The Metabolic Multiple: Transforming Cities Through Circular Economy Principles

Founded in 2012, Metabolic has emerged as a leading force in applying systems thinking to tackle some of the world's most pressing sustainability challenges. With a mission to transition the global economy to a fundamentally sustainable state, this Amsterdam-based consultancy takes a holistic approach to addressing complex environmental and social issues.

The following article uses excerpts from The Selling Circular Podcast 's interview with Andrew McCue hosted by Garr Punnett and Sabira Lakhani .

At the core of Metabolic's philosophy is the circular economy - an economic model that is regenerative and waste-free by design. As Metabolic's founder Eva Gladek explains, "The circular economy promotes sustainable development by minimizing waste, promoting resource efficiency, and supporting local makers."

This systems-based perspective allows Metabolic to look beyond isolated problems and instead examine the interconnected web of factors that contribute to un-sustainability. As Andrew McCue, a Strategic Initiatives Leader at Metabolic, notes: "We work at any given system, a business, a city, a building, a neighborhood, an entire sector, whatever as a metabolism, it is ingesting materials and energy. It is producing products and it's producing waste streams."

Metabolic in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has served as a key testing ground for Metabolic's circular economy approach. One of the company's first major projects was the development of De Ceuvel, a circular economy playground built on a former polluted shipyard in Amsterdam North.

As McCue describes: "We built out of houseboats that were destined for landfill. We bought them for a euro each and then refurbished them, pulled them up onto land as buildings. It's a really cool place to hang out too."

De Ceuvel has become a living lab for circular economy principles, featuring urine-separating toilets that capture nutrients for plant fertilizer, solar panels, and buildings constructed entirely from recovered materials. The project helped galvanize the local community and led the city to designate the surrounding area as a circular economy living lab.

Building on this success, Metabolic has continued to work closely with the City of Amsterdam on its circular economy strategy. The company has conducted material flow analyses to identify opportunities for closing resource loops and developed roadmaps to guide the city's transition.

As McCue explains, this place-based approach is critical: "Circular economy in Amsterdam looks very different from it does in Chicago, and it has to because it's not the same place. They're both pretty flat, but that's about all you got. The urban plan is different. The culture is different. Consumption and behavioral patterns of the individuals and communities there are different. The laws are different. The weather is different."

Global Impact

While Amsterdam has been a key focus, Metabolic's impact extends far beyond the Dutch capital. The company has worked on projects in cities across Europe, Asia, and North America, always tailoring its approach to local contexts.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, Metabolic helped develop the first circular economy strategy for a U.S. city. Their analysis revealed that $111 million worth of materials were being sent to landfills in Charlotte each year3. By identifying high-impact opportunities in textiles, construction waste, and food waste, Metabolic laid out a roadmap for Charlotte to become a zero-waste city while creating new jobs and economic opportunities.

Metabolic has also been active in developing regions, working on projects related to sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and resource recovery. The company takes a collaborative approach, partnering with local stakeholders to co-create solutions.

As McCue emphasizes: "We are a collaboration first organization. We have a very big and ambitious mission and there's no way we can do it on our own."

Systems Change for Global Sustainability

At the heart of Metabolic's work is a recognition that truly addressing global sustainability challenges requires fundamental systems change. As McCue explains:

"We are very firmly in the belief at Metabolic that the many different challenges or the sort of polycrisis that folks are facing today... they all stem from a smaller number of root causes. If you get down to those root causes and switch from linear to circular, for example, or switch the mindset there, switch how it's organized, you can address a whole host of solutions at once."

This system's perspective allows Metabolic to tackle interconnected issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, and social inequality in an integrated way. The company has developed frameworks like the "Seven Pillars of the Circular Economy" to evaluate circularity across multiple dimensions simultaneously.

Metabolic's holistic approach extends to how they structure their own organization. In addition to their consulting work, Metabolic has spun out ventures focused on areas like software development, academic research, and venture building. This allows them to not just advise on circular solutions, but actively build and implement them.

Looking Ahead

As the urgency of global sustainability challenges intensifies, Metabolic's systems-based approach to the circular economy is likely to become increasingly influential. The company continues to expand its work globally while deepening its impact in Amsterdam and other key cities.

McCue sees signs of hope in the growing momentum behind circular economy principles: "Everywhere that we do work, every sector, every city, every neighborhood we look at, there are people doing really impactful and cool things and thinking far ahead."

However, he also acknowledges the scale of the challenge ahead: "The magnitude of the transformation that has to happen in Charlotte to achieve the circularity goals outlined in the strategy will require a coordinated set of actions over a number of years, supported by strong leadership from local government, the private sector, and civil society."

By continuing to apply systems thinking to global sustainability challenges, Metabolic aims to catalyze the large-scale transitions needed to create a truly circular, regenerative economy. Their work in Amsterdam and beyond offers a model for how cities and organizations around the world can reimagine their relationships with resources and chart a path towards a more sustainable future.