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Hubs for Circularity: Geo-Based Industrial Clustering towards Urban Symbiosis in Europe

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  • Francisco Mendez Alva

    (Energy & Cluster Management-EELAB, Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park Campus A, Technolo-giepark-Zwijnaarde 131, 9052 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Rob De Boever

    (Energy & Cluster Management-EELAB, Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park Campus A, Technolo-giepark-Zwijnaarde 131, 9052 Ghent, Belgium)

  • Greet Van Eetvelde

    (Energy & Cluster Management-EELAB, Department of Electromechanical, Systems and Metal Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Tech Lane Ghent Science Park Campus A, Technolo-giepark-Zwijnaarde 131, 9052 Ghent, Belgium)

Abstract

Since the Green Deal, ambitious climate and resource neutrality goals have been set in Europe. Here, process industries hold a unique position due to their energy and material transformation capabilities. They are encouraged to develop cross-sectorial hubs for achieving not only climate ambition, but also joining a circular economy through urban–industrial symbiosis with both business and community stakeholders. This research proposes a data-based approach to identify potential hub locations by means of cluster analysis. A total of three different algorithms are compared on a set of location and pollution data of European industrial facilities: K-means, hierarchical agglomerative and density-based spatial clustering. The DBSCAN algorithm gave the best indication of potential locations for hubs because of its capacity to tune the main parameters. It evidenced that predominately west European countries have a high potential for identifying hubs for circularity (H4Cs) due to their industrial density. In Eastern Europe, the industrial landscape is more scattered, suggesting that additional incentives might be needed to develop H4Cs. Furthermore, industrial activities such as the production of aluminium, cement, lime, plaster, or electricity are observed to have a relatively lower tendency to cluster compared with the petrochemical sector. Finally, further lines of research to identify and develop industrial H4Cs are suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco Mendez Alva & Rob De Boever & Greet Van Eetvelde, 2021. "Hubs for Circularity: Geo-Based Industrial Clustering towards Urban Symbiosis in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-25, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:24:p:13906-:d:703783
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. D. Rachel Lombardi & Peter Laybourn, 2012. "Redefining Industrial Symbiosis," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 16(1), pages 28-37, February.
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    1. Carlotta D’Alessandro & Antonio Licastro & Roberta Arbolino & Grazia Calabrò & Giuseppe Ioppolo, 2025. "A Circular Land Use Model for Reconciling Industrial Expansion with Agricultural Heritage in Italian Industrial Parks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Onofrio Resta & Emanuela Resta & Alberto Costantiello & Piergiuseppe Liuzzi & Angelo Leogrande, 2025. "Environmental Complexity and Respiratory Health: A Data-Driven Exploration Across European Regions," Working Papers hal-05243548, HAL.
    3. Tanya Tsui & Cecilia Furlan & Alexander Wandl & Arjan Timmeren, 2024. "Spatial Parameters for Circular Construction Hubs: Location Criteria for a Circular Built Environment," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 317-338, March.

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