Pankow opens Circular Community Hub: The future of building begins now!

Pankow opens Circular Community Hub: The future of building begins now!

The “Circular Community Hub”, an innovative center for circular construction, is being opened in Pankow. The project aims to practically implement principles of circular urban development. The hub is being realized on the basis of an existing prefabricated building and represents a pilot project for sustainable urban design. Visitors have the opportunity to experience the transformation of spaces and the reuse of materials up close. This initiative was presented at the “Neustart Berlin” conference in 2025 and requires close collaboration between construction practice, knowledge exchange and networking.

The Circular Community Hub is also an extension of the existing Cradle to Cradle LAB, which aims to return materials back into the cycle after use. For this purpose, certified C2C materials, such as foam glass made from recycled material, are used. During this conversion, around 25 companies from Germany are supporting the implementation of the project, which is intended to act as a learning center for craft businesses for further training in the use of recyclable building materials. Pankow joined the C2C Regions network in 2021 and is positioning itself as a progressive player in the field of circular construction.

Sustainable procurement strategies

As part of a multi-part series of events, which also took place in 2025, strategies for circular construction and sustainable procurement were developed. These results can serve as a guide for other Berlin districts. The aim is to position Berlin as a pioneer in circular economy and construction, especially with a view to the upcoming EXPO 2035. Mayor Pankows, who took part in the “Neustart 2025” conference, emphasized the importance of such concepts and mentioned the submission of over 70 different proposals, which came from the Cradle to Cradle NGO, among others.

Nevertheless, the implementation of the Cradle to Cradle principle (C2C) is not without its challenges. According to a report from TÜV Nord, companies often have to overcome internal resistance to implement C2C concepts. Points of criticism include, for example, the need for a complete change in the economy and the dependence on limited raw materials, which in turn can cause environmental influences and resource conflicts. Tom Koch, a consultant, highlights that creative solutions are needed to overcome these challenges and emphasizes the need for collaborations between companies and even competitors.

The path to sustainable construction

Circular construction methods and innovative design techniques were discussed as part of a BUILTWORLD specialist webinar. Experts such as Dagmar Elisabeth Parusel discussed the importance of resource-saving and ecologically compatible construction methods. The construction industry is responsible for 60 to 70 percent of global resource use, which is why the transition to circular processes is undoubtedly essential to achieve Europe's climate goals. Digital product passports could help improve transparency over product life cycles and support recycling.

The idea of ​​seeing buildings as raw material storage facilities, also known as urban mining, is particularly forward-looking. In this context, innovative solutions in the areas of geothermal energy, photovoltaics and wind energy offer potential for sustainable energy use. The integration of C2C concepts and digital technologies could help the construction industry to successfully master ecological and economic challenges.

Berlin's Circular Community Hub is therefore not only a step into the future of circular building, but also an essential building block for achieving sustainable urban goals.