The need for thermal insulation pertaining to space applications, e.g., satellites and launch vehicles, demands the requirement for the components of the satellite or launch vehicles to remain within the operating temperature range throughout the life of the satellite or the course of the journey. The project ISBA proposes to develop a disruptive technology through seven different applications in the space sector, based on aerogels or xerogels which will be used as a new thermal insulation solution in order to make it competitive, clean, compact, easier to produce and assembly. In the specific domain of space, the impact of the project will enable an amplified profit at product level, allowing to design new concepts, way lighter, by avoiding secondary structures for maintaining MLI layout or rigid shield, and cheaper than the reference solutions. The technology thus assembled will guarantee a level of cleanliness compatible with the level of requirements of space applications, which will be one of focal points of ground-breaking developments. Thus, the overall objectives of the project can be summarized as follows: (i) Develop aerogel/xerogel-based solutions for cryogenic, in the range of LN2 (-195.79°C) to -50°C, moderate, up to 800°C and high temperature, above 800°C, space applications, (ii) develop additive manufacturing technologies specifically for aerogels in space applications, (iii) develop coating-technologies on aerogels/xerogels for operating in space environments, (iv) improve cleanliness of aerogels by developing enveloping technologies tailored for aerogels, (v) enhance industrial competitiveness of aerogel/xerogel solutions in space, and (vi) present EU-efficient alternatives to the current MLI solutions, thus reducing dependency on US technologies. To achieve these objectives, a consortium of two major end-user industry partners from EU, five major research and development centers focusing on aerogels, ceramics, and coatings, and one industry partner experienced in packaging technologies is established.

This project analyses the economic impact and technological aspect related to the agri-food sector of the utilization of biodegradable active packaging in the commercialization of Mediterranean fresh products. When the objective is to reach a more extensive market with a fair price, one of the critical points in the process production is the selection of the most appropriated packaging method. In these cases, the profitability of the process is clearly affected by the shelf-life of the product. In this sense, there is a trend in the search of the named active packaging in order to increase the shelf-life of fresh products. There are different kinds of active packaging. One of the most promising alternatives is the packaging produced adding an active substance. These compounds could have different functional properties including the capacity to minimize the oxidation and microbiological degradation of fresh food during storage. The result is a significant increase in the shelf-life of the packaged food. In this project, the addition of natural extracts obtained from agricultural by-products as active substances is proposed. The result will be an increase in the added value of these wastes, thus promoting a circle economy, which increases the profitability of the overall process. By other side, the directives of EU indicate that it is necessary to replace plastic packaging with biodegradable substitutes. In this sense, this project proposes the use of these biodegradable plastics in order to increase the quality of the package elaborated and to decrease the environmental impact of the use of conventional plastics. In the Im-Pack project, the application of a new technology using supercritical fluids to generate the active packaging is proposed. This technology has been proved in conventional plastics with excellent results, increasing the self-life of the fresh food in several days, and then, the capacity of exportation of agri-food companies. The project is focused on the development of innovative solutions that increase the competitiveness of the small and medium farmers by implementing new biodegradable active packaging suitable for the commercialization of their Mediterranean fresh food. These packaged, are adapted to the new European regulations regarding the use of biodegradable packaging, and intended to increase the shelf-life of fresh food products. With the proposed packaging, the agro-food companies can reach new markets and decrease food losses due to product expiration. The main expected result is an increase in the profit of all the stakeholders, including farmers, small-scale food manufacturers and local distributors. The introduction of this packaging in the agro-food supply chain provides a local and distinguished benefit, economically, environmentally and socially to smallholders. Finally, this benefit will result in a fair price for consumers. So, the Im-Pack project is integrated into the concept of circular economy in order to apply the profitability of active packaging produced from agricultural by-products, obtained and impregnated by a sustainable technique. The utilization of biodegradable plastics and the valorisation of agricultural by-products as source of interesting bioactive compounds minimize waste generation. In addition, the production of active packaging that increases the shelf-life of fresh food products reduces organic waste from expired food. In the Im-Pack project participates research groups from Algeria, France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia. These countries have an important role in the agro-food sector of the European Union and north of Africa. This project has been presented in a previous PRIMA call and was successful in the first stage. In this proposal, the considerations made by the evaluation committee have been considered and 3 new research groups and 2 companies have been incorporated in order to increase the impact of the proposal.

BioBased ValueCircle offers a unique interdisciplinary research and training environment tailored for early stage researchers (ESRs) excited by the development of innovative bio-based products, respecting the principles of the circular economy. New materials are urgently needed to enable a transition from an oil-based to a bio-based economy, thus reducing pollution and the threat of climate change. The programme brings together cutting edge research and development spanning the bio-based materials value circle, involving companies (including SMEs) and academic institutes from across Europe. The objective is to train ESRs in a set of 12 interlinked doctoral projects that cover the conversion of biomass to materials, the development of materials into applications, the environmental and economic impact of bio-based materials, and the societal changes required to transition Europe from an oil-based to a circular bio-based economy. Together the ESRs will contribute to the development of a common language and methodology to stimulate cooperation along the value circle and speed up the product development process. The stimulating research projects will be co-supervised by the industry and academic participants to provide each ESR with valuable insight into the industry and academic research environments, and will be paired with a range of inspiring training modules that reflect the unique interdisciplinary and inter-sectorial environment created by BioBased ValueCircle, including training relevant to the bio-based industries and to academic, industrial and transferrable skills. This ensures that we address the values of the European Industrial Doctorates Programme by producing a new generation of researchers who will benefit from cross-cutting skills that allow them to thrive in both industry and academia, leading to more cooperation between these sectors and enhancing the competitiveness of Europe.

Buildings are responsible for over 40% of the energy consumption and CO2 emissions in EU. Accordingly, The CE has stablished ambitious building standard aiming to transform all existing buildings into ZEBs by 2050 to reach a fully decarbonised building stock. SNUG aims to demonstrate on three real buildings with different characteristics, uses and climatology, the application of an innovative methodology to support planners of new buildings or retrofitting works in selecting the most appropriate set of insulation materials, their combination and placement to maximise the energy efficiency and minimize GHG emissions of the building throughout its life cycle to make its ZEB rating more easily achievable, considering specific building characteristics and its environment, at an optimal cost level. This methodology will be supported by: -A Digital Tool Assistant based on AI and virtual simulation which will range several final options of thermal insulation materials and layouts, based on benchmarks predictions related with energy demand (operational and embedded energy), sustainability, safe & security and cost and particular features of buildings. -Innovative sustainable-by-design thermal insulation materials and lightweight prefab solutions ready to the market deployment, based on Circular Economy, Smart and/or Renewable materials, able to improve energy efficiency and sustainability of buildings in comparison with current market solutions at a competitive cost. -Insulation materials database, including technical and LCA information. Innovative thermal insulation solutions will be incorporated including current solutions in the market. This database will be released as an open data outcome. -A Digital Building Logbook, collecting all the information about the buildings throughout their whole life in a digital and interoperable format with BIM and the DTA. This DBL will facilitate decision making and information sharing within the construction sector and stakeholders

Around 461 million ton/year of C&DW are generated in EU28. Recent studies on the characterization of C&DW samples at European level revealed a predominant fraction of concrete (52% average). Over the last years, novel technology has been developed aiming to guarantee high quality recycled concrete aggregates for use in new concrete, thereby closing the concrete loop. The most advanced concrete recycling technologies currently produce coarse (>4mm) recycled concrete aggregates by removing cement paste from the surface of the aggregates. However, the fine (0-4 mm) fraction, ca. 40% of the concrete waste, still faces technical barriers to be incorporated into new concrete and consequently, is often down-cycled. At the other extreme, there are minor (e.g. glass) and emerging (e.g. mineral wool) C&DW materials, currently accounting for 0.7% of the total, but revealing growing rates as consequence of European regulations. Those emerging C&DW streams have not yet found technological and business solutions, being mostly landfilled. On the other hand, concrete is the most widely used material in building, with a growing trend towards prefabrication. The European precast concrete sector faces diverse needs for resource efficiency improvement (reduction in natural resource consumption and metabolization of waste materials, reduction in carbon footprint and embodied energy, design for reuse, increase in process efficiency and waste minimization, lighter solutions, enhanced thermal performance through novel cost-effective insulating materials). Aiming at facing these challenges, VEEP main objective is to eco-design, develop and demonstrate new cost-effective technological solutions that will lead to novel closed-loop circular approaches for C&DW recycling into novel multilayer precast concrete elements (for both new buildings and refurbishment) incorporating new concretes as well as superinsulation material produced by using at least 75% (by weight) of C&DW recycled materials.