Reduction of embodied emissions is crucial for achieving sustainable and low-carbon building practices. GreeNest creates an ecosystem that integrates CO2 neutral building materials (reused, recycled and locally sourced biogenic materials) and renewable energy sources (abiotic components) into the building design, together with human response and natural/green systems (biotic components) to demonstrate resource efficient construction that needs less materials and implements energy-efficient circular construction practices. The project targets 100% carbon free construction through the application of biogenic materials that store carbon, the reduction of embodied emissions by 50% with respect to NZEB standard, ZEB or even positive energy standards via renewable energy sources with remaining primary energy consumption less than 30-40 kWh/m2, reduction of GHG emissions by 60% and increased productivity of construction by >30%. GreeNest delivers a palette of innovative solutions for new buildings, addressing all stages of the building’s life, from the design stage up to the end of the building’s lifetime and disposal stages (including re-use and recycling of components). It proposes sustainable envelope components based on low carbon and carbon-neutral market mature materials, using on-site renewable energy, reducing waste, enhancing productivity of construction through digitization and demonstrating circular economy principles. The innovative solutions will be fully demonstrated in four real and two virtual new construction projects in five countries using local and regional value chains increasing the potential for replication across Europe. The GreeNest consortium benefits from a strong industrial and commercial involvement with 11 SMEs 1 Large Company 3 Universities, 3 Associations and 2 Public bodies from 8 European countries.

POWERSKIN+ will develop and scale-up eco-innovative, cost-effective and smart material solutions to renovate existing facade systems of both double skin and advanced integrated curtain walls. It will smart integrate unprecedented highly innovative insulations and renewable energy technologies, with breakthrough features based on nano-formulated VIP, PCM, flexible thin glass perovskite solar cells and multi-functional nano-enabled coatings. Comprehensive POWERSKIN+ portfolio comprising off-site prefabricated modular “ready-to-buy” and ‘easy-to-install’ glazing and opaque elements, sustainable eco-designed connecting framings and a dedicated large capacity electric building storage system will be processed up to the final commercializable end products. Powerskin+ system will be validated in non-residential buildings in three different environmental, economic, logistic and social scenarios, namely Portugal, Slovenia and Czech Republic, with environmental sustainability and benefits proving through LCA and LCCA approaches. The market uptake of POWERSKIN+ will be facilitated by optimal compatibility without additional structural modification. It will benefit from: lightweight transparent (TM) and opaque modules (OM) (12% and >8% for OM and TM respectively; 15% improvement in energy storage capacity), aiming to be recognized as an affordable high standard retrofit solution (installation cost and time reduce 50% and 74% respectively).

Growing demand for high quality iron ores and scrap as well as abandonment of carbon intensive sintering in the future require novel technological approaches for upgrading of low-grade iron ores and recycling of mill scale. TransZeroWaste will apply hydrometallurgy for mill scale de-oiling and use this iron-rich scrap equivalent to upgrade low-grade iron ores. For that, TransZeroWaste will develop low carbon technologies such as cold pelletising and briquetting, hot microwave pelletising, and magnet-supported hydrometallurgy from TRL 6 to TRL 8. The developed technologies will be transferable to further material flows such as dusts and sludges. On European level, the expected impact will be the potential upgrade of over 18 million t/a low-grade iron ore, up to 6 million t/a mill scale and 3 million t/a pellet sieving residue. Total impact of TransZeroWaste will include upgrading of 27 million t/a materials with low carbon technologies and avoiding of corresponding sinter plant carbon footprint of 4,3 – 9,9 MtCO2/a. Technological competences and know-how are owned by the participating partners from the applied research. They will be developed and transferred to the two industrial partners with 9 production sites. Thoroughly planned dissemination and exploitation activities will ensure effective implementation of technologies after project end. Life cycle assessment and economic evaluation will be performed; sustainable business models will be developed. Furthermore, a decision support platform for industrial users will be installed. In combination with workshops and trainings it will help to find and implement the best upgrading technology for various low-grade materials considering environmental and economic aspects. TransZeroWaste will serve as a vehicle for the transition of the European steel industry to the carbon free zero waste future.