For RTDS, this year has started off with new beginnings, new projects and partnerships! We are proud to announce the launch of three new groundbreaking projects, BIOBUILD, SAGROPIA and ReCal funded by the Horizon Europe (HE) programme. RTDS has supported these innovative projects from the initial proposal writing to securing the funding. Through its Association, RTDS is leading the project SAGROPIA, our seventh project as coordinator. We are also managing the communication, dissemination, exploitation and IP management of SAGROPIA, as well as of the BIOBUILD and ReCal projects.
BIOBUILD is a project set to revolutionise the construction industry by reducing the energy use for heating and cooling in buildings by 20%, serving as the driving force of sustainable production and a greener future. The project is moving away from fossil-based building materials towards the use of fully bio-based composites, focusing on the significant reduction of energy consumption in buildings.
The project will incorporate bio-based phase change materials (bioPCMs) into solid wood and wood fibres bound by plant oil resins, lignin and fungal mycelia to be used in walls and floorings. These novel materials are fully recycled and sustainable without toxic ingredients contributing to an imminent transition to decarbonization in major industrial sectors.
BIOBUILD has a budget of €4.6 million and is coordinated by the Division of Wood Science and Technology, the Department of Biomaterials and Technology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The consortium has partners from across Europe (Sweden, Austria, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Romania and the UK), working together towards innovative solutions to develop non-toxic and zero-pollution building material with improved thermal storage in buildings.
Find BIOBUILD on CORDIS
Through an integrated approach of pest management, SAGROPIA aims to reduce 50% use of chemical pesticides. SAGROPIA is developing 13 biobased and low-risk pesticides for key “candidates for substitution” (CfS), targeting potato and sugar-beet crops. Prioritising sustainability, SAGROPIA strives to minimise adverse effects on natural resources and the environment.
The project focuses on establishing sustainable farming systems, with a focus on biocontrol methods targeting key pests such as nematodes, fungi, and insects, while also contributing to inclusive and healthy food systems. SAGROPIA emphasises not only climate neutrality, biodiversity restoration, public health improvement, but also fair economic returns for farmers through advanced IMP strategies and market-friendly products.
SAGROPIA has a €6 million budget and is coordinated by RTDS Association, Austria’s leading consultancy on European research and innovation projects. Scientific coordination of SAGROPIA is carried by our long-term partner Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), the largest non-university research institute in Austria. The consortium includes 9 other partners from Portugal, France, Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and the US.
Find SAGROPIA on CORDIS
ReCal is a €10.6 million Horizon Europe project implementing innovative approaches to recycling, digital technologies and sustainable metal production. ReCal (short for Recycling technologies for circular ALuminium), aims to further grow the circular aluminium economy, enabled by the proposed RecAL Hub, a digital cockpit tracking Al-reyclates across the continent, connecting suppliers with buyers.
The project will advance 14 crucial technological solutions up to Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) and integrate them into a digital, socio-technical ecosystem known as the Aluminium HUB for circularity. This dynamic platform will foster direct collaboration among stakeholders along the value chain, promoting full-scale industrial and technological symbiosis while closing energy, resource, and data loops at both regional and European scales.
RecAL is being led and coordinated by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), the largest non-university research institute in Austria. Additionally, Cancom (formerly K-Business) will play a key role in formulating the project’s key output: its digital hub for aluminium recycling. Cancom is Austria’s leading IT & digitalization service provider, boasting 130 years’ experience. The project’s consortium brings together a total of 19 partners from Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Greece and the UK.
Find RecAL on CORDIS
Funded by the European Union
Through its association, RTDS is looking forward to embarking on these three groundbreaking projects, to drive innovation in the construction, aluminium and agriculture industries! RTDS has over 20 years of experience in helping over 150 partners from 25 countries secure funding for more than 40 EU projects. RTDS Association is Austria’s leading SME for the development, implementation and management of EU-funded research and innovation projects in the Bio-based Industries sector.
Check out and learn more about all RTDS on-going projects.
Author: Nouhaila Bouhout, EU Project & Communication Manager, RTDS
Date: 16th February 2024
All photos © RTDS