SYMSITES brings the circular economy to the Fira de Cocentaina with a model that integrates water, energy, and resources
Within the framework of the 679th edition of the Fira de Tots Sants de Cocentaina—a historic event that gathers thousands of visitors and more than 800 exhibitors from a wide range of sectors—Facsa and Fovasa Medioambiente organized a Stakeholder Forum to showcase the European project SYMSITES.
The forum, aimed to bring together key local and regional actors to exchange ideas and explore how innovation and cross-sector collaboration can transform the way we manage water, energy, and resources, paving the way toward a more sustainable and circular future. SYMSITES’ presence at the fair turned environmental challenges and technological solutions into something tangible for the public, introducing key concepts such as the circular economy, energy efficiency, and resource recovery in an accessible and interactive way. It was a unique opportunity to demonstrate that sustainability is built not only through research and technology, but also through dialogue, awareness, and citizen participation.
The space showcased the joint efforts of the SYMSITES partners, with the project leader, AITEX, and Facsa coordinating the Spanish Ecosite and promoting the SYMSITES model. Facsa also brought science closer to the public through the educational workshop “The Course of Water”, designed to connect innovation with everyday life and foster water awareness among children and families. Additionally, Fovasa led a hands-on recycling workshop, while companies such as Germaine de Capuccini, Francisco Jover S.A., and GREENE presented solutions that transform industrial waste into new resources for the textile and cosmetics sectors. Meanwhile, the ITG Technology Centre shared its work on an interactive digital tool that promotes Industrial and Urban Symbiosis (I-US) by connecting industries and communities in a shared circular model. Overall, the Spanish Ecosite partners joined forces to demonstrate and explain SYMSITES to the visitors.
About SYMSITES in Spain
In Spain, the project is being implemented at the Alcoy Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), managed by Facsa, in collaboration with the Public Entity for Wastewater Sanitation of the Valencian Region (EPSAR), which has provided the facilities for its development.
Its goal is to create ecosystems where flows of water, waste, and by-products become resources for other activities, mimicking nature’s closed cycles and contributing to a low-carbon circular economy. Through this Stakeholder Forum, Facsa and Fovasa highlighted the role of innovation, European cooperation, and environmental awareness as driving forces for change — reaffirming that a sustainable future is built through collaboration and shared action that connects research with society.
