The Basque Government, through its rail infrastructure manager Euskal Trenbide Sarea (ETS), is at the forefront of a groundbreaking European initiative to promote circular construction and sustainability in the railway sector. As part of the SUM4Re project—“Sustainable Urban Mining for Reuse”—ETS is leading a pilot at the Anoeta station in San Sebastián, aiming to maximize the reuse and recycling of construction materials during the station’s ongoing renovation.

At Anoeta station, ETS and its partners are testing advanced solutions such as automated on-site data acquisition, artificial intelligence for material identification, and digital platforms for inventory management. These technologies are designed to create “material banks” from the built environment, supporting the broader shift toward a circular economy in construction and infrastructure management.

The SUM4Re pilot at Anoeta station not only sets a benchmark for future projects in the region but also demonstrates the power of cross-border partnerships in driving the transition to a more sustainable and resource-efficient construction sector.

The Basque Government wrote an article about this initiative. Read it now!