CIRCULAR URBAN RENOVATIONS – STAGE 1

Clients: Social housing developers consortium (including Vilogia and Lille Métropole Habitat)

Scientific partner: Neo-Eco

Location: Roubaix* and Greater Lille, North of France

Delivered in: January 2020

Or how to industrialise circular processes within urban renovation**, through a 90+% reusing target, high value addition and firm regional rooting. Two developers (Vilogia, private, national; LMH, public, local) lead the project through a hybrid steering vehicle (La Méta), and a group of local SMEs will operate the recycling and reusing platform.

The processing of structural (concrete, brick), finishing (plaster, plastic, glass, etc.), and furnishing materials (plumbing, doors, windows, etc.) will coexist on the site, yielding countless synergies and commercial opportunities. An R&D unit will ensure continuous process and product innovation.

Inecko established the venture’s production costs, revenue and profitability, built momentum around the project, evidenced economic outcomes which secured wide local support.

Specifically, we have:

Established and modelled production costs, revenue and profitability, for 9 input materials, 9 recycled end products, and a variety of furnishing/equipment items – 120,000 t annual capacity, EUR 2.5M turnover, 64% EBITDA margin
Provided operational and strategic recommendations after interviewing and involving local/regional businesses (demolition, recycling, reusing), and stakeholders (national environmental agency, national circular economy institute, professional organisation, consultancy), including risk analysis
Quantified and interpreted economic outcomes (direct, indirect, induced – jobs, wages, revenue, tax), derived local perspectives e.g. contribution to industrial employment or revenue
Assessed long-term regional development impacts (innovation capacities, skills, ecosystems) and advised on their enhancement
Collected quantitative and qualitative primary data via 10 hours of interviews with 12 respondents and follow-up outreach

* Pop. 99,000, part of the lowest 0.1% disposable income/cap. amongst French cities (INSEE).

** ‘New National Urban Renewal Plan’, 45 sites in Greater Lille, 2,600 homes, 450,000 t demolished.

And now? (as of Sept. 2026)

The PresRV platform has been operational since 2025, having pivoted towards an even more innovative segment, reuse, recycling being handled by numerous well-established local operators. It strips out, refurbishes and sells a wide range of items, such as bricks, sanitary ware and electrical equipment. La Méta is pursuing and deepening its pioneering circular approach to urban renovation across Greater Lille, still with our support (see CIRCULAR URBAN RENOVATIONS – STAGE 2).