University College London
Our Work
Within the ICEC-MCM (www.ucl.ac.uk/circular-economy centre-for-construction-minerals), UCL researchers are working on projects for: Bayesian Material Flow Analysis (BaMFA), to estimate data gaps in resource flow systems; implementation of ‘Use Potential’ as a policy tool to incentivise closing the loop between waste generators and users of raw materials; life cycle analysis of mineral construction products; computational general equilibrium modelling of macroeconomic impacts of Circular Economy practices on UK regions; and Circular Economy policy and law.
The UCL Office of the UCL Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement – RIGE) is supporting three Policy Placements to support the ICE-SRM/CE:
- PhD student Chi Zhang is working on UNRMS compliant policy incentives for Circular Economy of timber in the UK.
- Dr Ramya Venkataraman is investigating sustainable management of waste biomass fuels in alignment with the UNRMS.
- Dr Aibibula Feiruz is using conducting Life Cycle Assessment of circular vs conventional materials in residential construction.
Together, these projects contribute to UCL’s leadership role in supporting the transition to a sustainable Circular Economy for the built environment, with a focus on mineral-based construction materials, interdisciplinary systems thinking, and evidence-based policy integration.
Our Plans
Building on the work of the ICEC-MCM, UCL is well positioned to continue contributing to research on circular economy approaches in the construction sector. Areas of ongoing interest include improving the understanding of material flows, assessing environmental impacts through life cycle assessment, and examining the broader social and economic implications of shifting towards more circular use of construction materials.
There may also be opportunities to further explore how technical research can inform policy and regulation, particularly where it relates to resource management and infrastructure planning. The existing involvement in UNRMS-linked projects highlights a growing interest in connecting academic research with international frameworks. Future activity may include expanding case studies, engaging in cross-sector collaboration, or supporting training and knowledge exchange where appropriate, depending on capacity and alignment with institutional priorities.
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Team
Professor Julia Stegemann
Director of UCL CircEL
ICE-SRM/CE Director Professor Julia Stegemann is also a founding Director of UCL CircEL, the UCL Circular Economy Laboratory.
CircEL was established in 2015 as a hub for research and education on resource efficiency that spans the breadth and depth of UCL expertise in this area, across 11 faculties. Julia is also PI and Director of the £8M UKRI Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Mineral-based Construction Materials (ICEC- MCM).
Julia has been doing research to support resource efficiency and rational decision-making about environmental technologies and waste management for forty years, at UCL, University of Oxford, CEH Wallingford, Imperial College and the Environment Canada Wastewater Technology Centre.
Julia’s current research interests include investigation of the geochemical basis of the metabolism of toxic metals in the cement kiln during co-processing wastes; re-use of timber waste; and development of tools and systems to enable use of anthropogenic resources. She is a co-investigator in a Horizon Europe project on Future Availability of Raw Materials in Europe and a BBSRC ELEMENTAL Engineering Biology Mission Hub, for biorecovery of metals from waste.
Dr Stijn van Ewijk
ICE-SRM/CE Deputy Director
ICE-SRM/CE Deputy Director Dr Stijn van Ewijk is a Lecturer in Environmental Engineering at University College London.
He is an expert on waste management and the circular economy. Stijn aims to drive sustainability by advancing the integration of material flow analysis and life cycle thinking in policy-making.
He has worked internationally with policy-makers to develop evidence and policies for reducing environmental impacts. Stijn was a Postdoctoral Associate at the Yale Center for Industrial Ecology, an ABSW Media Fellow at The Times and a visiting researcher at Defra.
Latest Reports
Webinar: Closing the Circle – Embedding UNRMS in the Circular Economy
By Craig Withers, University of Exeter. Webinar: Closing the Circle – Embedding UNRMS in the Circular Economy We are pleased to announce our upcoming international webinar, Closing the Circle – Embedding UNRMS in the Circular Economy, which will explore how the United...
UK ICE-SRM at UNECE Resource Management Week 2025, Geneva
By Craig Withers, University of Exeter. The UK ICE SRM team had a strong and diverse presence at the UNECE Resource Management Week in Geneva this year from 24th till the 28th of March. The event hosted and heard from international experts, policymakers, researchers,...