The construction sector faces an enormous challenge: by 2030, CO2 emissions must be halved compared to 1990. An important step in this transition is switching from fossil raw materials to sustainable alternatives, or bio-based construction. The Better Biobased Building Blocks project will work over the next 3 years to develop green building materials based on local vegetable residual flows, such as grass, sugar beet pulp and wood chips.
The project, led by TNO, unites the forces of 11 partners from West Brabant, including small and medium-sized companies, Avans University of Applied Sciences and other training institutes. Together they want to develop products such as glue, paint and insulating foam that are not only sustainable, but also commercially attractive.
Biobased aromatics as building blocks
An important part of the project is the replacement of fossil aromatics – essential molecules that are currently still extracted from fossil raw materials – with biobased alternatives. These biobased aromatics will be tested in at least six applications within the construction sector, such as composites, coatings and resins. The partners want to demonstrate that these green alternatives are not only better for the environment, but also economically viable.
Green Chemistry Campus as a knowledge center
The Green Chemistry Campus in Bergen op Zoom is the heart of the project. The Shared Research Center Biorizon is located here, an initiative of TNO and VITO, where intensive work is being done on the development of bio-aromatics. To accelerate the transition to biobased building materials, the campus organizes numerous workshops and meetings for various target groups, including pupils, students and entrepreneurs.
West Brabant as a hotspot for biobased building materials
The project has the ambition to make West Brabant a leading region in the field of biobased building blocks. According to TNO, the region has all the ingredients for this: an abundance of agricultural residues, a well-developed chemical sector and excellent logistics connections. By creating new revenue models for agriculture and additional employment in the chemical industry, the project partners want to offer sustainable economic prospects to the region.
The Better Biobased Building Blocks project is made possible by funding from the European Union through the Just Transition Fund (JTF), the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and the province of North Brabant.
Source: Brabant.nl
