Circular Economy
R&D Centre

CirkArena is a planned R&D Centre for the circular economy. It will gather excellent scientific and innovation teams and capacities with the ambition to engage its workplaces in city of Třinec and city of Ostrava in the system of national reference laboratories.

The Centre will focus on research of

  • industrial waste specific to the Moravian-Silesian Region (+ remains of mining and metallurgical past)
  • biowaste
  • construction waste

and thus, contribute to the transformation of the Moravian-Silesian Region.

CirkArena will build on broad unique partnership of research and educational organizations and public sector. It will be a bridge between the technological and knowledge base, and it will help to accelerate circular economy R&D, innovation, and education activities in the field of the circular economy.

The story of CirkArena

In the former ice hockey arena, where people used to cheer to quality performances, where talents played, teams fought for victories and the place vibrated with energy, the story of CirkArena follows and begins again. The new R&D Centre for the circular economy of the European level will bring attention to cities of Třinec and Ostrava and to the region, it will attract new talents and excellence, and the place will once again rush with energy.

The idea of the origin of CirkArena is based on the industrial history of the region and the current transformation of the regional economy. It is also a direct link to Europe’s climate goals and the move towards a low-carbon economy.

The results of CirkArena R&D activities will support the regional innovation ecosystem. They will help to exploit the potential of secondary use of raw materials stored in the region – industrial heaps, dumps and tailings ponds, which are the remains of heavy industry. The results of CirkArena R&D will contribute to the modernization and sustainability of enterprises in the region, reduction of the amount of waste, waste prevention, saving raw materials and so-called industrial symbiosis.

In June 2021, the CirkArena project was selected as one of the strategic projects of the Moravian-Silesian Region that will apply for funding from the Operational Programme Just Transition.

Project budget

2,2

Total project cost in mld. CZK

%

Operational Programme Just Transition

%

Czech state budget

%

Project own financing

Project timeline

2021 – 2022 – preparation of the project application

2023 – submission of project application and preparation of project documentation for planning permission

01 – 06/2024 – obtaining a valid TD, preparation of the Design&Build TP

07/2024 – 03/2025 – selection of a construction contractor through Design&Build

04/2025 – 12/2027 – construction of the building, equipment of the centre

2023 – 2027 – assembling research teams and recruiting staff

2028 – start of full operation of the research centre

Beneficiary

The MATERIAL AND METALLURGICAL RESEARCH, CO., Ltd.

Project partners

Research & Development

VSB – Technical University of Ostrava

Czech Technical University in Prague

Brno University of Technology

Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the CAS, v. v. i.

Tomas Bata University in Zlín

 

Education and awareness

Institute of Circular Economy (INCIEN)

Smart & Open Base for Innovations in European Cities and Regions, z.

The Czech Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry SUSCHEM

 

Public sector

The statutory city Třinec

Regional Council of Development and Cooperation in Trinec

Moravian-Silesian Innovation Center Ostrava