The NewWave project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme, aimed at advancing innovative pathways towards a more sustainable and circular construction sector, has successfully concluded.

Researchers focused on transforming fossil-based production lines into bio-based value chains by introducing innovative raw materials derived from biomass residues and end-of-life wood products. Through technological innovation, they aimed to reduce environmental impacts while ensuring that bio-based construction materials achieve performance comparable to or better than conventional alternatives.

The approach was built around four manufacturing lines supported by Thermo-Chemical Fractionation (TCF) serving as the core enabling technology, which allows the conversion of biomass into valuable chemical building blocks for construction applications.

Several bio-based solutions were developed and demonstrated, including formaldehyde-free resins, bio-based polyols, modified wood products and engineered wood composites. Their performance was confirmed through laboratory testing and through testing in a demonstrational mock-up in Slovenia. Project results are summarized here.

You can read the results booklet Sustainable biobased products for the construction industry here.

Read the Revolutionizing Construction through Green Chemistry Executive Summary & Policy Recommendations here.