In Arvika, the CircleBIM pilot is redefining how building materials are managed in municipal construction projects. Instead of treating renovation waste as an inevitable outcome, the Swedish partners view the existing building stock as a valuable material bank. Their work focuses on establishing Reuse HUB Arvika: a local system that inventories, dismantles, stores, and redistributes building components so they can be used again in municipal renovation and construction.
The pilot is led by Arvika Municipality and coordinated by SustainaCon Sweden AB, working closely with the municipal companies Arvika Fastighets AB and Teknik i Väst AB. Together, they are building the technical, organisational, and logistical foundations for a functioning reuse market. This includes introducing digital inventory methods, identifying reusable components in ongoing projects, and exploring how a future reuse depot could operate as a local storage and distribution centre.
A central part of the work involves testing BIM-based inventory tools such as CC Build in real renovation projects. These digital tools make it possible to document building elements in a structured way and to analyse their reuse potential. By combining material data with value analyses, the team can show how much money and CO₂ emissions the municipality could save by reusing instead of buying new materials. This supports better decision-making and helps integrate circular principles into the municipality’s long-term asset management.
The pilot also examines the practical challenges of reuse. Selective dismantling, logistics, storage solutions, and quality assessments all require clear procedures and close coordination. Early experiences show that standardisation is essential, and that digital tools must be simple and intuitive for practitioners. At the same time, the reuse process highlights legal and contractual issues related to warranties and resale, areas where the CircleBIM framework helps identify gaps and align stakeholders.
Beyond Arvika, the pilot contributes to a wider regional transition. Through collaboration with Hållbart Byggande i Värmland, neighbouring municipalities such as Årjäng and Eda, and Region Värmland, the team works to spread methods, tools, and procurement strategies that support reuse. The ambition is to build a shared regional market where public developers, contractors, and consultants can access reused materials through both internal and external marketplaces.
With support from international partners in CircleBIM, the Arvika team gains insight into how other regions organise digital inventories, selective dismantling, and reuse logistics. These experiences help accelerate local development and ensure that the emerging reuse hub is grounded in tested, scalable approaches.
Through this integrated effort, combining digitalisation, municipal cooperation, and practical fieldwork, Reuse Hub Arvika aims to become a regional frontrunner in circular construction. The pilot demonstrates how municipalities can strengthen resource efficiency, reduce climate impact, and create new opportunities for reuse at scale in the built environment.
Image © SustainaCon
