Corvallis-Medellín Workshops in Sustainable Construction
10-12 August 2026
Medellín, Colombia
“Knowledge Transfer and Expertises: A multi-sector dialogue to enhance the use of construction and demolition waste (CDW) in the circular economy”
Organizers
Dr. Carlos Maurico Bedoya
Dr. Juan Lucena
Dr. Jason H. Ideker
Purpose
This event will bring together multiple perspectives involved in the many phases of construction and demolition waste (CDW) to increase the benefits of its use across different sectors of society and places in the environment. The main goal is to create and exchange new knowledge across sectors that will contribute to education, public policy, and professional and corporate practices involved in sustainable construction.. Topics will include local knowledge of demolition, disposal, collection and processing of CDW, manufacturing and use of eco-materials and recycled concrete for community projects, institutional guidelines for the use of CDW in public and private works, and the strengthening of networks between micro and small-scale enterprises.
Participants
Participants will include professors, students, representatives from the cement and construction industries, leaders of recycling associations of CDW, representatives of industrial and community-based initiatives for the use of CDW, public sector officials, members of entities that develop technical standards for the sector (e.g.,ASTM, ICONTEC, and ACI), and Public sector actors that provide CDW management services such as Empresas Publicas de Medellin (EPM).
Methodology
During the three days of the event, participants will engage in a number of knowledge-creation participatory activities aimed at understanding each other, valuing different knowledge, and influencing education, practices, and policies. These will include participatory mapping of CDW, short interactive lectures, discussions, working groups, and two visits to CDW recycling plants, including one industrial-scale and one small-scale community-based, both with a significant impact on the definition of public policies regarding the use of eco-materials in the construction and infrastructure sector. All participating sectors will have the opportunity to present, discuss, and work in thematic groups.