Page 31 - European Energy Innovation - winter 2018 publication

Autumn 2018 European Energy Innovation
RE4 PROJECT: REuse and REcycling of CDW materials and structures in energy efficient
pREfabricated elements for building REfurbishment and construction
Thirteen partners from nine European
countries and one non-EU country
(Taiwan) joined together to develop a
prefabricated energy-efficient building
concept that can be easily assembled
and disassembled for future reuse,
containing up to 65% in weight of
recycled materials from CDW.
HOW IT WORKS
RE4 Project is built upon four main
pillars. The first two are technical
pillars and focus on the maximization
of CDW recycling and reuse.
In terms of CDW recycling
maximization, RE4 has developed
advanced CDW sorting technologies
to improve the overall quality of
CDW-derived products, as one of
the main constraints for a large use
of these materials is the quality not
good enough when compared to
virgin materials. At this aim, the
CDW recycling potential has been
verified with the development of
RE4 materials (normal-weight
concretes, lightweight concretes
and earthen building materials) and
prefabricated elements incorporating
high ratios of CDW-derived materials.
RE4 aims at improving the state of
the art recycling rate of CDW from
80% to 95% and to increase the
degree of resource efficiency in terms
of virgin material replacement of at
least 65%.
When it comes to reuse, RE4 has
developed new sustainable strategies
for the disassembly and reuse of
concrete and timber structures
and building components at the
end of their service life. Moreover,
RE4 is developing innovative design
concepts for a fully prefabricated,
easy dismountable RE4 building, with
up to 90% of reusable structures. The
concepts will be designed in such
way that multiple applications for
different building typologies, climatic climatic regions, two countries with
and structural requirements will be
easy implemented.
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
31
COMMUNICATION
Examples of the RE4 components: 01 – Concrete building blocks made of
CDW mineral aggregate; 02 – Insulation panels made of CDW wood fibers;
03 – Reconstituted roof tiles made of CDW bricks and tiles
However, just technical improvements different climates were chosen to
are not sufficient to push the EU to serve as demo-site locations. These
the forefront in the area of the CDW are Spain and the United Kingdom.
management, because other non-
technical barriers have to be tackled To demonstrate that the RE4
as well. The first one is related to solutions are not only suitable
the overall management of the CDW for new construction, but also for
value chain. By tackling the CDW refurbishment, a building in Italy
management at different levels (e.g. will be retrofitted with technology
before, during and after the sorting developed under RE4. As the project
phase) RE4 aims at contributing to aims to enable disassembly and
reach the target of recovery/recycling re-use of materials from dismantles
CDW by 2020. The second one is building, a building in the ACCIONA
related to the end-user awareness demo park will be selected and used
of CDW reuse and recycling potential for this purpose. Demonstration of
and its acceptance. It is well known the high replication potential of the
that people are sceptical of products developed solutions outside EU will
and materials from waste, for this be achieved through the construction
reason, RE4 proposes technical and of an additional demo building in
non-technical activities in order to Taiwan. l
increase end-user acceptance of
secondary raw materials as valid Contact information
alternative to virgin materials.
Project ID: 723583
DEMONSTRATION Website: www.re4.eu
Previously mentioned RE4 technology Start date: September 2016
will be demonstrated in two Duration: 42 months
specifically constructed mock- Project coordinator:
ups – one residential and second Alessandro Largo
non-residential. In order to show that Contact email:
the technology is fitting for various alessandro.largo@cetma.it