Circuland
Problem addressed
Circuland seeks to tackle the following key challenges:
A. Standardised and efficient process for materials passport production: Currently, there is no clearly defined process for producing Materials Passports, resulting in a time-consuming and manual effort. Circuland brings automation to this process, streamlining and standardising passport creation. It enables the generation of passports at various levels, from individual materials to building elements, building element categories, and entire buildings, through automated data aggregation.
B. Life-cycle management of materials: There is currently lack of a comprehensive and standardised system for tracking and managing material information throughout the entire lifecycle of products and buildings. Traditionally, material information is often scattered, fragmented, or even lost over time, making it difficult to assess the environmental impact, circularity, and reuse potential of materials. Circuland offers a centralised platform to link information from manufacturers, fabricators, contractors, facility managers, deconstruction contractors and waste contractors. In Circuland Materials Passports can be created, stored, and managed by the main responsible parties at each life cycle stage. By linking these stakeholders and consolidating information, Circuland enhances collaboration and promotes a more integrated approach to sustainable and circular materials management.
C. Linking data for products, buildings and cities: Currently there is no standardised way to connect and communicate the overall performance of products, buildings and cities in terms of materials properties and specifications. Circuland addresses this challenge by establishing connections and integrating data across these levels (products, buildings, cities). The platform utilises product documentation to document the materials used in buildings. By consolidating data from different buildings within a city, the platform generates overall statistics and performance indicators.
D. Transparency in materials stock: Circuland contributes to transparency by providing a clear overview of materials used within a city. Circuland aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing within the industry by offering access to the UK Materials Stock Database. This database aims to provide comprehensive statistics on material usage at the council and country area levels, facilitating data-driven insights for sustainable materials management at a larger scale.
In summary, the specific challenge that Circuland addresses is the lack of a standardised system for comprehensive material tracking and management. By providing a platform for the creation and life-cycle management of Materials Passports, as well as access to a centralised materials database, Circuland empowers organizations and communities to make informed decisions, enhance resource efficiency, and transition towards circular economy.
Overview of start-up
Circuland is a digital platform for the production and life-cycle management of Materials Passports (MPs) for products and buildings. The Circuland platform aims to connect efficiently and aggregate data from MPs to generate insightful statistics at the area level. The platform is built upon the forthcoming Waterman Materials Passports framework, a collaborative effort involving Waterman, CIRCuIT and BRE.
The platform which is currently under development will offer four essential functions which are as follows:
a) Creation of Products Passports (new and used)
b) Creation and lifecycle management of Materials Passports for Buildings: The platform will show Materials Passports on different levels, such as for each recorded material, each recorded building element, for identical elements, per building element category and for the whole building.
c) Publicly available access to the UK Materials Stock Database based on the data from the recorded buildings. The platform will provide statistics on council and country area, including for the key types of materials
d) Marketplace for used materials.
What makes the start-up Innovative?
Circuland is an innovative platform that distinguishes itself from other solutions on the market through its unique selling points:
A. Comprehensive Materials Passport Management: Circuland offers end-to-end materials passport management, covering the entire life cycle of products and buildings.
B. Integration and Collaboration: Circuland allows information exchange between different stakeholders such as manufacturers, contractors, facility managers, developers, deconstruction contractors, and waste contractors, facilitating a more integrated approach to sustainable materials management. This emphasis on collaboration sets Circuland apart from siloed solutions.
C. City-Level Insights and Statistics: One of the key differentiators of Circuland is its ability to generate insightful statistics at the city level. By aggregating data from recorded buildings, Circuland offers publicly accessible information and performance indicators for urban areas.
D. Marketplace for Used Materials: Another unique selling point of Circuland is its inclusion of a marketplace for used materials, using their Materials Passports. This feature promotes the circular economy by facilitating the exchange and reuse of materials, reducing waste, and extending the lifespan of resources.
Circuland’s innovative nature lies in its comprehensive materials passport management, automation and standardization, integration and collaboration among stakeholders, city-level insights and statistics, and the inclusion of a marketplace for used materials. These unique selling points position Circuland as a pioneering solution that addresses the complex challenges of sustainable and circular materials management in a holistic and efficient manner.
How the start-up has been designed to scale-up quickly
Several key features and considerations have been implemented to ensure that the Circuland platform can accommodate a growing user base and expanding requirements. The following strategies have been employed in the design of Circuland to enable swift scalability:
Unlimited Capacity: Circuland has been architected without imposing any limitations on the number of recorded products and buildings. This design feature ensures that the platform can easily handle a substantial volume of data and effectively cope with the escalating demand for Materials Passports
Flexibility in Data Management: The Circuland platform has been imbued with a flexible data management system, thereby allowing seamless adaptation to changing information requirements. As the framework for Materials Passports advances, the platform can expeditiously incorporate any necessary modifications or updates, in alignment with evolving industry standards and user expectations.
Global Accessibility: Circuland is not confined to a specific geographical location and can be utilised in diverse countries. This global scope enables the platform to be highly adaptable to international markets, catering to a wide range of user needs and facilitating the expansion of the user base on a global scale.
Integration Capability: To ensure smooth communication and collaboration with other platforms, Circuland leverages a flexible Application Programming Interface (API). This empowers the platform to seamlessly integrate with complementary systems or services, including third-party software and data sources. This interoperability enhances the overall functionality and value of the platform.
By incorporating these scalable design elements, Circuland is strategically positioned to address increasing user demands, expand into new markets, and maintain compatibility with the ever-evolving industry standards. Continuous improvement efforts will be undertaken to refine the platform, catering to the needs of users and propelling the adoption of sustainable materials management practices on a global scale.