Circular and inclusive renovation in real public housing projects

A previously developed process for circular and inclusive renovations of public housing will be tested and developed in a continuation project in collaboration with the city of Trollhättan, Eidar housing company and Lysekilsbostäder.

Many public housing estates are facing significant renovation needs. For these to be sustainable, renovations need to be circular and inclusive. A circular renovation means that nothing is replaced unnecessarily, and that reuse is favoured over new construction products. Inclusion means that residents' perspectives and needs are taken into account so that the residents perceive both the renovation process and the end results as good.

A previous feasibility study in 2022-2024 explored how to make a renovation process both circular and inclusive; the process developed is called the “CIRA process”.

The feasibility study was funded by Formas and was called CIRA – circular and inclusive renovation of Trollhättan's public housing. The feasibility study included IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute experts in sustainable and circular construction. The City of Trollhättan led the project, which also involved Trollhättan's public housing company Eidar and the architectural firm ETTELVA.

The process is being tested in two projects

The proposal for a circular and inclusive renovation process developed in the feasibility study will now be tested in two renovation projects, thanks to a continuation project. One renovation project is being carried out by Eidar and one by Lysekilsbostäder housing in 2025 and 2026.

IVL's experts are following the renovation projects to develop the ‘CIRA process’ to enable dissemination and scaling to other housing companies.