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Aalto University is in constant dialogue with EU’s multiple layers of decision-making: top political leaders, administrative staff, institutions and field-specific professionals. The aim is to build connections, gather information, and influence the direction of European research, education and innovation policy.

One great platform for networking, dialogue and cross-border collaboration is the European Commission’s biennial event, the New European Bauhaus Festival, which takes place at the heart of the EU in Brussels. It brings together leading names in EU policymaking, researchers, designers and grassroots actors to discuss and showcase sustainable projects from across Europe. 

The strength of the Commission’s NEB initiative is that it connects areas that are too often treated separately: climate policy, culture, design, education, innovation, industry and democratic participation. The NEB accepts that the sustainability transition cannot be treated only as a technical process, but instead its success is intertwined with culture, values and attitudes. 

The staggering truth is that nearly 93% of all materials used globally are still from virgin resources, with only about 7% of the world economy functioning circularly. (Source: Circularity Gap Report 2025 by Circle Economy & Deloitte Global)

Circular models hit into many speed bumps, such as the high cost of developing recyclable products and processes, the complexity of global supply chains, a weak secondary raw materials market, and social norms that still do not fully accept the worn and torn.

Aalto’s The Pathfinders exhibition takes the circular economy from theory to practice and presents projects that seek to solve the circular economy’s difficult challenges and bring about a paradigm shift for entire sectors. 

The exhibition features three research projects

One of the project showcased is Closing Loops, a warehouse concept serving as a storage space for the City of Helsinki. The project is led by assistant professor and architect Antti Lehto. 

Apart for its foundations, all of the buildings components are recycled, and also designed to be dismantled and reused again. But more importantly, Closing Loops is a laboratory for circular economy experiments. Aalto University researchers are calculating, analysing and gathering data in an extensive way and have already figured out how the warehouse — with its rich mix of recycled materials — can meet legally binding construction and safety requirements. The building’s lifecycle carbon footprint and costs have been assessed, and sources of suitable reused materials have been established. Now, researchers are observing the building over time. How will the materials withstand harsh weather or react to different heating periods? How will the structures age? The knowledge generated will be passed on to other cities, developers and companies in order to create industry-level circularity practices within the built environment. 

Another project on display is The European T-REX textile recycling project, whose social impact has been studied at Aalto University under the leadership of professor Kirsi Niinimäki.

T-REX is a collaboration project between 13 partners across the textile industry value chain, Aalto University as one of them. T-REX has managed to create a sustainable and economically feasible, full circularity loop for polyester, polyamide 6 and cotton. Together, the T-REX partners demonstrated that it’s possible to create circular business models that are strong enough to replace the dominant linear ones. Added value was created every step of way: in recovering materials, sorting and cleaning, recycling, yarn spinning, garment creation and design, finding customer demand and finally managing waste.

The third project featured at the NEB Festival is the BATCircle3.0 consortium, which researches the recycling of battery metals and whose principal investigator is professor Mari Lundström and project director is doctor Sipi Seisko.

Batteries require many critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, manganese and aluminium. As the demand for batteries soars, the availability of metals will soon become an obstacle. In addition to primary raw materials coming from mines, secondary raw material sources are needed, and recycling could help meet the rapidly increasing demand for metals. Moreover, a circular system of battery metals would be a great way for the EU to strengthen its resource resilience and self-sufficiency.

The BATCircle3.0 consortium, led by Aalto University Finland, is aiming to enhance the recovery of currently overlooked metals and materials from lithium-ion battery waste. The researchers have been able to develop increasingly efficient metallurgical process steps while at the same time reducing their environmental impacts.

Aalto University invited to participate in a NEB high level Scientific Session

On top of the activities around the exhibition, Aalto University’s Associate Professor of Sustainable Construction Matti Kuittinen was invited to a NEB high level Scientific Session with Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, who is responsible for research and innovation.

A selected group of leading researchers from across Europe focused on discussions around strengthening the scientific framing of NEB and thus bridging research, policy, and innovation. This exchange provided a unique opportunity to convey key messages, insights, and recommendations directly to the European Commission, contributing to the future development of the NEB initiative.
 

Aalto University's The Pathfinders exhibition is open until 12 June 2026 in the Museum of Art & History, Parc du Cinquantenaire, stand 31 at hall 2, Brussels, Cinquantenaire Park 10. It is free of charge and open to everyone.

Interested in NEB? Contact: 
Enni Äijälä, Senior Specialist, Aalto Exhibitions Outreach
enni.aijala@aalto.fi