ROOTBot: An Autonomous Robotic System with Radar for Studying the Root Systems of Fruit Trees
December 9, 2024
PREVENTBot: An Autonomous Robotic System to Enhance Real-Time Crop Monitoring and Exploration
December 19, 202418/12/2024
The project, led by the Centre for Advanced Technologies in Mechanics (CATMech) research group at UPC, aims to minimise the by-product waste in hemp cultivation through the development of a competitive industrial plant, reduce energy consumption, and increase comfort in buildings through research into innovative insulation panels in bioconstruction.
HEMPANEL will contribute to improving the energy efficiency of buildings by establishing the foundations for the future industrial development of innovative and efficient insulating panels, which will help mitigate both the causes and effects of climate change.
Hemp has garnered significant interest as a sustainable resource due to its broad spectrum of industrial applications. One of its recently investigated uses is as an insulating material in construction, where it offers significant environmental benefits, including negative CO₂ emissions and a prolonged lifecycle due to its recyclability. However, hemp cultivation generates a by-product that can represent up to 50% of the plant's total weight. This waste has been studied to add value, focusing on the production of thermo-acoustic insulating panels using recycled cardboard fibre for bio-construction.
The acoustic and thermal properties of hemp, which are comparable to or exceed those of conventional synthetic materials, make it a promising option for the sustainable construction sector. Additionally, incorporating recycled cardboard fibre as a binder further enhances its circularity properties, enabling the development of a composite biomaterial with competitive production costs and efficient manufacturing.
In this context, HEMPANEL focuses on achieving industrial manufacturing practices that minimise energy and water consumption as well as material waste, thereby reducing the carbon footprint.
The project is expected to result in the establishment of a pilot plant for the industrial manufacture of hemp-based insulating panels (utilising the by-product known as hemp-fiber) through research into innovative insulation panels that will help reduce energy consumption and increase comfort in buildings, and the creation of a new composite biomaterial using recycled cardboard fibre as a binder, which will reduce the amount of waste materials generated in hemp cultivation and contribute to the circular economy.
Specifically, the project will:
- Study the components and parameters of the pilot plant affecting the properties of the new insulating material, including mix fluidity, curing temperature, energy consumption, and water savings.
- Analyse the mechanical and insulating properties as well as the sustainability of the material produced, evaluate the pilot plant, and conduct a commercial viability study.
Budget and funding
The project has been funded through the Call for Knowledge Transfer Demonstration Activities under the PEPAC 2023-2027, by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food at the Government of Catalonia. HEMPANEL has a total budget of €49,743.25 and a duration of 28 months (February 2024 - June 2026).
Hemp insulating panel
Action under the PAC 2023-2027 Strategic Plan co-funded by:
Related Projects
- Researchers from the Architecture, Energy and Environment research group (AiEM) and the Design and Analysis of Architectural Structures research group of the Department of Architectural Technology (DiCEA), which are part of the Centre for Research and Services for the Local Administration (CRAL) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), have developed an innovative system for the structural strengthening of ceramic floor slabs using stress-activated timber, designed to intervene in occupied buildings in a fast, sustainable and replicable manner.
- A team of researchers led by the FLUMEN Research Institute at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) has participated in the European ICARIA project. Its aim is to develop tools and risk maps that enable public authorities and infrastructure managers to anticipate the impacts of extreme climate events and make adaptation decisions on a more robust technical basis.
- A research team from the Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial (IRI, CSIC-UPC), together with the Centre de Disseny d'Equips Industrials (CDEI) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), are participating in the national CASANDRA project to develop a digital manufacturing solution that will make it possible to establish a bidirectional data flow for continuous digital integration throughout the supply chain across the product life cycle. This integration will be achieved through digital twins and data-based models that are continuously updated thanks to distributed monitoring and control tools.
- The Materials Interfaces and Colloid Engineering group (INTERCOLL) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC), in collaboration with the Life Cycle Thinking group at the University of the Basque Country (EHU), are taking part in the BIOCHOLESTEROID project to develop new bio-based smart materials with optical response for advanced applications.
