DeCO2

Dynamic Decarbonization Pathways Framework:

June 2024 - May 2028

DeCO2’s proposed dynamic framework for renovation is advancing decarbonization through social and policy innovation. A location-based, user-centric portfolio of materials and renovation systems is built to embrace local industrial ecosystems and verticals in a wholesome symbiotic process. DeCO2 digital tools speed up the transition of the construction industry towards decarbonisation through Construction 4.0 enablers and solid and long-lasting partnerships within the legal and regulatory framework addressing the whole value chain for socio-economic innovation.

Objectives

Implement and showcase circular and technological innovations that contribute to the decarbonization of the built environment integrating new eco-friendly and recyclable materials, cutting-edge digital manufacturing techniques (including 3D printing and Robotics), and novel data-driven pathways across the local or regional level value chain in three large-scale demonstrators.
Foster social innovation by people-centred, inclusive, creativity-driven, participatory processes activities for the development, implementation, and post-occupancy assessment of sustainable renovation solutions. Decarbonization pathways urge immediate behavioural shifts regarding the use and interaction with novel clean energy technologies and methods for climate neutrality. Decarbonizing the building stock through construction, demolition and renovation practices require actions to be tailored to occupant behaviour, technology and materials availability and changing local climate conditions with stakeholders from the whole construction chain engaged in co-creation process.
Promote policy innovation by providing practical guidelines to public authorities, policy makers and other stakeholders on how to implement decarbonisation pathways, highlighting the challenges and enabling conditions to overcome them. This will be based on ‘real-life’ cases demonstrating what implementing decarbonisation means in practical terms through demonstrative regulatory sandboxes.
Demonstrate the effectiveness and viability of innovative digital solutions, low disruptive construction and retrofitting processes on three physical demonstrators (demo cases) with policy innovation activities regarding national regulatory sandboxes through the integration of technological, social, and circular innovations.
Assess the scalability and replicability of the demonstrated built environment decarbonization pathways for wider adoption by deploying the innovation pathways on three demonstrated Living Labs. DeCO2 will build on its demonstrations to replicate the framework in other contexts, by increasing the knowledge-base and practical experience about circular data-driven decarbonisation solutions in the built environment.

Disclaimer

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101147781.

Demo Cases

Demo 1: Establishing a decarbonised approach to retrofitting at Limerick Clare Education and Training Board, Limerick City, Ireland – The Irish demo case is to provide proven case studies and recommendations to guarantee that the building sector adopts a circular, decarbonised retrofit strategy and to lead policy changes. Built in 1911 and expanded to the back in the 1940s and 1960s, the building complex (see picture) is a protected campus owned by Limerick Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB). Over a thousand students get vocational training in the complex’s many interconnected buildings, which take up the vast majority of the property. The demo site will test bio-based materials, using Mycelium and breathable adhesives to sequester carbon, as well as green roof testing with different waste products and green vegetation. Balancing cost, mechanical properties, and sustainability will be crucial in ensuring the success of the decarbonised retrofit. Bio-based fully recyclable composites and products in the form of Sandwich Insulation Panels developed by TUS will speed up the retrofit modular processes in a circular and cost-effective way for scalability for the construction industry. TUS with the support of FAB will establish practical retrofitting and circular guidelines for the construction industry and building owners to support the DeCO2 uptake of circularity exchange and use of materials. The Retrofit Guidelines will include approaches to audit the condition and performance of the buildings, decarbonisation approaches and address considerations such as implementing bio-based materials and carbon sequestration methods as well as strategically integrating renewable services (ventilation, heat pump and PV) to ensure healthy buildings, circularity and ease of dismantling in the future. The actions implemented will be recorded in a digital twin to establish a building passport for the future maintenance and operations and training purposes for the campus, will be done by CEMOSA.
Demo 2: Establishing a circular ecosystem to renovate Castelló Municipal Library, Valencia, Spain – The Spanish demo aims to create a circular ecosystem involving two buildings: a historical library in the city of Castellón under renovation as a material supplier, and an experimental building to be constructed on the UPV campus in the city of Valencia. AJC will provide the library for controlled dismantling, maximizing the use of CDW and reusable materials. CEMOSA will deploy a digital twin to integrate DeCO2 tools and data sources, demonstrating and validating various scenarios. COC will extend their material bank to manage reclaimed resources, including those from sectors like forestry and agriculture. WSolve will input this data into the Material Passport library. AID’s innovative recycled construction products, along with a mosaic floor and 3D-printed walls made from ceramic and earth waste by IAAC and WASP, will be tested at full scale in the experimental building managed by IVE.
DEMO 3: Establishing an approach for social engagement and co-creation with residents for decarbonisation in Graz-St. Peter, Austria – “The Terrassenhaussiedlung (THS) in Graz, Austria, represents an internationally known icon of brutalist, structuralist, and participatory residential architecture of post-war modernism. Planned by the Workgroups Graz in 1965 and built from 1972 to 1978 it was realized by the emerging idea of participatory planning. A multifaceted system with roof gardens and terraces provides 530 private owned apartments within four buildings situated around a carefree courtyard. THS is a residential building that stylistically belongs to the Brutalist style of post-war modernism. The complex was planned by the Werkgruppe architecture collective in Graz from 1965 and realized from 1972 to 1978. The site area measures 45,000 m2 in the St. Peter district of Graz. Characteristic of the complex are the 4 buildings in exposed concrete construction, which are between eight and fourteen storeys high and house a total of 530 apartments of various sizes, generously planted roof gardens and terraces as well as a car-free inner courtyard with an underground car park underneath. Due to its almost original state of preservation from this period and its size, the estate is unique.