HEATReX | Higher value retention of heat pumps through ReX

Region:

Flanders

Financed by

Unlocking circular value for mechatronic products

Many mechatronic products, such as heat pumps, still follow linear lifecycles. At the same time, circular value retention (ReX) offers strong potential for sustainability and economic value. However, scaling these practices requires coordinated action across entire ecosystems. HEATReX develops a system-mapping approach to identify leverage points and enable effective system-level interventions.

Target group

The project is aimed at:

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of mechatronic products
Supply chain partners and lifecycle service providers
Sector federations of mechatronic products

Context

Transitioning to circular value retention requires coordinated action across entire ecosystems. Today, companies often focus on product-level improvements but lack visibility on the broader system that determines whether circular solutions succeed.

Structured approaches to map actors, barriers and system dynamics are often missing. As a result, initiatives tend to remain fragmented and fail to scale.

Objectives & results

HEATReX aims to enable companies and ecosystems to design and implement effective, system-level circular value retention (ReX) strategies for mechatronic products.

Key expected results:

ReX system-mapping methodology and toolset
Structured approach to analyse ecosystems, map causal relationships and identify high-impact interventions across value chains
System maps and intervention roadmaps
Translation of system insights into coordinated and actionable strategies for companies, sectors and policy makers
Guidelines for co-creation workshops
Support to align stakeholders, facilitate collaboration and build a shared understanding of system dynamics
Sector-specific case studies
Application and validation of the methodology in real industrial contexts, with a focus on mechatronic products such as heat pumps
Dissemination materials
Tools and content to prepare participants, support engagement in system-mapping exercises and enable broader uptake across sectors

Approach

The project is structured into several workstreams:

1. Requirements and state-of-the-art analysis

Identification of requirements for system-mapping approaches tailored to circular value retention of mechatronic products
Analysis of existing tools and frameworks to identify best practices

2. Development of the ReX system-mapping methodology

Development of a practical methodology including templates, tools and indicators
Focus on analysing circular ecosystems and identifying leverage points for intervention

3. Case studies and validation

Application and refinement of the methodology through industrial case studies
Organisation of co-creation workshops with ecosystem stakeholders
Mapping of system dynamics, identification of barriers and prioritisation of interventions

4. Dissemination and ecosystem learning