ISCOWA aims to promote and coordinate information exchange regarding construction with industrial by-products within the Circular Economy concept. It is an international, non-profit organisation, which was formed in 1991.

The main activity of ISCOWA is the arrangement of the WASCON conferences. WASCON is the reference international conference on the use of alternative materials in construction. Conference name WASCON stands for International Conference on the Environmental and Technical Implications on Construction with Alternative Materials.