Context
The City of Wiltz has approximately 7 200 inhabitants and is located in the green heart of the Ardennes area, which lies in the north of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In 2015, the Luxembourg government designated Wiltz a Circular Economy Hotspot. This initiative aimed to encourage Wiltz to weave circular economy principles into its building codes and promote the construction of environmentally friendly buildings that deliver high value and benefits for both the economy and the environment. In 2017, Wiltz took further steps by integrating the concept of circular economy into the Official Declaration of the College of Aldermen for 2017–2023. In 2018, Wiltz renewed its political commitment with a Circular Economy Charter, by which it committed itself to mainstreaming the circular economy concept in its future project and activities. Thus, the city has successfully initiated and implemented around twenty pilot projects that embody the principles of the circular economy since then. In October 2020, the municipality established the Circular Innovation HUB, a national platform dedicated to facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences related to the field of circular economy.
Objectives
The Circular Innovation HUB serves as a link for enhancing communication and information dissemination concerning ongoing circular economy projects within the territory of the Municipality of Wiltz. The primary goal of the project is to promote active communication across various levels, starting with the exchange of experiences with other municipalities, thereby encouraging them to embrace circular economy practices. The programme extends to educational modules aimed at elementary and high schools, fostering awareness and understanding of the circular economy among younger generations. Furthermore, citizens are actively engaged through events, debates and exhibitions, providing a platform to delve deeper into the concepts of the circular economy and explore the initiatives of their municipality and its partners.
Implementation
The Circular Innovation HUB is a project conceived and implemented by the Municipality of Wiltz. The concept, training programmes and the exhibition have been developed by the municipality’s Department for Circular Economy. The exhibition received co-financing from the Ministry of the Environment, Climate, and Sustainable Development, and the staff are fully funded by the municipality. While the training programmes were initially offered free of charge, a fee was introduced in January 2023 to cover administrative and logistical costs.
The Circular Innovation HUB caters for a wide spectrum of stakeholders, encompassing both the public and private sectors, educational institutions at various levels and the general public. A key feature of the HUB is its extensive catalogue of training modules covering a great number of circular economy-related topics, such as construction materials, eco-friendly events and strategic developments. Notably, these topics are intricately linked to practical insights drawn from pilot projects conceived and executed by the Municipality of Wiltz. This ensures that the training content remains not only relevant but also up to date. In a rapidly evolving, innovation-driven world, staying abreast of the latest knowledge is paramount for the successful transition towards a more sustainable society.