The NiCE project (From Niche to Centre – City Centres as Places of Circular Lifestyles), funded by the Interreg Central Europe Programme, has officially come to a successful conclusion, marking an important milestone in supporting the transition towards more sustainable and resilient urban environments.
Over the past 3 years, partners from across Central Europe have worked together to tackle key challenges such as declining retail activity, the rise of online consumption and the need for more sustainable everyday practices. Through this collaboration, the project delivered a comprehensive set of practical tools, strategies and pilot actions that help bring circular lifestyles into the heart of city centres.
Among the key results are the Circular Lifestyle Monitor Tool, the Strategy Framework for Circular Lifestyles in Cities and the NiCE Solution Box, all designed to support municipalities, organisations and stakeholders in implementing circular solutions in practice. These outputs, along with many more resources, are available on the NiCE Knowledge Platform: https://circularlifestyle.eu/
It is important to note that these results stem from the joint activities of all partners. During the first phase, partners assessed political measures, action plans, strategies, and programs supporting circular lifestyles across NiCE partner countries (Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia). This research — conducted via stakeholder interviews and desk research — focused on specific pilot areas, including Bologna (Porto-Saragozza), Brzeg Dolny, Budapest (Újbuda), Jihlava, Graz, Košice, Ptuj, and Würzburg. Additionally, partners evaluated sustainable consumption patterns and business models at the urban level. By analysing the needs and visions of target groups (cities, service providers, and existing networks), the project successfully identified key transnational challenges and opportunities. The project also demonstrated its impact through pilot actions in partner cities, showing how circular approaches can revitalise urban spaces, strengthen communities and promote sustainable behaviour. These experiences were complemented by educational materials, a Virtual Exhibition and a wide range of knowledge-sharing activities.
Partners were active in dissemination activities, various workshops have been organized in highly prestigious events, including the European Week of Regions and Cities 2025.
As the NiCE project comes to an end, its results remain openly accessible to support further uptake, replication and scaling across Europe. We invite all stakeholders to explore the Knowledge Platform and discover how circular lifestyles can be successfully implemented in their own contexts.
To learn more about the project and its achievements, watch the NiCE project video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrgoSsEI77M
On behalf of BME, the Department of Environmental Economics and Sustainability at the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences participated in this three-year project. Over twenty colleagues contributed to the project, ranging from research staff and doctoral candidates to BA and MA students. Dr. Mariann Szabó, an Associate Professor at BME’s Department of Environmental Economics and Sustainability, served as the project leader. The Department organized the project’s inaugural Partner Meeting and led the First Work Package. Subsequently, it implemented a flagship pilot action titled “Co-creation for more circular cities at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics”. Departmental colleagues were instrumental in leading online seminars and transnational workshops at major international conferences, including SCORAI 2025, ERSCP 2025, and the EU Week of Regions and Cities 2025, while also publishing research in cooperation with international peers. The Department's experts played a significant role in developing key project outputs, including the Strategy Framework, the Virtual Exhibition of Good Practices, and the Monitor Tool.
Although the project is concluding, the Department remains committed to sustaining the momentum generated by NiCE. This includes the formal adoption of the “Methodology Kit on Stakeholders' Engagement in Circular Lifestyles” which will be integrated into the “Sustainable Business Model Design” course.
This project is supported by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.