be used to sensitise those involved to the advantages and opportunities of circular office design. The project aims to create best practice examples that can also be applied in other regions and sectors. In the long term, Circular.Office aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

The Wuppertal Institute is responsible for the scientific support:

1. Analysis of the current political and regulatory framework conditions of the circular economy for the office furniture and interiors industry
2. Analysis of the circular economy potentials of value chains
3. Lifecycle-oriented sustainability assessments of relevant products and value chains
4. Development of an action plan for the implementation of circular economy-oriented office concepts
5. Summarising the findings in a synthesis paper

In addition, the Wuppertal Institute also supports work packages on trend analyses and know-how in the fields of circular economy and new work, the development of prototypes for circular office furniture and the establishment of a “Circular.Office Community”.