On 23-25-May 2023 it has been held in Barcelona CONSTRUMAT 2023. With over 40 editions of the fair as the standard-bearer in Spain for the construction industry, Construmat is a globally-recognised brand for our commitment to innovation, sustainability and business.

208 companies, 388 brands exposed in 14,000 m2 of exhibition area were visited by about 15.000 visitors.

ITeC attended with a both in which held a workshop to present Replan project. Building sector is strategic for the project as it represent an important market for the Recycled Tyre Materials, which provide, among the others, rubber flooring insulating sheets, textile insulating panels, steel fiber for concrete reinforcement, rubber powder for plasters and 3D printing cement compound.

On 25^th May by NOBATEK/INEF4 premised in Anglet (France) it was held an event to present the the GROW&HARVEST + SEED winner of the METABUILDING project, (coordinated at European level by NOBATEK/INEF4 and by Cercle Promodul / INEF4 at French level). ETRA attended to the Pitch session to present the results of the GreenDeal project. During the lateral meetings and networking moments Replan project was also presented.

The event was well attended by over 60 Nobatek Members and professionals, all working in the building sector and involved in the development of more sustainable technologies and products.

Nobatek is an important cluster who support the development and go to market of recycled building materials.

Forum Buygreen is the most important Italian event on Green Public Procurement organized by Fondazione Ecosistemi. The first edition dated back to 2007 and grew up continuously. This year they have been put together 26 workshops and working tables, 30 training workshops, 190 speakers, 270 Public Bodies, Companies and Organisations.

Four speakers from RE-PLAN CITY LIFE Project took part to the Workshop “Circular procurements in buildings and public works” describing the uses of Recycled Tyre Materials in Buildings and Roads constructions.

Speakers from Ministry of Environment and from other recycled materials value chains, also used in public works applications, took part to the Workshop and contributed to animate the debate.

On 10^th May in Brussels, organized by the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, it was held an interesting event to discuss of how to face the high upfront investment costs of many circular economy initiatives.

The two Horizon Europe projects Deciso and Hoop address this issue by providing project development assistance, including the development of financing solutions and business plans for local circular economy initiatives with the ultimate aim of leveraging further public and private investment.

It was a good occasion to introduce ETRA and to share information about Replan project which matched well with the type of event and profile of attendee.

Some good new contacts were established with the aim to start cooperation or explore possibilities of new projects.

On 4^th and 5^th May Replan landed in Verona (Italy) to attend Asphaltica 2023, an international event gathering a fair and some workshops on the roads paving and constructions.

We attended to the three workshops on sustainable roads where we met some hold contacts of ETRA very active in promoting rubberized asphalt and still very friendly and motivated to co-operate with us in the frame of RE-PLAN CITY LIFE project.

Other occasion of contacts came from visiting the fair where we met some companies specialized in developing new products and open to use rubberized asphalt, as well with ANTEL, attending with their local members.

On 26 April 2023 in Brussels was held the METABUILDING event “Enhancing the circularity in the construction sector”, with the objective to bring together stakeholders from the construction and the recycling sector, foster cross-collaboration and showcase some of the innovative projects supported by METABUILDING.

ETRA coordinated two Metabuilding Projects: GreenDealles, on use do steel fibres in concrete, and  MoRe R&C on the use of rubber powder in plaster with recycled carbon fibers.

This event was a perfect occasion to meet the other Metabuilding Winners and introduce to them ETRA and Replan project and carry on an interesting networking aiming to expand cooperation opportunities.

The construction sector needs to challenge its usual practices and innovate at a higher pace than ever before. For that, METABUILDING, an EU-funded H2020 project, has developed an innovation ecosystem that brings together stakeholders from construction and four emerging industrial sectors; recycling & circularity, additive manufacturing, nature-based solutions, and digital industry.

As part of the METABUILDING outreach activities and with the goal of fostering the cross-sectoral cooperation, Replan is pleased to give visibility to Metabuilding projects as well as other projects developing the use of Recycled Tyre Materials (RTMs).

On 25-26 April 2023 in Brussels it was held FIRM23, the FEHRL INFRASTRUCTURE RESEARCH MEETING 2023.

FIRM Meetings are a series of international Conferences and Seminars presenting FEHRL and its Cooperative Research Activities, dedicated to offering opportunities to Institutes and Associations linked to road engineering research topics including safety, materials, environmental issues, telematics and economic evaluation.

The event gather stakeholders involved in mobility infrastructure from all over Europe and outside. ETRA attended for networking purposes of Replan project. Some very interesting contacts were established as well as possibility of cooperation.

The Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL) was formed in 1989, with as objective the support towards coordination and application of research and innovation. FEHRL's mission is to promote and facilitate collaboration on road research and provide high-quality information and advice on technologies and policies related to roads. FEHRL encourages collaborative research into topics such as mobility, transport and infrastructure, energy, environment and resources, safety and security.

On 14^th April in Monza at the new u-Power stadium there was an interesting and well organized event (by Tsport Magazine) on the theme "Disposal and recovery of synthetic grass surfaces",

It was a good occasion for the networking of RE-PLAN CITY LIFE, aiming to expand project visibility and catch opportunities of cooperation.

Despite it was an event addressed to the Italian artificial turf sector, it should be noted that many of the companies attending have an international market approach as they are working throughout the EU.

The recycling of the turf makes available high quality rubber infill material ready to be re-used onsite in new artificial turf. However, despite the convenience and the very low footprint, owing to the threaten of the infill ban, this valuable materials risk to be sent to disposal.

On 13^th April in Belluno (Italy), ANTEL, the Italian Association of Technicians of the Public Administration, organized a Workshop to present and discuss various experience of Public Space in the City and the Regeneration of the Urban Context.

The event see the active involvement of the Professional Order of Architects and the University of Ferrara, as well as the Municipality of Belluno. Many technicians from the Public Administration of northern Italy attended.

However the event had a wide scope it was a perfect occasion to meet with Stakeholders and Professionals to introduce Replan and the opportunities to join the Working Groups.

ANTEL and ETRA has been working together for many years to promote the use of Recycled Tyre Materials (RTMs) in public works through training workshops to their members and affiliates.

142 persons from 36 countries worldwide registered to the 28^th ETRA Conference, which was held in Brussels Wednesday through Friday 29 -31 March.

The day of 29^th was devoted to RE-PLAN project meeting and to a Workshop of the three Working Groups open to all the Stakeholders.

On 30^th in the plenary session RE-PLAN CITY LIFE program showed significant examples of use of Recycled Tyre Materials (RTMs) in high quality products and applications for rails and roads.

Then the Sport WG of RE-PLAN which worked on the issue of the infill ban, reported the work carried out over the past year, highlighting an analysis that put the figures into a new perspective, also illustrating an innovative tool for systematically analyze the many publications made so far in order to obtain an objective synthesis of the existing evidences.

On 31^st networking and meetings completed the event.

On 24 March we have been requested to hold a speech at the La Sapienza University in Rome, Dept. Chemical Engineering, Materials, Environment, in the context of course on sustainable materials used in building constructions.

The presentation whose title was Possible value chain in Tyre rubber waste management, aimed to describe in detail the potential of Recycled Tyre Materials (RTMs) and explain the contradiction and the interests that still obstacles a more robust adoption of these valuable solutions.

ETRA has been cooperating with Professor Valente since may years ago, who is actively engaged in various R&D projects about the use of (RTMs) as alternative to traditional components of cement and concrete.

He organized and run an innovative course addressed to an international group of students who are really motivated to learn new techniques to reduce the foot print in the construction sector.

On the occasion of the "I light up less" day to raise people's awareness of energy saving and the circular economy, on 23^rd March 2023 we held a 2-hour meeting with third and fifth grade students making a presentation on the topic of recycling end-of-life tires which compared to other recycled materials such as paper, glass, plastic, they have the particularity of not being able to return directly to the production cycle of new tires and therefore it is important to recycle them in other sectors such as sports, roads and construction.

In March we have been actively involved in the Cycling Europe Event organised in hybrid modality in Duesseldorf.

From 1st to 31^st we took part in various steeps to the matchmaking to present in one to one meeting the potential of Replan Project both as an important tool to raise awareness about the used to Recycled Tyre Materials (RTMs) as well as incubator of possible new projects.

On 21^st March we participated to a webinar on New & innovative Materials where we described in details some uses of RTMs useful to improve cycles mobility.

Altogether 141 persons were registered on the platform and to the various activities connected to the event.

The 5th edition of Cities Forum will be held in Torino, Italy from 16 to 17 March 2023. The event brings together key urban stakeholders at European, national, regional and local levels who are committed to a green and just future of cities.

Thanks to the support of the Municipal City of Turin, who is one of the project partner, it was possible to make a quick visit and share some communication material of the Replan Project. Other Partners from Turin are Politecnico of Turin and University of Turin.

The Cities Forum is a biennial event of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy. For this edition, the host is Torino, a city with a vast history in urban transformation due to its transition from factory town to a city of knowledge, culture and innovation.

On 13^th March 2023 Region of Crete organized a Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meeting to introduce Replan project and collect input from participants, who was both form the industry and the Public Sector.

The event was supported by Ekoelastika the management body in charge of EPR in Greece and interested to develop sustainable uses to Recycled Tyre Materials (RTMs).

The Grass Yarn and Tufters Forum was held in Madrid  from 28^th February to 2^nd March 2023.

Ettore Musacchi from ETRA attended and made a presentation to explain why is important to support the use recycled rubber infill material. The benefit are not only for the environment, but also for the sport, for social relations, and to grow a really green economy.

The presentation tried to clarify what is behind the decision adopted by the Commission and the impacts on the industry, the sport facilities, the environment.

On 17 January 2023 in Brussels, at the presence of DG Move, Replan project was presented during a workshop at ACI, Automobile Club of Italy,  orgnanised by EIPA, the European Institute of Public Administration.

The Automobile Club of Italy is a non-profit public body which institutionally represents and protects the general interests of Italian motoring, whose development it promotes and fosters.

They are responsible of various activities in many different contexts:

-       Management of EOL tyres deriving from vehicles dismantling

-       Road safety

-       Touristic promotion

-       R&D

It was a training workshop on EU projects to which attended over than 40 persons from different departments.

The project was described in detail and it was underlined the potential for a more sustainable management of EOL tyres, as well as other opportunities of cooperation.

In the context of the Football Teaching Techniques course held at the University of Asti, a lesson dedicated to synthetic turf fields was included in which it was possible to illustrate the various construction, management and maintenance techniques. Particular attention was paid to the fields made with rubber granulate infill obtained from the recycling of end-of-life tyres. The lesson was held on January 13, 2023 by Geom. Marabotto, VP of ETRA, who was the designer of the sports facilities at the Municipality of Turin, and was able to illustrate the advantages deriving from the use of the infill material, both in terms of performance, environmental and economic.

A Spain SAC and Working group meeting was held be place on November 29 at the ITeC offices in Barcelona.

In addition ITeC who organised and hosted the event, then meeting was attended by the other partners: COMSA Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, and ETRA (Project Coordinator) as well as Stakeholders from the Industry and Public Administration.

After having introduced the project and the objective and main activities, the meeting was focused to illustrate and discuss the main issue that affect the sector and limit the expansion of the use of Recycled Tyres Materials in the main fields of applications: Transport Infrastructures (roads and rails), Concrete and Construction, Sport and Leisure (artificial grass pitches, sports facilities, rubber surfaces for multisport and leisure activities, etc.).

Particular attention has been laid on the Microplastics issue and the risk of the ban of the polymer infill materials for artificial turf.

The use of recycled tire materials in roads, buildings and sports infrastructures

A RE-PLAN CITY LIFE Workshop was held on November 17th in Turin at the RESTRUCTURA fair, the most important exhibition of constructions, renovations and restorations in the north-west of Italy. An international event that brings together every year the main players involved in the development of innovative materials and techniques and sustainable practices.

The event was organized by ETRA with an important support from ANTEL the National Association of Technicians of the Public Administration and the cooperation from the other Italian Partners: Metropolitan City of Turin, Politecnico of Turin, University of Turin.

The project was introduced describing the objective and main activities, then few presentations from the partners were done to illustrate the main different uses of Recycled Tyre Materials in Transport Infrastructures (roads and rails), Concrete and Construction (reinforced concrete with steel fibers for industrial floors and roads, rubber slabs and layers for noise reduction, recycled fibers, textile panels for insulation), Street and Urban Furniture, Products and applications for Sport and Leisure (artificial grass pitches, sports facilities, rubber surfaces for multisport and leisure activities, etc.)

In addition to the workshop a booth was made available to meet technicians and operators.

On 15-17 November 2022 in Barcelona was held the Smart City Expo World Congress. The world’s leading event for cities gathering leaders from the most innovative companies, governments and organizations to move cities towards a better future.

ITeC shared in their stand information about the different European project which we are involved.

Also, they participate in two sessions. In one of these, Kathleen Blanco (R+D Project Manager) spoke about the contribution of ITeC in the European Projects, how the projects are a way to generate new knowledge and contribute to the future of the construction sector, which is aligned with the European Commission's dedication to global climate action, and the importance of work together a different kind of organization from all Europe to unite for a common good aligned.

https://www.smartcityexpo.com/

RE-PLAN CITY LIFE project made a step in Rome at the 16th edition of Buygreen Forum, the main Italian event on GPP for the Public Administration.

The event was held on 19 and 20 October, organized by Fondazione Ecosistemi, who is partner in the project.

The relevance of the event is well expressed by the figures of the forum:

+ Over 2400 participants

+ 270 organisations

+ 26 events

+ 200 speakers

+ 10 training sessions

The 27^th ETRA Conference on Tyre Recycling was held Monday through Wednesday, 30 May – 1 June 2022 at Le Louise Hotel in Brussels. Despite many events related to recycling, tyre and rubber took place in May, some of them overlapping, there were 122 registered participants from 28 countries worldwide.