BIOBUILD Innovative bio-based building materials with thermal energy storage function
BIOBUILD is addressing the urgency to transition towards a sustainable bio-based economy within the construction sector to achieve carbon neutrality and energy efficiency in buildings. As an innovative solution, BIOBUILD project will develop strategies towards fully bio-based building materials with thermal energy storage function, aiming to replace high environmental footprint products. The novel materials will possess multifunctional performance with reduced thermal consumption, meeting requirements for sustainable “green” production and ensuring end-of-life options and recycling.
Financed
Horizon Europe | REA
Budget
€ 4.9 million
Start date
01.01.2024
Duration
48 months
Project details
The challenge
By 2027, all new public buildings in the EU must become carbon neutral and energy efficient. Currently, in most EU countries, buildings account for 40% of energy use and about 95% of the binders used in wood-fiber composites are fossil-derived. The major challenge is to replace fossil materials with new eco—friendly consumer products and meet the requirements for green, zero-pollution and sustainable buildings with reduced thermal consumption. Non-biobased materials (e.g. bricks, concrete, plastic, gypsum, glass and rock wool) have high environmental footprints, limited recycling possibilities and should be replaced with bio-based, sustainable materials.
The solution
BIOBUILD will focus on bio-composites used as non-toxic and zero-pollution building materials with added functionalities towards energy storage. It will incorporate bio-based phase change materials (bioPCMs) into solid wood and fibers bound by plant oil resins, lignin, or fungal mycelium. The products will be fully recyclable and sustainable without toxic compounds. The BIOBUILD project will engineer and demonstrate the prototype wood construction buildings with integrated novel wallboards and parquet as well as evaluate the energy saving performance in Sweden and Spain.
The main impacts
BIOBUILD will have positive long-term socio-economic impacts by strengthening and expanding the bio-based economy. The project will focus on innovative and sustainable building materials for thermal energy storage with bio-PCMs while having substantially lower environmental footprint. BIOBUILD aims to specifically:
- Generate and exploit resilient, sustainable and recycled raw material value chains (forestry and wood production, plant oil, bioPCMS, lignin, mycelia, flooring and wood composites) for EU industrial ecosystems, supporting green and digital transformations.
- Reduce energy demand up to 20% in buildings located in different climates from Southern to Northern Europe.
- Produce materials that provide solutions for clean, toxic/pollutant free environment, decarbonizing industry and modern building infrastructure.
- Strengthen cross-sectorial cooperation along the value chain and enable SMEs to transform their activities and business models.
- Uptake of local sustainable, bio-based products replacing fossil products in construction contribute towards achieving the European Grean Deal and SDGs.
Acknowledgment
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant Agreement 101135629.
UK participants in Horizon Europe Project BIOBUILD supported by UKRI grant numbers 10088600 Phase Change Material Products Ltd.
Get in touch biobuild@rtds-group.com