LIFE and Resource Efficiency: Decoupling Growth from Resource Use

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LIFE and resource efficiency Decoupling growth from resource use LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

European Commission Environment Directorate-General

LIFE (“The Financial Instrument for the Environment”) is a programme launched by the European Commission and co-ordinated by the Environment Directorate-General (LIFE Units - E.3. and E.4.).

The contents of the publication “LIFE and Resource Efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use” do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the institutions of the European Union.

Authors: Gabriella Camarsa (Environment expert), Justin Toland, Eamon O’Hara, Tim Hudson, Wendy Jones, Ed Thorpe, Christophe Thévignot (AEIDL, Communications Team Coordinator). Managing Editor: Hervé Martin, European Commission, Environment DG, LIFE E.4 – BU-9, 02/1, 200 rue de la Loi, B-1049 Brussels. LIFE Focus series coordination: Simon Goss (LIFE Communications Coordinator), Evelyne Jussiant (DG Environment Communications Coordinator). Technical assistance: Audrey Thénard, Nicolas Tavitian, Agnese Roccato (Astrale GEIE). The following people also worked on this issue: Alban De Villepin, Federico Nogara, Simona Bacchereti, Santiago Urquijo-Zamora, Sylvie Ludain (Environment DG, LIFE Environment and Eco-innovation Unit), Carina Vopel, Jonathan Murphy (Environment DG, Communication Unit), Robin Miege (Environment DG, Green Week Task Force). Production: Monique Braem (AEIDL). Graphic design: Daniel Renders, Anita Cortés (AEIDL). Photos database: Sophie Brynart. Acknowledgements: Thanks to all LIFE project beneficiaries who contributed comments, photos and other useful material for this report. Photos: Unless otherwise specified; photos are from the respective projects.

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Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2011

ISBN 978-92-79-19764-2 ISSN 1725-5619 doi:10.2779/74370

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LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

esource efficiency is a cross-cutting issue that affects our daily lives and economy. We rely Ron natural resources to provide us with shelter, food, employment, quality of life and a host of FOREWORD other services. In order to protect the long-term availability of these resources, we need to take care to use them wisely in sustainable ways. For this to happen, new approaches are required, approaches that need to involve long-term considerations aimed at achieving a better balance between economic, environmental and social interests. Hervé Martin The LIFE Programme has been at the forefront of such moves to promote more resource efficient Head of Unit – LIFE Environment and Eco-innovation solutions for today’s environmental challenges, and a large portfolio of good practices in this area has Directorate-General for been gathered by LIFE since its launch in 1992. A sample of some of these approaches is highlighted the Environment, European Commission in the following LIFE Focus brochure, which presents some of the practical actions being implemented throughout the EU.

Topics featured in the brochure span the full sustainable development spectrum and aim to illustrate how LIFE’s broad remit is able to assist a multitude of different environmental activities in a variety of different contexts. Public, private and voluntary sector organisations throughout Europe have all used LIFE co-finance for good effect and the results of their efforts are explained in the following articles. Over 120 LIFE projects are featured, which demonstrates the critical mass of knowledge that is held by the Programme in key fields such as waste management techniques, water conservation methods, energy efficiency options, and lower impact transport. Between them, the LIFE projects that are spot- lighted in this brochure offer many opportunities for readers to build their own capacity for helping to shape and safeguard a more resource efficient future for Europe.

esource efficiency has a central part to play in Europe’s 2020 strategy for growth and jobs, and Raccordingly the European Commission is launching a number of far-reaching new initiatives in this area. But for many of Europe’s front-runners, greening our society is already a reality: not only governments and large companies, but local actors and small innovative companies too are commit- ted to the idea, whose strength often comes from the grassroots level. Businesses and organisations have understood that improving efficiency and innovative products, processes and business models Robin Miège affords valuable opportunities for increased productivity and growth. Green Week Task Force Directorate-General for While individual companies and organisations can often achieve simple gains in efficiency without the Environment massive investment, making sure that good innovative ideas actually reach the market can require European Commission substantial funds. The LIFE+ programme can play a key role here, helping ensure that a shift to a resource efficient Europe becomes a reality, and acting to relieve or prevent future scarcities of essential resources such as energy and water. I am pleased to be able to say that by providing real-life solutions to real-world problems, the best LIFE practices featured in this brochure are an important inspiration for policymakers, and that moreover, these examples reflect areas where we are considering future policy action.

A solution to a problem is merely anecdotal, unless the message can be shared. But when best practices become better known, major changes can result. That’s why communication has always had a key role to play in LIFE – and why publications such as this are so important for policymakers and actors on the ground. This LIFE Focus publication is only one part of LIFE outreach – check out the 2011 Green Week conference and exhibition, and the LIFE and Green Week websites for more examples of good practices being shared.

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use CONTENTS

Introduction...... 3 Water efficiency...... 29 Food and beverage resource efficiency...... 51 Building a resource Water - an essential efficient Europe...... 3 component of LIFE...... 29 LIFE turns food for thought into action...... 51 Production processes...... 5 Sustainable transport...... 33 Agriculture and ecosystem LIFE producing resource A cleaner and more services...... 55 efficient industrial growth...... 5 efficient transport system....33 LIFE aids agriculture to pre- MEIGLASS brings Energy efficient buildings... 37 serve resources ...... 55 new LIFE to waste glass ....10 LIFE helps boosts the Conservation agriculture reduces soil erosion in Eco-products and energy efficiency of EU Andalusian wetlands...... 59 eco-design...... 13 building stock...... 37 Taking the risk out of LIFE conserving resources in resource efficiency Green Public Procurement product design, production, investments...... 41 and Green Skills...... 62 use and disposal...... 13 LIFE shows the LIFE helps drive greener Fish and marine environmental benefits tyre making...... 18 resources...... 43 of GPP...... 62 Protecting Europe’s fisheries Lifecycle thinking...... 21 and marine resources ...... 43 Project list...... 64 Lifecycle thinking - a key No discards, zero waste...... 46 thought of LIFE...... 21 Available LIFE Environment ACADEMY: managing Land use and planning...... 49 publications...... 69 the lifecycle of complex Planning for a more resource products...... 26 efficient European landscape...... 49

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Building a resource efficient Europe INTRODUCTION

The concept of resource efficiency emphasises a need to use the Earth’s limited

resources in a sustainable manner. For Europe to have a vibrant economy and a high

quality of life, we need a sustainable base of raw materials and resources. However,

our economic growth patterns continue to exert increasing pressures on EU resource

bases. As such it is becoming more and more important that we improve our ability to

live, produce and consume within the limits of our ecosystem.

he EU’s Europe 2020 Strategy for affects all aspects of our daily lives. tainable resource use habits. Resource Tgrowth sets the priority of moving Hence, coordination is needed at EU efficiency is as relevant for Europe’s to a more resource efficient, green and level as well as in Member States at urban areas as it is to rural communities competitive economy. Under the Europe national, regional and local levels. Prac- and the wider countryside. Everyone is 2020 strategy, the Flagship Initiative for a tical action at Member State level will be affected by the environmental challenges resource efficient Europe has been intro- particularly important and the subsidiarity that we face and everyone can make duced to help the EU achieve sustainable principle remains essential to ensure that their own positive contributions to help growth by ‘decoupling’ economic growth appropriate solutions are put in place at achieve the Flagship’s goals. from increasing resource use. appropriate times, in appropriate ways, in appropriate places. Uptake of these resource efficient The Flagship Initiative sets out a vision approaches can be assisted by raising for a more resource-efficient economy by Empowering the participation of private awareness of the long-term benefits that 2050. It proposes new policy initiatives sector stakeholders, citizens, consumers are possible from adopting sustainable that will stimulate greater innovation for and NGOs is also fundamental for turn- approaches. There are many examples short-term and long-term economic and ing around Europe’s increasingly unsus- of how the wise use of environmental environmental benefits. It also allows for the development of a set of tools The LIFE programme has a long track record of innovative approaches for building for policymakers to drive and monitor a resource efficient Europe progress.

The Flagship recognises that resource efficiency is a cross-cutting issue that

COM (2010) 2020 Communication from the Commissions Europe 2020 – A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth COM (2011) 21 final A resource-efficient Europe – Flagship Initiative under the Europe 2020 strategy The proposals that have been adopted are: Energy 2020: A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy, Energy infrastructure priorities for 2020 and beyond – A Blueprint for an integrated European energy network and Tackling the challenges in commodity markets and on raw materials The Flagship Initiative for a resource efficient Europe provides a long-term framework for actions in many policy areas, supporting policy agendas for climate change, energy, transport, industry, raw materials, agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity and regional development. Links to the key proposals can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/resource-efficient-europe/

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

assets can strengthen the resilience of This will require a mix of instruments that energy, transport, industry and agricul- our economies and secure growth and act together in complementary ways to ture are all also needed to facilitate the jobs by boosting competitiveness. At help increase the stability and security resource efficiency Flagship objectives. the same time, resource efficiency has of energy supplies whilst halting energy Eco-innovations not only come from been shown to help drive down costs, production systems that impact most technological advances, but by apply- improve productivity, stimulate innova- negatively on the environment. Waste ing new business models and novel

INTRODUCTION tion, and support employment, espe- minimisation is also seen as central to ways of thinking. cially in growth areas such as the ‘green the EU’s resource efficiency agenda. By technology’ sector. increasing recycling rates the pressure Incentives can further assist a speedy on primary raw materials will reduce. uptake of these multi-level structural Timing for wider adoption of resource Furthermore, improved waste manage- changes in consumer behaviour and pro- efficient principles is important as pres- ment systems can ensure that valuable duction patterns. Incentives can come in sures on our resources rise in line with materials are reused, thereby reduc- different forms and more policy empha- increases in wealth and population ing energy consumption and green- sis on measures that ensure commodity growth in an ever industrialising world. house gas emissions from extraction prices reflect the “full cost of resource This is one of the core global challenges and processing. use to society” will help market forces that must be faced now. If we do not act promote resource efficiency. assertively in the present the problems Other pieces of the resource efficiency will be exacerbated and tackling them jigsaw relate to industry and consumers. Resource efficient LIFE will become even more difficult in the These primary stakeholders need to be projects future. mobilised to make them less dependant on the availability of certain resources The LIFE programme has a long track Action on all levels and so less vulnerable to supply con- record of pioneering effective approaches straints and volatile market prices. Attrac- for building a resource efficient Europe. Recognising the multi-level complex- tive alternatives are required to convert LIFE has generated a vast portfolio of ity of resource efficiency, the Flagship’s this rhetoric into reality and stakeholders know-how in resource efficiency meth- mandate stretches across a far reaching need to possess the capacity to make ods for a diverse range of beneficiaries. remit of material resources, including the necessary changes. metals, minerals, food and feed, air, soil, LCA approaches, skills transfers and water, biomass and ecosystems. Lifecycle analysis (LCA) can help make eco-innovations feature prominently in products and services more ‘material LIFE’s wide-ranging portfolio, which con- Some of the main objectives refer to efficient’ by reducing energy demands tinues to find new ways of lightening and enhanced energy efficiency. Here the and lowering raw material inputs. Tech- lessening our environmental footprints Flagship aims to achieve a transition to nological improvements, via eco-inno- in order to achieve a more resource effi- a resource and carbon efficient society. vations, in high impact sectors such as cient Europe.

LIFE projects have developed techniques that increase recycling rates, thereby reducing pressure on primary raw materials Photo: Justin Toland and L I FE06 ENV/ T/000332 Photo: Justin Toland

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

LIFE producing resource efficient industrial growth

Policy on resources needs to take account of the value chain and the full lifecycle of

resource use. How products are produced is a key part of this. The LIFE programme

has been at the forefront of efforts to implement resource efficient and innovative pro-

duction processes at all stages of the lifecycle, from extraction to end-of-life.

ver the past 10 years resource include actions to address resource Water efficient Oproductivity has improved 2.2% efficiency. manufacturing per year. This is largely due to efficiency improvements in production, as well as Effective planning of production proc- For instance, tightening water supply, the increasing role of services in the esses can ensure that a range of caused by competition for water, could economy. However, market rewards for resources are used more effectively. mean disruption of production processes production changes and further impetus Resource efficient production is not or higher input costs, with severe eco- to resource efficient and eco-innova- merely desirable, however: it is becom- nomic damage. This highlights the vital tive production processes are needed ing increasingly essential. importance of water efficiency in produc- to reduce dependency on raw materials tion processes, something that the LIFE and to encourage optimal resource use LIFE funding has helped resource efficiency programme has helped implement across and recycling. in production processes across a wide a wide range of industrial sectors. range of industrial sectors The European Commission proposes a The ‘wet process’ stages of textiles pro- fresh approach to industrial policy that duction are extremely water intensive puts competitiveness and sustainabil- (typically requiring 4 litres/kg of fabric ity centre stage. “The whole value and produced) and generating large volumes supply chain must be considered, from of discharged wastewater. Treatment and access to energy and raw materials to reuse of this water would not only reduce Photo: L I FE99 ENV/ T/000034 after-sale services and the recycling stress on water resources for industry, of materials.” The upcoming review it could also increase the availability of of the Sustainable Consumption and drinking water in some areas. Since most Production and Sustainable Industry textiles producers are small and medium- Policy Action Plan foreseen in 2012 will sized enterprises, they often lack the

COM(2008) 397 final on the Sustainable Water Conservation in Textile Industry, Consumption and Production and Sustainable Muhammad Ayaz Shaikh, Assistant Profes- Industrial Policy Action Plan sor, College of Textile Engineering, SFDAC

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

resources to implement state-of-the-art environmental procedures. However, several LIFE projects have shown how this can be achieved.

In Italy, the PROWATER project (LIFE04 ENV/IT/000583) developed prototypes for effluent treatment and reuse in pilot sites at four textiles plants. Wastewa- ter was treated using physical-chemical processes (coagulation and lamel-

PRODUCTION PROCESSESlar sedimentation or flotation) and innovative membrane technologies. These techniques exceeded targets for removal of surfactants (62%, against a target of 50%) and colour (98%, against a target of 85%), whilst also meeting targets for the removal of other pollutants, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total suspended solids (TSS). The treated wastewater was then reused in production processes includ-

ing fabrics softening, reducing overall Photo: L I FE05 ENV/E/000285 water consumption by 40%. If imple- The LIFE RESITEX project demonstrated how water savings can be achieved in the mented across Europe on an industrial textile sector scale, the PROWATER team calculates potential water savings of 44 million A subsequent Italian textiles sec- ried out to ascertain which effluents were m3/yr. The technology can also reduce tor project, BATTLE (LIFE05 ENV/ potentially reusable and which were not. costs and has a payback time of five IT/000846), attempted to design and Based on this analysis, the most cost- years. Enhanced cost effectiveness will demonstrate a new best available tech- efficient technology for water reclamation help generate new employment oppor- nique (BAT) for efficient wastewater was selected and different water reuse tunities for European industries and reuse in the textile industry. An analysis schemes were designed for cost/benefit also improve competitiveness against of production processes at Stamperia comparisons. A pilot plant was then con- low-wage textile producing countries di Martinengo, a medium-sized textile structed to demonstrate the applicability and enhance green credentials. finishing factory in Lombardy, was car- of the technologies in practice. This plant treated some 500 m3/day of process effluents, producing 374 m3/day of recovered The HAGAR project reduced consumption of high-quality water for the marble extraction water on average. Most significantly, the industry in Hebron project’s findings also fed into the process for developing new BREF reference guidelines for the textiles sector, helping improve water efficiency across the EU.

Efficient water use was just one aspect of

Photo: L I FE05 TCY/GA/000115 LIFE RESITEX (LIFE05 ENV/E/000285), a Spanish textiles industry project that developed and tested best available techniques (BAT) for waste management that could be applied to all textiles sub- sectors. The key output of the project was a guidebook: “Procedure for Waste Management in the Textile Sector”, which provided advice on good management practices (e.g. how water savings can be made by moving from light to dark colours during a production cycle); selection and substitution of chemicals; equipment and new technologies; and ways of minimis-

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use PRODUCTION PROCESSES Photo: L I FE04 ENV/ T/000414 Significant reductions in the use of chemicals, water and energy were achieved in the tanning sector thanks to the N.E.S.S project

ing resources and making use of recycling The plant now discharges 8 000 m3/day aims to demonstrate the effectiveness opportunities (including guidance on how of wastewater that can be recycled and of replacing polluting and potentially to recover and reuse printing pastes or used in agriculture and industry. carcinogenic chrome tannage with an rinsing water and how to use biological environmentally friendly ‘oxazolidine’ sludge on agricultural land). The N.E.S.S. project (LIFE04 ENV/ tanning agent combined with other veg- IT/000414) implemented process etable or synthetic agents. The project The guidebook developed by the RESI- improvements at a factory in Italy spe- will promote its ‘chrome-free’ leathers to TEX project will help Europe’s textiles cialising in the skin finishing stage of the tanning, footwear and upholstery com- SMEs reduce their waste, and keep tanning production cycle, drawing on the panies in Spain, Italy and Slovenia. costs down while complying with envi- BAT developed by the earlier LIFE GIADA ronmental legislation, something that will project (LIFE00 ENV/IT/000184). The Resource efficiency from be increasingly important as the sector redesigned finishing line achieved signifi- beginning to end-of-life faces greater competition from low-wage cant reductions in the use of chemicals producers in China and India. (95% - and consequently a 28% reduc- There is a window of opportunity for tion in emissions of volatile organic com- the EU to influence production and Helping leather look pounds), water (up to 75%) and electric- resource standards in developing coun- better ity (up to 95%), as well as in the amount tries through EU market compliance of waste sludge generated (up to 98%). standards. This obliges countries aim- The same could also be said of the Working conditions were also improved ing to enter the EU market to comply leather/tanneries industry which, with thanks to noise abatement measures with these standards. LIFE, through its LIFE’s assistance, has begun taking (cutting acoustic pollution by 85%) and Third Countries strand, has provided an steps to decouple its resource use from the introduction of water-based, rather impetus towards this goal. For instance, its economic growth. Improving water than solvent-based colours. Finally, the the HAGAR project in Gaza (LIFE05 efficiency was again the goal of a LIFE process improvements also reduced TCY/GA/000115) worked closely with project in Lorca, Murcia (LIFE02 ENV/ operating costs and the time required the Italian marble industry to estab- E/000216), where some 40% of Spanish for skin finishing. lish new environmental procedures in leather production takes place. LIFE sup- Hebron municipality and address prob- port enabled the construction of a bio- A current LIFE Environment project in lems associated with the treatment of logical water treatment plant that used Spain (LIFE08 ENV/E/000140) is simi- debris, sludge and water from marble ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis tech- larly implementing process improve- extraction. Measures such as the con- niques to bring tannery effluent within ments that should make more efficient struction of a prototype plant for recy- legal limits and enable its safe disposal. use of resources. The OXATAN project cling industrial wastewater and separat-

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use PRODUCTION PROCESSES Photo: L I FE02 ENV/UK/000140 The INWATCO project developed innovative techniques and a Good Practice Guide for integrated management of groundwater, which are important tools for implementing the EU Water Framework Directive

ing calcium carbonate have contributed regions of Europe where coalfield drain- gains at the initial phase of production to a reduction in the consumption of age is a major consideration and has (extraction). Yet, equally LIFE is playing high-quality water, as well as limiting attracted widespread interest. its part in the development of a resource pollution in soil and underground reser- efficient economy based around recy- voirs from the stone sludge. Poor materials management leads to cling and reuse of end-of-life products. significant wastage in the economy, The OXATAN project is one good exam- Another LIFE project that tackled the with great economic cost. Improving ple of this; another is ELVES (LIFE05 environmental impacts of extraction material efficiency requires lifecycle ENV/E/000317), a Spanish project industries was INWATCO in the UK and value chain perspectives. We have that developed a system for separat- (LIFE02 ENV/UK/000140), which dem- already seen how the LIFE programme ing metal alloys from end-of-life vehi- onstrated and evaluated innovative is helping to realise resource efficiency cle (ELV) engines and reusing them in techniques and procedures for integrated management of groundwater INWATCO demonstrated that groundwater systems that interact with mine workings can resources in former coal mining areas. be managed to ensure good water quality A river basin catchment-scale demonstration project took place in Wake- field (UK), with supporting activities in Romania, to assess the applicability of the project methodology to all major European coal mining regions. Data from INWATCO’s comprehensive water Photo: L I FE02 ENV/UK/000140 sampling and analysis programme were used to evaluate potential minewater management options and the relation- ship between minewater systems and the wider surface water and groundwater content. This information fed into a Good Practice Guide on integrated water resource management in former coal mining regions. The guide is an important tool for implementing the EU Water Framework Directive in the many

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

kcal/tonne of product, a massive contribution to resource efficiency.

LIFE continues to work to improve the energy efficiency of other areas of the metals industry and elsewhere, for instance, by helping companies develop new, energy and resource efficient products that could lead to widespread process improvements. The LIFE Green Bear- ings project (LIFE06 ENV/NL/000176)

is just one example. An estimated 50 PRODUCTION PROCESSES billion bearings are installed in machinery worldwide. This means that even small frictional power savings per bearing amount to enormous global - and European - power savings. LIFE Green Bearings introduced thin film lubrication,

Photo: L I FE08 ENV/E/000140 lightweight polymers and improved seal ‘Chrome-free’ leathers for tanning, footwear and upholstery companies in Spain, Italy and technologies (e.g. hard seal coating) to Slovenia will be produced by the OXATAN project deliver energy reductions of 30-70%, depending on the bearing and load. new auto parts and engines. A facility an innovative cold-drawing system for Project beneficiary SKF calculates that capable of treating 33 000 tonnes/yr of the production of steel wire rod that has a 50% implementation of its Energy ELV engines with 99% efficiency was drastically cut energy consumption and Efficient Bearings among existing cus- built, kickstarting a new market in the the production of dangerous chemical tomers would reduce energy consump- process. The LIFE co-funded factory is wastes. If the techniques developed by tion by 4 000 GWh/yr and disposal of able to recover more than 5 100 tonnes this LIFE Environment “Best of the Best” waste lubricants by 4 million tonnes/yr in of aluminium per year, decreasing EU project 2008-2009 were implemented Europe. The substantial energy savings, dependence on foreign raw material throughout Italy, a country that proc- reduction of lubricant use and increase imports as a result. esses 1.7 million tonnes/yr of steel wire of product longevity are also calculated rod, it would lead to environmental sav- to bring economic benefits to customers The benefits of energy ings of 72 000 tonnes/yr of water con- in less than five years. efficiency sumption; 6 400 tonnes/yr of sulphuric acid and 1 900 tonnes/yr of hydrochlo- A part of a machine designed to reduce Improving the energy efficiency of pro- ric acid production, and a reduction in friction between moving parts or to support duction processes has been one of the energy consumption of some 430 000 moving loads. success stories of the LIFE programme, particularly for the most energy-inten- Energy Efficient Bearings could reduce energy consumption by 4 000 GWh/yr and disposal sive sectors such as the metals indus- of waste lubricants by 4 million tonnes/yr in Europe try. For instance INCOCAST (LIFE05 ENV/D/000185), a “Best” LIFE Envi- ronment project for 2007-2008, sought to demonstrate the effectiveness of an alternative process to the cold-box technique used by most foundries for Photo: L I FE06 ENV/NL/000176 casting aluminium. The project significantly reduced energy consumption, emissions, deposits and wastewater through its ‘inorganic warm box’ casting technique and laid the foundations for the future use of this method in the mass production of more resource efficient aluminium engine blocks and cyl- inder heads.

The Italian New ESD project (LIFE04 ENV/IT/000598) developed and tested 10

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use PRODUCTION PROCESSES

MEIGLASS brings new LIFE to waste glass

This groundbreaking Italian LIFE project has established the first factory in Europe tur-

ning the unwanted waste fraction of recycled glass bottles into raw materials for the

glass container, ceramics and bricks industries.

ecycling of glass bottles is now centage is likely to increase as the hollow ence processing mined minerals, in 2003 Ra long-established practice in glass industry demands oven-ready cullet the Italian company SASIL SpA began Europe. Yet the average citizen is prob- that will enable it to produce containers trials of a new process that promised to ably unaware that recycled glass produc- with even greater resistance to thermal revolutionise the raw material use of the ers also generate significant waste. Some shock and mechanical stresses. “If the glass container industry, with significant 23-25% of glass from public collection glass industry wants better quality cullet it resource efficiencies all round. points is rejected by the glass container has to reject more,” says Dr. Piero Ercole, industry and sent to landfill because of scientific and technical director of the As project manager Paolo Bertuzzi impurities in the cullet (the technical name MEIGLASS project and president of ATIV, explains, SASIL’s aim was to clean the for crushed waste glass that is ready to be the Italian technical association of glass reject cullet and then grind and sieve it remelted into new bottles etc). This per- producers. Drawing on its long experi- into pieces of 70-800 microns (0.07-0.8 mm) – so called ‘glassy sand’ – which Project manager Paolo Bertuzzi explains more about LIFE MEIGLASS could be melted without problems during glass container manufacturing.

With the support of LIFE, SASIL was able to invest in upgrades to its facility in

Photo: Justin Toland Photo: Justin Toland Brusnengo, Piedmont, that would allow it to implement its new process on an industrial scale. LIFE co-funding was to be invested in three areas: a wastewater treatment plant; a pyrolysis plant generating heat and power from waste plastic separated from the dirty cullet during glassy sand manufacturing; and in product development and testing.

SASIL’s new water purification plant offers significant resource efficiencies, 11

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Less resources, more quality

LIFE MEIGLASS has generated significant environmental benefits. These include a reduction in the amount of cullet going to landfill of some 20 truck loads per day (from 25% to 2%). The 180 000 tonnes/yr of waste cullet now reused by SASIL means that 300 000 tonnes/yr less material needs to be

mined for the glass container industry, a PRODUCTION PROCESSES significant raw material saving. Further- Photo: Justin Toland Photo: Justin Toland more, every tonne of glassy sand used Washing is one part of the process of turning reject cullet into glassy sand in the furnace saves 300 kg of CO2. This means in 2008, SASIL helped the con- as it allows the company to recycle 90% another example of the resource effi- tainer industry avoid generating 43 500 of its process water, greatly reducing ciency of the MEIGLASS process, since tonnes of CO2, equivalent to taking 26 the need for fresh water during glassy it is made up of pieces of less than 70 000 cars with a Euro 4 engine off the sand manufacturing (just 10% of the microns which would float on the surface road for a year. process water - lost through evapora- and reflect heat if melted in a furnace for tion - must be replaced). glassmaking. Instead, these fine gran- Other benefits of using glassy sand ules are separated by an air stream and include the fact that it has a chemical Following teething problems with the mixed with feldspar for sale to the ceram- oxygen demand (COD) 10 times lower initial design, SASIL plans to start up its ics industry, where they are used as an than standard furnace-ready cullet (a pyrolysis plant in 2011. The oil and the gas alkali carrier. A further 5% of production, a COD of 100 mg/l as opposed to 1 000 generated by the low temperature plant water suspension of very fine sand mixed mg/l) and 25 times lower than that of the (450-500° C ) will feed a turbine that will with clay, is sold to the brick industry. cullet rejects. generate 2 MW of heat for SASIL’s drying processes and 1 MW of electric power. The process is very flexible, allowing Increasing the quantity of glassy sand SASIL to change the ratios of glassy and has also been found to reduce the energy Most significantly though, LIFE support ceramic sand in line with market needs. consumption in the furnace per kilo of has been used to optimise the technical The company is also building on the LIFE glass produced by some 5%. “The melt- quality not only of glassy sand, but also MEIGLASS project by investigating the ing furnace’s specific energy consump- of two other products generated by the possibility of mixing the fine particles tion is reduced by about 0.67% for each process of cleaning and grinding of dirty (under 70 microns) with larger granules percentage of glassy sand used instead cullet - ‘ceramic sand’ and ‘brick sand’. to allow even more cullet to be returned of natural raw materials,” notes Dr. Ercole. Ceramic sand, which accounts for some to the glass industry. The first test results Furthermore, as Mr. Bertuzzi indicates, 25% of the output of SASIL’s plant, is are “very promising” says Dr. Ercole. “decreasing the amount of ceramic stones is a big challenge for glass fac- Project beneficiary SASIL SpA is capable of producing up to 200 000 tonnes/yr of glassy tories - with glassy sand they obtain this sand for the glass bottle industry effect.” Trials show that with 3% glassy sand and 47% furnace-ready cullet, there were an average of 0.24 ceramic stones/tonne of glass pulled; when the mix was changed to 18% glassy sand Photo: Justin Toland Photo: Justin Toland and 32% furnace-ready cullet, the ratio of stones dropped to 0.09/tonne of glass pulled.

Significantly, tests have shown that glassy sand can also improve the quality of glass containers. Results from the field indicate that when 25% glassy sand is used in the batch, the internal pressure resistance of bottles is 9% higher under the same thermal and forming conditions. “Glassy sand also enables better 12

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

let to improve its properties and allow colour separation of glass (which does not happen at source in Italy). In addition, one of SASIL’s existing customers is now aiming to recover civil demolition waste glass and car windscreens and use glassy sand to produce flat glass. “This is a very important development,” says Dr Ercole. “Very little flat glass is recycled today.”

PRODUCTION PROCESSES SASIL is looking to develop other, new, resource efficient products and processes from waste glass. Now, with further support from LIFE, the NOVEDI

Photo: Justin Toland Photo: Justin Toland project (LIFE07 ENV/IT/000361) sees With LIFE support, SASIL SpA has established the first plant in Europe capable of the company in the process of devel- generating new raw materials from waste cullet oping a lightweight insulation material made from art and mosaic glass, light control of oxy-reduction reactions and at events in Croatia, Finland and even bulbs, cathode ray tubes and compu- consequent higher consistency both in Vietnam (by project partner Joanneum ter screens, all forms of glass that can- colour and in infrared light absorption,” Research), as well as in Italy. “Other not be used to make glass containers explains Dr. Ercole. The result, he says, is firms can learn from how SASIL per- because of their high lead and fluorine that “there is more consistent behaviour suaded the glass industry of the benefits content. of the glass in forming processes thanks of glassy sand,” believes Dr. Ercole. to the improved chemical and thermal With the VALIRE project to recycle homogeneity.” As a sign of its success, sales of glassy incinerator residues into high-value sand have increased from 6 235 tonnes building materials (LIFE08 ENV/ Spreading the message in 2003 to 144 337 tonnes in 2008, and IT/000421) also in the pipeline, SASIL SASIL’s factory is today capable of pro- is showing just how far it is possible to Results of the MEIGLASS project have ducing 200 000 tonnes/yr. The company take resource efficiency in manufactur- been widely disseminated, with sev- is also looking to extend its resource ing. As CEO Lodovico Ramon is keen eral articles in technical journals and efficient process into new areas, includ- to stress: “Waste is the raw material of local newspapers, and presentations ing the washing of furnace-ready cul- the future.”

After MEIGLASS, NOVEDI: Paolo Bertuzzi shows off a display about SASIL’s latest LIFE project Photo: Justin Toland Photo: Justin Toland

ITALY

Project number: LIFE06 ENV/IT/000332 Title: Minimising the Environmental Impact of GLASS recycling and glass container production Beneficiary: SASIL SpA Contact: Paolo Bertuzzi Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.sasil-life.com/ Period: Dec-2005 to Dec-2009 Total budget: e6 065 000 LIFE contribution: e1 144 000 13

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

LIFE conserving resources in product design, production, use and disposal

Current patterns of consumption and production have significant environmental

impacts, including the emission of greenhouse gases, pollution and the depletion of

natural resources. Much can be done to make consumption and production in Europe

more resource efficient. LIFE has an important role to play in supporting EU actions

and proposals to improve the environmental performance of products and to stimulate

demand for more sustainable goods and production technologies.

t is estimated that over 80% of Plan (July 2008) provides a framework to As many of the following LIFE project Iall product-related environmen- improve the energy and environmental examples show, the efficient use of tal impacts are determined during the performance of products and to help resources (whether for production, use design phase of a product. Against this consumers make better choices. Build- or disposal) can be good for business background, eco-design aims to reduce ing on earlier EU policies and initiatives, as well as for the environment, particu- the environmental impacts of products, it includes extensions to the scope of the larly as the global market for environ- including energy consumption, through- Eco-design and Labelling directives and mental industries is expected to grow out their entire lifecycle. Ecolabel Regulation, as well as significant to €200 billion by 2020. revisions to the voluntary eco-manage- Apart from changing the user’s behaviour, ment and audit scheme (EMAS II). Saving energy … and there are two ways of reducing the energy valuable resources consumed in products: labelling to raise A European Commission review of the consumer awareness of the real energy Action Plan is expected in 2012, includ- LIFE has provided financial support to use in order to influence buying decisions, ing assessment of the new Eco-design enterprises across Europe seeking to such as labelling schemes for domestic Directive (2009/125/EC), which has been explore more energy and resource efficient appliances; and energy-efficiency require- extended so that it covers not only energy- production methods and processes. ments imposed on products from the using products (EuPs) on the EU market, early stage of the design phase. such as computers, televisions, boilers, and industrial fans; but also energy-related EU action products (adding products that don’t consume energy during use, but have an indi- 1 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleases Action.do?reference=MEMO/08/ The EU’s Sustainable Consumption and rect impact on energy consumption, such 507&format=HTML&aged=0&language= Production / Sustainable Industries Action as taps and window frames). EN&guiLanguage=en 14

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

strated that small quantities (1-10%) of sludge from wastewater treatment plants could be mixed with the clay material traditionally used to produce bricks. According to the project beneficiary, the concept, which replaces conventional gas-fired boilers with biomass heaters, could result in 6% potential net energy savings for the ceramics sector.

Two other ongoing projects targeting, respectively, the greening of window- making and the cleaning sector, are also looking to substantially reduce their use of natural resources. The Slov- ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN enian UNISASH project (LIFE07 ENV/ SLO/000710) is aiming to develop a new type of environmentally friendly manu- Photo: L I FE04 ENV/ T/000589 An Italian LIFE project, EWG, developed a technology to decorate ceramic tiles that facturing process suitable for PVC, wood reduces wasted glaze and energy consumption and aluminium windows. It is aiming to reduce consumption of raw materials by 20-35% per unit. This should equate to The ceramics sector, where the finish- ceramic tiles that cut energy consumption energy savings of 20-40% per unit. Cost ing process in particular is associated in half, eliminated the need for water and savings from these environmental ben- with significant environmental damage, reduced to zero any resultant pollution. efits are also expected through reduced has been the focus of several successful production costs. LIFE projects. The Italian EWG project, Energy efficiencies were also shown by (LIFE04 ENV/IT/000589) demonstrated Eco-Ceramics, (LIFE05 ENV/E/000301), The French CISDP project (LIFE08 ENV/ a new clean technology for the decora- as part of its innovative waste manage- F/000481) is promoting the implementation of ceramics on flat and textured sur- ment concept targeting the re-use of tion of a sustainable development pro- faces using a soft roll that is able to adapt sludge as a raw material for the structural gramme for the country’s cleaning com- itself to the surface’s shape. A pilot plant ceramics industry. The project demon- panies. The programme contains more reduced wasted glazes by 98% and

waste caused by printing faults by 8%. A manufacturing process for PVC, wood and aluminium windows that reduces raw materials Its implementation generated a reduction consumption is currently being demonstrated by the Slovenian UNISASH project in energy consumption of up to 76%.

Another cleantech project in this sector, Microfinishing (LIFE02 ENV/IT/000052) developed a new, dry finishing process for

2 A Best LIFE Environment Project winner Photo: L I FE07 ENV/SLO/007100 2006-07 15

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

than 50 concrete actions targeting the conservation of natural resources and preservation of the environment through reduced water consumption and pollution, less waste and improved recycling. Furthermore, 50% of all employees will receive training thus creating green skills in this sector.

Energy-efficiencies In refrigeration

Domestic fridges and freezers have increased in energy efficiency by more than 40% in the past decade or so, thanks in part to the introduction of the ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN Energy Label Directive (92/75/EEC). However, the commercial world has been slow to make the same advances.

The Austrian PROCOOL project, (LIFE03 ENV/A/000002) organised a Europe-

wide competition among manufacturers Photo: L I FE05 ENV/DK/000156 to promote innovation and show that With CO REF, energy consumption of refrigeration units is 4% lower than with an HFC hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)-free, energy- 2 system efficient and cost-effective commercial appliances can be successfully produced. Entrants were set strict criteria, which included recycling potential and Reducing waste repair-orientated designs. and emissions

3 A Best LIFE Environment project winner 2007-08 Eight leading manufacturers, repre- As well as demonstrating resource and senting 30% of the European market, energy efficiencies, many innovative LIFE entered the competition. Seven prod- projects have also shown important reduc- ucts finally met the competition’s tough tions in emissions and waste. A number stipulations. The winning entries incor- have also reported significant economic porated enterprising solutions that benefits from the more efficient manage- found immediate markets for their ment of resources previously wasted. new designs. All showed an energy saving of up to 50% compared with A particular focus has been the metal standard products, and also avoided industries, traditionally associated with harmful refrigerants and insulation very high environmental impacts. For Photo: L I FE03 ENV/A/000002 materials, while comfortably meeting example, the Italian Clean-Deco project standards on noise levels. (LIFE00 ENV/IT/000213) developed a cleantech solution for the replacement of

Meanwhile, the Danish CO2REF the highly polluting process of galvanising project, (LIFE05 ENV/DK/000156) metals using physical vapour deposition

investigated the use of CO2 as a (PVD) technology. This has resulted in the greener refrigerant alternative to elimination of chromium wastes and a sub- HFCs and then successfully intro- stantial reduction in the use of dangerous

duced it in a pilot supermarket sys- chemicals: chromium trioxide (CrO3) by tem. Initial results showed reduced 100%; hydrogen chloride (HCl) by 30%;

energy consumption of around 4%, and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) by 90%. as well as service cost savings of 15%. Significantly, the system has Europe’s aeronautics sector was the proved to be a commercial, as well focus of a high-profile French project, as a technical success, with 26 units

in operation and a further seven on 4 A Best LIFE Environment project winner order (2008). 2005-06 16

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

that all vehicles must contain the highest-possible proportion of recyclable materials.

An earlier LIFE project in Italy, Use and… re-use (LIFE99 ENV/IT/000034) developed an innovative system to avoid the substantial amounts of waste generated in the packaging of fruit and vegetables. The project designed recyclable plastic boxes, which can be folded and re-used up to 30 times. The scheme included a processing centre to handle the cleaning, re-use and recycling of the boxes, and computer ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN software to track their journeys. At the beginning of the LIFE project in 1999,

Photo: L I FE03 ENV/E/000106 the beneficiary (CPR system) was a Packaging producers have made better use of raw materials by recycling plastic from small cooperative with 900 000 boxes, vehicle factory waste 47 members and a handful of staff. By the end of the project, the coop- (LIFE05 ENV/F/000062), targeting the ENV/E/000106) successfully recycled erative had 355 members, between development of a less polluting tech- plastic from vehicle factory waste to them using over 5 million boxes, sav- nology for aircraft panel manufactur- produce pallets. The recovered mate- ing not only 50 000 tonnes/yr of pack- ing. Implemented by Dufieux Indus- rial is a highly transferable process, aging waste but also €6.5 million/yr in tries, a new Green Advanced Panels which has enabled the beneficiary, a waste disposal costs. Importantly, the (GAP) mechanical milling process was manufacturer of linings for car interiors, scheme has continued to grow. Today designed to replace the chemical milling to turn its waste (previously all sent to it has over 950 members and 12 mil- processes conventionally used for the landfill) into a 100% recoverable, re- lion boxes that are used a total of 110 machining of complex-shaped panels, usable and recyclable high-quality million times/yr. This saves more than a process that produces large volumes plastic. The success of the scheme 100 000 tonnes/yr of waste, 100 Mwh/ of toxic sludge. Independent analysis also has particular relevance within the yr of energy and €13 million/yr in waste suggests this project could generate motor industry, where EU directives disposal costs. The company is now significant water and chemicals sav- concerning end-of-life vehicles require present in all Italian regions and tens of ings, a 57% decrease in electricity jobs have been created. Yet the project

consumption, and cuts in emissions of 6 A Best LIFE Environment project winner cost only €1.5 million (with €600 000 of greenhouse gases (6 200 tonnes/yr of 2007-08 EU co-financing).

CO2) and volatile organic compounds (850 tonnes/yr). Together with a 16 The results of the RECIPLAS project will help the motor industry comply with 000-tonne/yr reduction in the amount EU directives on end-of-life vehicles of waste produced, the project makes an important contribution towards the implementation of the integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) Directive (91/61/EC). Photo: L I FE03 ENV/E/000106 Packaging, wood and paper solutions

Two LIFE projects have focused their activities on helping packaging producers make better use of their resources and raw materials. The RECIPLAS project in Spain (LIFE03

5 A Best LIFE Environment project winner 2007-08 17

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

ance with environmental legislation, the overall goal is to help manufacturers in this sector reduce their environmental footprint through awareness of the legal requirements they need to meet. An alert system will be set up to inform companies of relevant environmental legislation.

A lifecycle approach

Finally, the Integrated Product Policy

Photo: L I FE09 ENV/ES/000454 (IPP) approach has contributed signifi- Construction materials will be produced from household waste wood products, such as cantly to the development of environ- furniture, doors and floors with the WOODRUB project mental policies in Europe in the areas of product design, use of natural resources ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN Another innovative project aiming to bel scheme in its early days. When the and management of waste. show significant resource savings is project was launched in 2003, only a the ongoing WOODRUB project in handful of Hellenic textile firms had Reflecting this lifecycle approach is

Spain (LIFE09 ENV/ES/000454), which been awarded an Ecolabel in recog- the Luxembourg LIFE+ ECO2 Tyre Tech is looking to develop construction nition of the good environmental per- project (LIFE09 ENV/LU/000390) just materials from household waste wood formance of their product or service. underway, led by European and world- products (furniture, doors, windows, The project was particularly successful wide tyre producer, Goodyear (see floors, etc) and used tyres. This re-use in promoting the benefits of the Eco- pages 18-20). Another important IPP initiative will provide wood/tyre pro- label to an audience that was largely project targeting the automobile indus- ducers with a new ‘end-of-life’ route, sceptical (mainly due to a lack of infor- try was the French EDIT project (LIFE00 and offer public and private construc- mation and knowledge on how to par- ENV/F/000593). The project success- tion firms with a more environmentally ticipate). It produced a best practice fully developed lifecycle assessment friendly product option. Moreover, the guide, established an eco-consultancy (LCA) methodologies and support planned new products will operate as and successfully guided four textiles software tools for the management of carbon sinks – increasing the carbon companies through the process. Its vehicle components. The approach storage in buildings using the products main achievement, however, was to involved key stakeholders: carmakers, and replacing other, less green, building show how the Ecolabel with its guar- parts’ manufacturers, and raw material materials. antee of greener credentials, can pro- suppliers; and covered all stages of the vide a competitive edge to Greek, and product lifecycle, including end-of-life The manufacture of paper has a sig- other European textile manufacturers, issues. nificant environmental footprint both who are increasingly under pressure upstream (where raw materials are from lower-cost garments imported 90% of European footwear companies acquired and processed) and down- from China, and cheaper raw materials will be involved in the SHOELAW project stream (waste-disposal impacts). Recy- from countries such as Turkey. to improve their environmental performance and compliance with environmental cling obviously reduces this impact. legislation One of the earliest LIFE projects to tar- Another voluntary initiative is currently get this sector (LIFE95 ENV/IT/000393) being investigated by a Spanish-led was implemented by Italian specialist project to encourage more environ- paper manufacturer, Favini. The com- mentally friendly practices among pany tested the use of various bio- Europe’s footwear manufacturers. waste materials (e.g. pomace, algae, SHOELAW (LIFE08 ENV/E/000147) is apple peel) to develop 100% recycla- seeking to develop an e-platform for ble paper of the same high quality as environmental self-diagnosis among its other products. Results included a 50 companies in five European 10% saving in trees and a 12% saving countries: Spain, Italy, Portu-

in energy consumption. gal, Greece and Slovenia. Photo: L I FE08 ENV/E/000147 These countries jointly Voluntary actions represent 90% of Euro- pean footwear companies. A Greek LIFE project, ECO-TEXTILE Focusing on improvements (LIFE03 ENV/GR/000204) helped in environmental standards spread awareness of the EU’s Ecola- and the promotion of compli- 18

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

There is growing awareness among Europe’s man-

ufacturers that opportunities for greater resource

efficiencies can bring both economic as well as

environmental gains. Two LIFE projects demon-

strate opportunities for sustainable growth through

the development of greener materials for tyres.

These materials will help to reduce the environ-

mental impact of tyres, could avoid or mitigate

problems of ever-scarcer resources and costly

raw materials and also contribute to improved con-

ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN sumer safety.

LIFE helps drive greener tyre making

oad transport generates over traditional non-renewable fillers, such project’s second component consisted 20% of all CO emissions in the as petroleum-based carbon black or of an in-depth analysis and modification R 2 EU, with passenger cars responsible for mineral-based silica, used in tyres for of the tyre structure, aimed at minimis- more than half these emissions. Further- their reinforcement properties. The new ing energy loss through rolling resistance more, because of a significant increase biofiller would be made from renewable while the vehicle is in motion.

in traffic, CO2 emissions from road trans- resources (a new starch-based mate- port have risen by more than 20% since rial), thereby reducing its environmental A final phase was to incorporate the

1990. This represents a major concern to impact and allowing reductions in CO2 developed new material and use the the EU, which aims to achieve an aver- emissions during its production. The results of the optimisation of the tyre

age CO2 emission for new cars of 120 structure to develop prototype tyres to g/km by 2012 and 95 g/km by 2020. The Fuel consumption was reduced by 5-6% be tested at the beneficiary’s technical contact of rolling vehicle tyres with road thanks to the environmentally friendly facilities in Luxembourg. After this, the surfaces creates a drag force known as tyre design best prototypes were sent to BMW for the ‘rolling resistance’. Any reduction further testing under real life conditions. achieved in rolling resistance means

lower fuel consumption and related CO2 The project successfully achieved all its emissions. goals over the 42 month project period. A new Bio Tyre with a ‘BioTRED’ com- Thus the overall aim of the 2005-09 LIFE pound was developed (see box), and BioTyre project (LIFE06 ENV/L/000118) the tyre structure optimised. Thanks was to demonstrate the technical and to these actions, the project was able economic viability of an environmentally to gain a higher than targeted - 34% friendly tyre design that achieves a sub- - reduction in rolling resistance, with- stantial reduction in rolling resistance of out any loss in safety, vehicle handling up to 30%. performance or longevity.

Coordinated by Goodyear Luxembourg A major difficulty for the project team, SA, the partnership project also involved according to principal engineer, Chris- Italian company, Novamont, and German tian Kaes, was to achieve this ultralow car manufacturer BMW. Its first compo- rolling resistance in the two-year time nent was to develop an alternative to period for prototype optimisation and 19

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN

Partner BMW expects to use BioTyres in new car models, and there is considerable interest from other vehicle manufacturers technological validation. From a tech- cars and in use. The beneficiary estimates eration: the absorption capacity through nical point of view, this was a “big that a 30% decrease in rolling resistance photosynthesis of the corn starch being challenge… It was very, very difficult corresponds to a 5%-6% decrease in greater than the CO2 rejected during its to reduce the rolling resistance, while fuel consumption. Considering a typi- transformation process into a biofiller. In keeping all the other performance cal average run distance in Europe of 40 contrast, the production of carbon black parameters expected by our custom- 000 km/yr run by 1 million BioTyres, this is a significant source of greenhouse gas ers,” he explains. would mean a saving of the equivalent of emissions.

80 000 tonnes/yr of CO2. Moreover, the production process of the second gen- An additional benefit is that BioTyres Reducing CO2 emissions eration of biofiller developed in the LIFE incorporate the beneficiary’s ‘run on flat’

The main environmental benefit of Bio- project has an even more positive CO2 (ROF) technology, which means vehi- Tyres will come once they are fitted to balance, compared with the first gen- cles only require four tyres (no spare) – another resource saving and weight Italian partner Novamont used nano-particles of corn starch to produce the new biofiller reduction that should help to keep costs to reinforce tyres down for motorists, as well as improving safety (by maintaining car control after sudden air loss).

Photo: Novamont Importantly, since the project finished, Goodyear has moved from pilot phase into production. Partner BMW currently foresees using BioTyres in new car models (e.g. for the 2012 BMW 3-Series) and there has been considerable interest from other vehicle manufacturers.

Project manager Georges Thielen says the close cooperation of the partners played an important part in its successful outcome. In addition, European Commission support via the LIFE programme was “very important”, he says, 20

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

as it provided a European platform for the product. For BMW, it demonstrated DEVELOPING THE ‘BIOTRED’ FILLER the carmaker’s commitment to sustaina- Italian partner, Novamont, a specialist in the production of bioplastics ble technologies via its ‘EfficientDynam- from renewable raw materials of agricultural origin, was responsible for the ics Programme’. And for all partners, it will help meet the policy objectives development of the new industrial biofiller. Made from nano-particles of corn highlighted in the EU’s 6th Environment starch, it is designed to partially replace the non-renewable fillers such as Action Programme and the Flagship Ini- carbon black and silica. tiative under the Europe 2020 Strategy. As well as producing and testing experimental grades of biofiller (more than 80 new materials in total), Novamont was also responsible for validating the Building on the experience of the first second generation of BioTRED filler, in order to provide the project beneficiary project, a new LIFE+ ECO2 Tyre Tech project (LIFE09 ENV/L/000390) is with sufficient materials to produce the first tyres for testing. The aim with underway, coordinated once again by these new grades was to significantly improve the tyres’ rolling resistance while Goodyear Luxembourg. The 2010-14

ECO PRODUCTS AND ECO DESIGN maximising the renewable raw material content in the biofiller, thereby improv- project brings together three partners ing interface properties, reducing weight and minimising costs. of the tyre supply chain from material supply (Rubber Resources - The Neth- erlands), tyre production (Goodyear) to car manufacturing (BMW). Importantly, all the targets concern- The project also seeks to improve tyre ing improvements to the tyres (rolling performance during use, and is targeting Its aim is to develop environmentally resistance, noise, etc) are well above a 40% rolling resistance reduction; 25% sustainable tyres incorporating innova- the upcoming EU regulations concern- weight reduction; 25% mileage improve- tive green materials from recycling or ing safety and environmental efficiency ment; and a 3dBA noise reduction. renewable origin and weight-reducing of tyres and as such are also likely to tyre designs. All lifecycle stages of the enable suppliers to benefit from the The expected improved environmental activities involved during the manufac- new rules governing tyre labelling i.e. tyre performance will be tested on both turing, as well as the use and recycling a system of A-G grading information conventional and electric cars under of tyres will be improved and further for customers (along the lines of the EU various driving conditions. Finally, the developed. A lifecycle assessment (LCA) Energy Label). project is also expected to contribute study will be carried out with a targeted to the end-of-life phase by providing reduction of 35% over all life stages As with the LIFE BioTyre project, the new new processes for the recycling of large consortium will work jointly towards the quantities of used rubber goods. validation and first industrialisation of the tyres. Furthermore, the project will also contribute to the main objectives of the EU REACH legislation by reducing emissions and exposure risks during fabrication into soil, water and air, while maintaining principle climate change objectives.

The goals in relation to tyre manufacturing are to introduce: • Recyclable materials (derived from LUXEMBURG used rubber articles); • New renewable source materials from Project number: LIFE06 ENV/L/000118 wood (e.g. lignin, cellulose); and Title: Development and validation of ultra • New chemicals for tyre vulcanisation low rolling resistance tyres with environ- and ageing protection with low envi- mentally friendly resources ronmental impacts and improved tyre Beneficiary: Goodyear Luxembourg SA mileage. Contact: Georges Thielen Email: [email protected] 1 Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 of the Euro- Period: Dec-2005 to May-2009 pean Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the labelling of tyres with Total budget: e12 393 000 respect to fuel efficiency and other essential LIFE contribution: e3 120 000 parameters 21

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Lifecycle thinking - a key thought of LIFE

The resource efficiency of a product or process can only truly be understood by con-

sidering its whole lifecycle. LIFE projects have raised awareness of this, produced

improved tools for implementing lifecycle assessments and demonstrated the impor-

tance of eco-design and end-of-life management to resource efficiency over the life-

cycle.

hether a process or product mental analysis. Importantly, LCAs seek another stage. Similarly, LCAs seek to Wuses resources efficiently cannot only to highlight where resource ensure that impact burden is not simply not be assessed by looking at the natu- efficiency gains can be made, but also shifted from one form of environmental ral resources consumed during operation ensure that apparent environmental impact to another. It is the overall envi- alone. Natural resources are used as raw gains at one stage of a product’s life- ronmental balance of the whole lifecycle materials in the production of the origi- cycle do not create greater costs at that is important. nal parts and are consumed during their collection, treatment and transportation. Lifecycle assessments, eco-design and end-of-life management have also been the focus Further down the chain, marketing and of LIFE funding distribution, and the treatment and disposal of products at the end of their life, all consume natural resources.

To improve resource efficiency, policies and practices therefore need to take Photo: L I FE00 ENV/NL/000808 account of the value chain and the full lifecycle of resource use for any process and product, considering upstream and downstream activities. Evaluating the impact and costs of products and processes from cradle to grave in this way is the concept of lifecycle thinking. Yet, the complexity of this and the number of actors involved can be a major obstacle.

Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodological tool that applies lifecycle thinking to create a quantitative environ- 22

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

There are clear theoretical resource efficiency benefits to be had from applying a lifecycle approach to material and product management. It can help identify synergies and trade-offs within intercon- nected elements of a product’s lifecycle. It can also highlight which element of a product’s lifecycle is the most inefficient, or draw attention to previously over-

LIFECYCLE THINKINGlooked resource use associated with a product. A lifecycle approach can thus inform changes in policy or practice that make a real difference to overall environmental impact and be a key to the transformation towards a resource efficient economy.

Lifecycle thinking in policy Photo: L I FE04 ENV/DE/000047 The RESOLVED project demonstrated new recycling methodologies for thin film photovoltaic panels to produce valuable raw materials with a purity of 99.99% LCA is increasingly used in sustainable business decision-making and environmental policymaking, already playing a authoritative guidance for policymakers tion and production, with particular focus key role in EU policies in areas such as and businesses on how to conduct an on the de-coupling of environmental Integrated Product Policy (IPP), sustain- LCA to quantify the emissions, resource impacts from economic growth. able consumption and production and consumption and environmental impact waste legislation. of a product. These documents provide Indicators of resource efficiency, detailed technical guidance on all steps of resource productivity and consumption ISO 14040 provides a standardisation LCA. The EU, through the Joint Research – ‘baskets-of-products’ - can be used framework for LCA that covers the defini- Centre (JRC), is currently developing to monitor the environmental impacts of tion of the goals and assessment param- lifecycle-based indicators to measure relevant goods and services consumed eters of an LCA, lifecycle inventories progress towards sustainable consump- by EU citizens as well as the transition (LCI), assessment of the inventory data in LCIA and interpretation of results. One of the 23 different strategies that the DANTES project produced using existing tools and methods for environmental assessment, such as LCA The Commission communication on European IPP (COM(2003)302) recognises that the lifecycle of a product is often long and complicated and that Identify information Information for there cannot be one simple policy meas- required for decision decision-making ure for everything. A range of measures are needed to encourage and stimulate Photo: L I FE02 ENV/S/000351 actors as diverse as designers, manu- Information Comprehensible facturers, retailers and consumers to requirements information improve their environmental performance. These include obligatory measures, Break down such as substance bans and voluntary Interpret the information the acquired ones, such as environmental labelling. requirements into information tools & methods The EU has created and developed an Tools & important information source for LCA Methods Info practitioners, providing lifecycle inventory data from a range of European business sectors. The first edition of the Interna- Basic tional Reference Life Cycle Data System information (ILCD) handbook was published in March 2010. The handbook consists of a series of technical documents that provide 23

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

LIFE projects have been at the forefront use and developing understanding of the of challenging these obstacles, raising tools amongst municipalities and other awareness, developing tools to facilitate decision-makers. Over 100 sustainable implementation and carrying out ground- building projects were then assessed and breaking lifecycle assessments. improvements identified with designers, architects and developers. Environmen- LIFE and lifecycle thinking tal performance improvements of 15% tools were achieved, particularly by facilitating improvements in the preliminary design

LIFE projects have worked to raise stage. LIFECYCLE THINKING awareness of lifecycle thinking and provide practical tools and guidance on how The Spanish project FENIX (LIFE08 LCA can be used to make real resource ENV/E/000135) has been working since

Photo: L I FE00 ENV/NL/000808 efficiency gains in often complex sectors 2008 to develop an easy-to-use tool for LIFE EQuation used LCA tools in the of the economy. obtaining LCA results for the specific construction industry with over 100 sus- context of packaging waste. The project tainable building projects being assessed The Swedish DANTES project (LIFE02 expects to provide public authorities with and improvements identified ENV/S/000351) demonstrated and tools for tackling waste management and assessed new tools for environmental to create an Iberian network of experts towards more sustainable consumption sustainability, including lifecycle assess- in LCA and waste management. The behaviour. They can also help assess the ment and lifecycle cost. As well as aware- project highlights the need to ensure that impact of policy measures with regard to ness, the project provided analysis of measures to improve the management more environmentally sound goods and how to use the methods and tools within of waste do not consume more natural services. companies to assess resource efficiency resources than they save, a key principle and other environmental information. The of the lifecycle approach. LCA is impor- Waste management indicators, covering project website also provides businesses tant to make sure that there is an over- the entire waste management chain, are with a guide to the lifecycle information all resource efficiency benefit from any designed to help the EU monitor how they need to make improved environ- waste management system, as well as technological progress and changes in mental decisions. ensuring positive overall economic and the amount of waste result in reduced social outcomes. Data from the project environmental impacts. They will also The LIFE EQuation project (LIFE00 will also be fed into the ELCD to help highlight material and energy resources ENV/NL/000808) optimised innovative complete this European database. saved via better waste management. LCA tools for the construction industry in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. An interesting tool for encouraging life- However, there are still some gaps in Through practical application, the project cycle thinking is the use of eco-labels understanding and lack of expertise in team optimised an advanced computer awarded for environmental performance the implementation of LCAs and IPP, model for calculating environmental of the whole value chain. The Italian which limit the impact of the lifecycle con- impact and an environmental assessment LIFE project Aqualabel (LIFE03 ENV/ cept on resource efficiency. A number of method for homes, making them easy to IT/000333) sought to develop such a

The FENIX project aims to provide public authorities with tools for tackling waste management and to create a network of experts in LCA Photo: L I FE08 ENV/E/000135 24

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use LIFECYCLE THINKING Photo: L I FE04 ENV/GR/000110 The ECOIL project developed a groundbreaking LCA for the olive oil industry providing an analysis of the whole olive oil lifecycle, from tree cultivation to waste management

quality and environmental management providing tools for future LCAs. It also mental success stories within the pro- label for water distributed in waterworks established Product Category Rules duction chain. The project thus helped systems, according to ISO14024 stand- (PCR) and Environmental Product Dec- stakeholders identify where they could ards. The project identified wastewater larations (EPD) for both office desks and provide improved environmental perfor- treatment, water sanitisation and pump- cooker hoods, showing how lifecycle mance and where they could demand it ing operations as the processes in the thinking can promote improved resource from others, particularly from their sup- water supply cycle with the greatest efficiency for these specific products in pliers. environmental impact. It produced a the furniture industry. manual outlining the measures nec- At the opposite end of Europe, LIFE essary for overall certification with an A Greek LIFE project, ECOIL (LIFE04 OSELCA in Estonia explored LCA for eco-label from the relevant environ- ENV/GR/000110), developed a ground- oil-shale electricity production and mental bodies. The project thus pro- breaking LCA for the olive oil industry in energy intensive products (LIFE03 vided awareness and practical under- Spain, Cyprus and Greece. It provided ENV/EE/000194). It was the first large- standing of how water supply systems analysis of the whole olive oil lifecycle, scale application of LCA in Estonia and can improve their resource efficiency from tree cultivation to waste manage- has been a benchmark for other indus- throughout the lifecycle of the water. ment, enabling comparisons of resource tries in the country to follow. Led by a use at different stages of the lifecycle. major energy company, it compared the LIFE and LCA in specific This showed where optimisation could resource use of electricity generated contexts be possible and highlighted environ- from oil-shale with that produced from

LIFE projects have been particularly The LCA for oil-shale electricity production and energy intensive products used by the instrumental in showing how LCA tools OSELCA project has set a benchmark for other industries in Estonia can be used in specific business contexts and sectors.

Linking with European Integrated Prod- uct Policy (IPP), the Italian project LAIPP (LIFE04 ENV/IT/000588) worked to Photo: L I FE03 ENV/EE/000194 show how LCA could be implemented in the furniture industry. It ran pilot actions including LCAs and Product- Oriented Environmental Management Systems (POEMS), aiming towards ISO certification, in six companies. It successfully optimised three LCA software programmes for different types of user, 25

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

hard coal and biomass. It also looked at the significant impact of the energy source used on the total resource efficiency of a random product - in this case a wooden weatherboard. It successfully demonstrated that energy production will often be one of the most significant factors of a product’s overall resource efficiency. LIFECYCLE THINKING LIFE projects such as ECOIL and OSELCA have used lifecycle thinking to show how stakeholders can improve Photo: L I FE07 ENV/P/000639 the resource efficiency of their industry, Electrovalue is looking at effectively extracting and exploiting raw materials from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) not just by improving their own performance, but through their choice of suppliers. Energy-intensive products can lifecycle. Some of the greatest efficiency of possible products and developed transform their resource efficiency by gains can be achieved by extracting pilot eco-brands and eco-marketing using green energy. Such modification resources from a product at the end of with four rural enterprises. The project of purchasing decisions based on sup- its life for re-use rather than sending showed how successful grassroots pliers’ environmental performance could them to landfill or incineration. Equally, rural entrepreneurship can be encour- be crucial in implementing Europe’s IPP environmentally aware design can avoid aged using LCA to identify opportuni- by creating market pressure for more all manner of inefficiencies downstream, ties for resource-efficient products that resource efficiency throughout the sup- such as high resource use from transpor- can be marketed as such. Thinking from ply chain without the need for prohibi- tation and waste management. A number the design stage through the lifecycle tive legislation. of LIFE projects have looked at how to of a product can raise the awareness of implement eco-design and effective end- designers, investors and consumers to LIFE, eco-design and end- of-life strategies to improve a product’s promote resource-efficient products. of-life resource efficiency over its lifecycle. IPP TEL in Greece (LIFE04 ENV/ One of the key messages of the lifecycle The Rural LIFE Design project (LIFE00 GR/000138) conducted LCAs and car- approach is that particular consideration ENV/FIN/000656) implemented IPP in ried out tests on telecommunications needs to be given to resource efficiency rural SMEs by promoting tools for eco- products to identify the major costs at the beginning and end of a product’s design. The project conducted LCAs and challenges of efficient end-of- life management. It used its analysis IPP TEL used LCAs to demonstrate how eco-design of a modem could avoid some of the to demonstrate how eco-design of a challenges of its end-of-life management modem could significantly improve its overall resource efficiency. It proposed eco-label criteria for modems based on these findings.

Improved end-of-life management for high-technology products could have a

Photo: L I FE04 ENV/GR/000138 big impact on overall resource efficiency. The German project, Resolved (LIFE04 ENV/DE/000047), demonstrated an environmentally friendly process for extracting the valuable raw materials from thin film photovoltaic panels. In Portugal, LIFE Electrovalue (LIFE07 ENV/P/000639) is looking at effectively extracting and exploiting raw materials from waste electrical and electronic equipment. Both projects are demonstrating how high-tech practical measures taken at the end-of-life of certain products can make a major contribution to improving resource efficiency overall. 26

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use LIFECYCLE THINKING

ACADEMY: managing the lifecycle of complex products

Environmental management systems (EMS) have improved the environmental perform-

ance of many companies. However, their benefits can be limited by the complexity of

products’ production and lifecycles. The LIFE ACADEMY project has demonstrated how

EMS can be successfully applied over the lifecycle of an extremely complex product

- aircraft.

nvironmental Management Sys- the impact of practices at one site on limitations of its existing environmental Etems are typically applied at site environmental performance elsewhere efforts at achieving EMAS certification level. This means that an installation is in the production chain. For example, at its sites. “Improved management was assessed for the environmental impact an aircraft could be built with a material essential to put environmental perform- of all the activities taking place there. that is resource efficient in its extraction ance at the core of Airbus’s strategy. Yet, However, in complex industries such as and treatment, but which implies high traditional approaches were not enough; the aeronautical sector, many sites are resource use in its maintenance or end- we needed to look at the full lifecycle involved in the lifecycle of the product. of-life treatment downstream. of the product,” explains ACADEMY It is possible to achieve high environ- project manager Bruno Costes. mental standards at each site and still Developing a new fail to optimise overall product resource approach - SPOEMS Isabelle Delay, one of the project leaders efficiency. within Airbus, highlights the importance The major European aeronautical of the lifecycle approach for a complex Applying environmental assessments company Airbus - with around 52 500 product: “Environmental assessment at at site level fails to take into account employees worldwide - recognised the one site revealed that volatile organic 27

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

be acquired and shared between sites. “Importantly, this meant that the sites were now speaking a common environmental language and developing consistent ways of reporting,” notes Ms. Delay. This was an essential precondition for enabling the company to calculate the overall environmental impacts and costs of a product across its various sites. LIFECYCLE THINKING ACADEMY then carried out two pilot Lifecycle Assessments on aircraft within the Airbus fleet. To make the process manageable, these used a customised and streamlined approach to LCA, covering the more important aspects of the aircraft’s production and lifecycle - design, procurement, manufacturing, transport, in service operations (including maintenance), end-of-life and recy- Eco-design is crucial for resource efficiency cling and collating the data from the site- specific monitoring processes. What it compound (VOC) emissions were a key Site and Product Oriented Environmen- provided was a new understanding of environmental concern. However, there tal Management System. This aimed to the environmental impact of the aircraft was only so much that could be done tackle the complexity of carrying out throughout the company and through- to tackle this at that site. The best way the Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) of an out its life, beyond traditional addressed to reduce VOC emissions is to choose aircraft by involving as many sites as challenges such as noise and in-flight materials in the design phase that do possible in an integrated environmental emissions. not create the problem.” assessment of the product’s lifecycle. The impact of the SPOEMS Airbus applied for LIFE funding to run Airbus expanded the internal application approach the ACADEMY project (LIFE04 ENV/ of EMS to cover an impressive 93% of FR/000353) and set about creating a its network of 16 production sites, pro- Implementing SPOEMS did not sud- new tool, which it named SPOEMS - gressing in stages so that learning could denly solve all Airbus’s environmental

Assessments were carried out throughout 16 Airbus production sites, covering 93% of its network 28

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

challenges. However, it has provided environmental certification ISO 14001 Space Company (EADS), of which Airbus the means to implement an ongoing following a company-wide audit by is a part, has made a firm public commit- process of environmental review and DNV in December 2006. This was both ment to “a continuous assessment of its improvement. According to Ms Delay, an aerospace industry first and one of environmental performance throughout “SPOEMS has been a real catalyst for the broadest environmental manage- the lifecycle of its products, so as to find the identification of possible improvement certifications ever made, covering out the best way to improve it.” ments in the production chain.” It allows the whole company, including design, the company to have a vision of the procurement, manufacturing, transport, The LIFE ACADEMY project lives on in overall production process and better and in-service operations (maintenance, Airbus through its strategic commitment

LIFECYCLE THINKINGidentify where and how the most sig- aircraft end-of-life and recycling). “What to use SPOEMS to become a leader in nificant efficiencies could be accom- we have achieved is unique,” believes the aeronautical sector on eco-effi- plished. Mr Costes. “It is the first demonstration ciency, combining environmental and of how Integrated Product Policy (IPP) economic objectives. The company has One of the key achievements of the can be implemented at this scale.” gone on to use SPOEMS to enhance LIFE ACADEMY project was to suc- resource efficiency in its production cessfully engage all levels of Airbus in Another major achievement of ACAD- processes by developing environmental the SPOEMS approach and create new EMY has been to create momentum for innovations. These include the use of a internal momentum for environmental improved environmental management in greener, chemical-free milling process improvement. Right up to the highest the wider aeronautical industry. Impor- for fuselage panels; more environmen- levels of management, this has improved tantly, the SPOEMS approach to lifecy- tally friendly painting processes; and the ability of the company to communi- cle thinking was widely disseminated by steps to minimise energy and water con- cate on environmental issues, helping the national aerospace trade associa- sumption during the production cycle. to identify synergies and spread good tions of France, Spain and the UK, and For its aircraft product line, Airbus con- practice. Additionally, SPOEMS has had the chamber of commerce in the French tinues to work on quieter and more fuel an impact beyond the company by help- region of Midi-Pyrenees. efficient jetliners, and on clearly defined ing the procurement team identify where and targeted short and long-term envi- changes to contracts with suppliers can There is increasing recognition in inter- ronmental targets and has renewed its substantially improve overall resource national aeronautical companies of the EMS certification with Bureau Veritas. efficiency for a product. importance of environmental issues as Airbus also complemented ACADEMY a driver towards sustainable develop- with another LIFE project - PAMELA - The achievements and ongoing com- ment and how SPOEMS can anticipate looking at a Process for Advanced Man- mitment of Airbus to improved environ- environmental trends and regulations. agement of End-of-Life Aircraft (LIFE05 mental management was recognised by The European Aeronautic Defence and ENV/F/000059).

The LIFE ACADEMY project has helped AIRBUS improve the overall resource efficiency of its product

FRANCE

Project number: LIFE04 ENV/FR/000353 Title: ACADEMY - Airbus Corporate Answer to Disseminate Integrated Environmental Management System Beneficiary: Airbus S.A.S. Contact: Bruno Costes Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.airbus.com/ innovation/eco-efficiency/ Period: Sept-2004 to Aug-2007 Total budget: e4 518 000 LIFE contribution: e2 245 000 29

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Water - an essential component of LIFE

Water is one of the most crucial natural resources - for both human activities and eco-

systems. Yet pressures on clean water supplies in Europe are only increasing. More

efficient use of available water is a major policy challenge. LIFE has shown ways for-

ward with pioneering projects on reducing demand for water and making better use of

existing supplies.

ater is life, sustaining eco- strain on our resources. In a ‘business A variety of approaches are being used Wsystems and regulating our as usual’ scenario, water consumption at EU level to preserve Europe’s waters. climate. But it’s a finite resource, and by the public, industry and agriculture Legislation, market instruments, moni- less than 1% of the world’s freshwa- would increase by 16% by 2030. Cli- toring, research and awareness raising ter is accessible for direct human use. mate change will add to the problems can all make a contribution. Competition for water poses a growing of water scarcity and droughts. On the risk to the economy, communities and other hand, it is estimated that some In 2000, the EU introduced the Water the ecosystems they rely on. If climate 20-40% of Europe’s available water is Framework Directive (WFD), the most change keeps raising average tempera- being wasted (through leaks in the sup- ambitious and comprehensive piece of tures across Europe, water is expected ply system, dripping taps, unnecessary EU legislation ever approved in water to become even scarcer in many areas, irrigation etc.). policy. Taking a genuinely European so it is vital to find solutions to protect this resource. LIFE has contributed to preserve Europe’s waters with innovative approaches and technologies An adequate supply of good-quality water is a pre-requisite for economic and social progress, so we need to save water, and also to manage our available resources more efficiently. Photo: L I FE03 ENV/NL/000467 Water scarcity in the EU is most acute in the south, but by no means limited to these areas: most Member States have suffered episodes of drought since 1976, and many now report frequent water scarcity problems and over-exploited aquifers. But demand for water continues to rise across Europe, putting a 30

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

2012. The Blueprint will foster a move towards prevention and preparedness with a view to ensuring a sustainable balance between water demand and the supply of clean water, taking into account the needs of both human activities and of natural ecosystems.

WATER EFFICIENCY As the importance of water efficiency becomes increasingly apparent, lessons and knowledge can be drawn from the innovative approaches taken by numerous LIFE projects. These have already been at the forefront of

Photo: L I FE07 ENV/ T/000475 investigating and developing new and Measuring the river flow using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) effective means of reducing water loss, improving natural recharge of ground- approach, it establishes a management demand-side measures, e.g. water-sav- water supplies, reducing demand and system based on natural river basin dis- ing, water efficiency improvements and reducing waste. tricts rather than regional and national water-pricing, have been exhausted. boundaries. The aim is to bring together LIFE improving the supply all water managers – from governments A 2009 EU policy paper on adapting to of clean water to local communities – the public and climate change highlights the need for all affected sectors to safeguard ground further measures to enhance water effi- As much as 50% of water wastage in and surface waters, and achieve good ciency and to increase resilience to cli- some areas of Europe is the result of ecological status by 2015. mate change. This approach reinforces leaky infrastructure. In addition to the the consistency of measures taken at waste of resources and economic cost, In 2007, the EU put forward a Com- both EU and national level, and sets the leaks can have additional impacts on munication addressing the challenge scene for further European action. groundwater quality. LIFE projects have of water scarcity and droughts. The specifically tackled water loss from the Communication identified seven policy The policy on water scarcity and supply infrastructure in different con- initiatives that had to be addressed if droughts will be reviewed by 2012, texts through the introduction of tech- Europe was to move towards a water- together with the assessment of the nologies to detect leaks more rapidly efficient and water-saving economy. Member States’ plans for managing and better regulate water flow, cost- Europe’s river basins, as required by effectively increasing the effective sup- EU policy related to water scarcity and the Water Framework Directive, and ply of clean water to households and droughts is based on the principle of a the review of the vulnerability of water businesses without having to explore ‘water hierarchy’. This means that addi- resources to climate impacts and other new sources of water. tional water supply infrastructure, such man-made pressures. These evalua- as water transfers or desalination plants, tions will contribute to the Blueprint to The RAKWANET project (LIFE00 ENV/ should be considered only when all Safeguard Europe’s Waters planned for EE/000922) in Rakvere, Estonia showed that significant water savings could be Water losses were decreased by introducing an innovative detection system in Estonia achieved in ageing Soviet-era infrastructure with a moderate investment. The new system reduced the time taken to detect leaks from around six days to three and introduced a computerised calibrated hydraulic model of the water network. By enabling quicker interven- Photo: L I FE00 ENV/EE/000922 tion, water losses were decreased from 37% to 21% of total extraction.

The Pump And Leakage Management project PALM (LIFE09 ENV/IT/000136) is a new Italian project taking a similar approach. It is introducing the latest acoustic technologies to detect leaks and a calibrated hydraulic model to 31

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

optimise water flow and close valves to control leaks.

Another Italian project, TRUST (LIFE07 ENV/IT/000475) has directly tackled the challenge of over-exploited groundwater, which threatens the long-term supply of clean water. It is working at river

basin level to coordinate macro-actions WATER EFFICIENCY for artificial aquifer recharge using excess surface waters, notably caused by floods. The project is demonstrating a cost-effective means of maintaining natural water sources over time to meet usage needs. It is also introducing climate change predictions into river basin management to meet future, as well as existing, challenges.

A different approach to making better use of available water resources is to find cost-effective and environmentally friendly means of cleaning water sources to a sufficient standard for their use or re-use. The Dutch project VER- BAL (LIFE03 ENV/NL/000467) successfully tested innovative vertical-flow reed

beds for filtering surface water. It demon- Photo: L I FE07 ENV/ T/000475 strated that, in a closed system of mildly The TRUST project is introducing climate change predictions in river basin management polluted urban surface water, it could reduce phosphate levels to below 0.05 ter backwash water from the process LIFE reducing demand mg/l, making the water not only suitable of cleaning frequently used filters in for clean water for swimming and water sports, but also groundwater treatment. The project was providing a cleaner source for drinking able to recover 99.85% of the water in Dealing with limited water resources water production. drinkable form through the use of sub- does not necessarily require dramatic merged membrane modules, effectively solutions. As a number of LIFE projects An earlier German LIFE project (LIFE98 increasing the remaining supply of clean have shown, significant progress can ENV/D/000509) looked at re-use of fil- fresh water and reducing waste. be made by encouraging and enabling households, businesses, farms and A German project demonstrated a process to recover 99% of backwash water and use it public bodies to use only the water as drinking water that they need, saving this valuable resource and saving money and, in agriculture, often leading to better end results.

The least technical means of reducing

Photo: L I FE98 ENV/D/000509 demand is increasing public awareness of the need to save water and of how small gestures, such as turning taps off when not in use and taking a shower rather than a bath, can reduce water consumption considerably. The Eco-Animation project (LIFE07 INF/ UK/000950) has produced a series of cartoons aimed at teaching young children about key environmental messages including the importance of preventing water wastage. 32

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

The city of Zaragoza in Spain has used LIFE funding to turn itself into a demonstration ‘Water Saving City’, particularly for other countries in southern Europe. The city applied for LIFE funding (LIFE96 ENV/E/000509) to run a massive awareness campaign. This used the full range of media and promotional

WATER EFFICIENCY tools to encourage households, businesses and public authorities to reduce their water consumption.

The project gave practical guidance on how to save water and persuaded more than 140 companies to market and/or give discounts on water-saving products. It increased the sale of existing domestic appliances with built-in water savers by 15% and saw use of water meters and water-saving taps increase 400% and 600% respectively. The number of households practising

water-saving measures doubled and Photo: L I FE03 ENV/E/000164 over 1 billion litres of water were saved An innovative watering system developed by the OPTIMIZAGUA project has brought great efficiencies in the irrigation of crops and parks in 1998 alone.

A number of partners in Zaragoza Such approaches demonstrate how tems for using non-drinking water in sought to build on the progress made water efficiency policies can be imple- appropriate applications, such as street by the LIFE project and further initiatives mented without negative side-effects. cleaning and watering gardens. followed. A second LIFE project, OPTI- MIZAGUA (LIFE03 ENV/E/000164), An innovative Dutch project, Maas- Water efficiency used sensors to detect moisture in soil tricht Water (LIFE00 ENV/NL/000790), in agriculture and weather conditions, and combined worked to introduce a system of inte- it with knowledge of the water needs grated water management for a cluster We have already seen how LIFE fund- of different crops and grass. This ena- of eight industries. It sought to meet ing has helped reduce water abstraction bled an automated watering system to existing demand using less total water. for agriculture. Another Spanish project provide only the amount of water nec- Although unable to achieve all its objec- HAGAR (LIFE02 ENV/E/000210) also essary on any given day, replacing the tives, it found synergies between indus- introduced modern technologies into previous safety-first approach of erring tries - for example one industry using the irrigation systems to calculate the real- on the side of too much water (for fur- wastewater of another - which reduced time water requirements of plants and ther details see pp 43-45). overall water consumption. It favoured thus avoid over-watering. The project use of water from the River Maas rather extrapolated the results from 12 pilot The EcoAnimation project worked with than already stressed groundwater sup- fields and concluded that this optimisa- children across several European countries plies and prevented the discharge of tion of water use throughout the river to evaluate the content of cartoons con- nitrates into the water system. basin could restore natural aquifers and cerning water wetland areas in its catchment, thereby The Dropawater project (LIFE02 ENV/ contributing to European biodiversity E/000183) sought to tackle all sides objectives and international commit- of the water efficiency question in the ments such as the Ramsar Convention water-stressed Spanish exclave of Ceuta on Wetlands. (North Africa). Demand in 3 800 houses

Photo: L I FE07 NF/UK/000950 was reduced by 10% through the intro- The experiences of these and other LIFE duction of state-of-the-art water meters. projects point the way to achieving water Water supply efficiencies were achieved efficiency improvements and implement- by checking pipes metre-by-metre for ing the EU’s water hierarchy, as well as leaks, a process which saved more than achieving complementary European double the money it cost, through saved objectives around water quality and water. The project also introduced sys- water-based ecosystems. 33

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

A cleaner and more efficient transport system

LIFE projects are at the forefront of demonstrating successful approaches to imple-

menting EU legislation on sustainable transport. LIFE innovations contribute directly to

efforts to promote cleaner and more resource efficient transport systems, as well as

to reducing transport demand.

he transport sector is a major con- improving the efficiency of transport cient, secure and competitive transport Ttributor to resource use in the EU, systems, vehicles, mobility and logis- system by 2050 that removes all obsta- not only in term of the significant use of tics, and by promoting a modal shift to cles to the internal market for transport, non-renewable fossil fuels, but also in more sustainable transport options and promotes clean technologies and mod- terms of the environmental impact of the transition to clean technologies and ernises transport networks”. emissions from the combustion of these renewable energy sources. This is under- fuels and the impact on habitats and the lined in the “Flagship initiative under the EU transport policy currently addresses landscape of transport infrastructure. Europe 2020 strategy”, which foresees a some of these issues. A binding target of reform of the trans-European networks In contrast to other sectors of the econ- for transport and states that the future See COM (2011) 21 Communication on omy, progress in reducing these envi- Transport White Paper will “present a A resource-efficient Europe – Flagship initia- ronmental impacts has been slow. The vision for a low-carbon, resource-effi- tive under the Europe 2020 Strategy transport sector still depends on fossil fuel for around 97% of its total energy LIFE projects have contributed towards a low-carbon, resource efficient and competitive requirement and improvements in the transport system sector’s energy and emissions intensity have not been sufficient to offset growth in transport volumes. The development of new transport infrastructure, particularly in the newer Member States, also continues to put pressure on habitats Photo: L I FE06 ENV/D/000479 and biodiversity.

Technological improvements need to be made to transport systems to achieve a more resource efficient Europe. Transport is important to Europe’s economy, but its environmental performance has to be improved by reducing transport demand, 34

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

a 10% share of renewable energy sources in transport by 2020 has been agreed as part of the EU’s Climate and Energy package, which also sets targets for a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (below 1990 levels) and a 20% reduction in primary energy use by 2020. In addition, a binding target was set to reduce transport fuel GHG intensity (carbon per unit energy) by 6% by 2020

Legislation setting energy and emission SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT performance standards for new passenger cars , heavy vehicles and rail- Photo: L I FE06 ENV/D/000477 way transport has also been adopted. The PARFUM project combined innovative technologies for clean vehicles for city logistics On the demand side, this is supported and public transport by initiatives to promote the market for clean and energy-efficient vehicles. EU sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ENV/GR/000359), a project that tested air quality directives (in particular Direc- oxides of nitrogen, particulate mat- the potential benefits, and barriers to tive 2008/50/EC), which set limits for ter and lead concentrations in ambient market uptake, of cleaner and more effi- air, provide further impetus to efforts cient engine technologies. to improve the environmental perform- Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources ance of the transport sector. Promoting a Monitoring the energy performance of Directive 2009/30/EC on fuel quality ‘modal shift’ from roads and air transport hybrid vehicles in the city of Thessa- Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 setting emission performance standards for new towards more sustainable travel modes loniki (Greece), the project showed that passenger cars as part of the Community’s is also an important component of EU fuel consumption was 52% lower in a integrated approach to reduce CO emissions 2 transport policy. hybrid car than in a comparable con- from light-duty vehicles Directive 88/77/EEC On the approximation ventional car during use in urban areas of the laws of the Member States relating to Mapping the route ahead and 27% lower on the motorway. Similar the measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous pollutants from diesel engines reductions in CO2 emissions were also for use in vehicles On the approximation of A good example of how LIFE Environ- observed. A survey of users of the test the laws of the Member States relating to the ment has demonstrated successful vehicles found that while most would be measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous pollutants from diesel engines for approaches to improving transport effi- willing to use a hybrid car, the vast major- use in vehicles ciency is LIFE IMMACULATE (LIFE02 ity would only buy one if it was the same Directive 97/68/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to price or cheaper than a conventional car measures against the emission of gaseous in the same category. The project sub- and particulate pollutants from internal com- Regulation (EC) No 1382/2003 on the pro- bustion engines to be installed in non-road motion of clean and energy-efficient road sequently carried out a detailed cost- mobile machinery transport vehicles benefit analysis of different measures to provide financial and non-financial incentives to help boost the market. The MHyBus LIFE project aims to develop and test a first prototype hydro-methane bus

LIFE PARFUM (LIFE06 ENV/D/000477) looked at the potential of different clean vehicle technologies (electric, hybrid, natural gas, methane) for city logistics and public transport, focusing in partic- Photo: L I FE07 ENV/ T/000434 ular on the cities of Bremen (Germany), Padova (Italy) and Rotterdam (Nether- lands). Modelling and monitoring carried out during the project showed the disproportionate environmental impact of heavy duty vehicles (HDV), which only represent some 10% of city traffic, but can contribute up to 50% of harmful emissions.

The project demonstrated the potential of the different technologies to reduce air 35

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

tovoltaic electric recharging sub-stations and two biodiesel processing plants, which together will provide sufficient energy to power the two buses.

Encouraging behavioural change

Encouraging a shift to more sustainable modes of transport is a key component of EU transport policy. The LIFE SIDDHARTA project (LIFE03 ENV/IT/000319), suc- SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT cessfully demonstrated the benefits of

Photo: L I FE02 ENV/E/000253 introducing a ‘demand responsive’ pub- The ECOBUS project collected cooking oil to produce some 323 000 litres of bio-diesel to lic transport service on two urban bus fuel 264 buses in Valencia routes in the city of Genoa (Italy). The existing diesel-powered buses on these pollution, especially in urban hot spots, In Portugal, the OIL PRODIESEL project routes were replaced with methane-run but it also highlighted the importance (LIFE05 ENV/P/000369) also successfully vehicles, which were then operated “on- of support measures and incentives to developed an integrated system for the demand” (i.e. the passenger would enter encourage the wider uptake of these collection and recycling of used cooking journey start and end points via phone or technologies. oil. Located in Oeiras, a small town on the Internet and a computer system would outskirts of Lisbon, the LIFE project estab- then match the request to the vehicle in Hydrogen also offers considerable poten- lished 20 collection points and developed the best way). tial as a clean and renewable transport fuel a prototype 1 000-litre biodiesel process- when produced from renewable sources. ing plant. The fuel produced was tested in The new service was then promoted Recognising this potential, the MHyBus the municipal transport fleet, demonstrat- with an awareness-raising campaign, to project (LIFE07 ENV/IT/000434), which ing both energy and cost savings. encourage private car users to switch to is being implemented by the Region of public transport. The pilot scheme, which Emilia-Romagna (Italy) aims to develop Recycling of waste oil is an important com- ran from June 2004 to September 2005 and test a first prototype hydro-methane ponent of the ETRUSCAN project (LIFE08 showed an increase from 40% to 63% bus, powered by a fuel blend of up to ENV/IT/000425), which also incorpo- in the numbers of daily public transport 20% hydrogen and 80% natural gas. rates the use of solar power in order to users within the target zone. demonstrate, not only the potential for From the frying pan increased use of renewable energy in the Modal shift was also the aim of the to the fleet public transport system, but also the pos- GESMOPOLI project (LIFE05 ENV/ sibility to source all of this energy locally. E/000262), which established on-site Focusing on the production of transport The project will develop two hybrid bus partnerships to promote sustainable fuel from recycled material, the LIFE prototypes. It will also establish two pho- mobility in six industrial parks in the ECOBUS project (LIFE02 ENV/E/000253) demonstrated the potential for producing The ETRUSCAN’s project prototype urban bus also incorporates solar power biofuels from used cooking oil. The project established a collection system involving 800 commercial establishments, as well as three collection points for domestic waste oil. The waste oil collected was then processed to produce bio-diesel, Photo: L I FE08 ENV/ T/000425 which was mixed with conventional diesel to power the city’s bus fleet. During the project, around 800 000 litres of cooking oil was collected to produce 322 654 litres of bio-diesel that was used to fuel 264 buses, displacing an equivalent amount of conventional diesel. As an additional result of the project, the beneficiary sent Valencia City Council a proposal to establish, at local level, regulations for managing the used cooking oil. 36

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

region of Catalonia (Spain). Mobility plans were produced for each estate and pilot actions were carried out to promote and demonstrate the benefits of car pool- ing and alternative modes of transport.

Cleaner and more efficient transport over water

EU transport policy actively encour- ages a modal shift to transport over water as a more sustainable alternative to road or air transport. However, it also SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT recognises the considerable scope for improving the environmental performance of water-based transport, which

is still largely reliant on diesel or heavy Photo: L I FE03 ENV/NL/000474 fuel oils. The smallest liquid natural gas carrier in the world was built by the LNG project which

reduced CO2, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide emissions The LIFE LNG Tanker project (LIFE03 ENV/NL/000474) built and delivered the ment, an SME that manages heavy lift Power-assisted by an electric motor run smallest liquid natural gas (LNG) carrier cargo shipments worldwide, the project from a fuel cell, the ship commenced in the world, the 1 100 m3 Pioneer Knut- succeeded in developing the SkySails- service in August 2008 on Hamburg’s sen, which operated on short sea water- System: a fully automated towing kite Alster lake. ways in Norway for a 41-week demon- and a wind-optimised routing system, stration phase. Compared with a diesel which is designed to be used in addition Integrated approaches alternative, the ship demonstrated a to the ship’s propeller. The first proto-

30% reduction in CO2 emissions, a 60% type was tested in 2008 and during its Bringing together a combination of dif- reduction in hydrocarbon emissions and maiden voyage energy savings of more ferent approaches, the CATCH project an 80% reduction of NOx. The success than 20% were achieved, equivalent (LIFE02 ENV/UK/000136) successfully of the project led to an order for three to daily savings of some 2.5 tonnes of demonstrated the potential of inte- similar vessels from Gaz de France. fuel, or more than €500, according to grated strategies for reducing the envi- the project beneficiary. ronmental impact of transport. Focusing LIFE WINTECC (LIFE06 ENV/D/000479) primarily on the city of Liverpool (UK), demonstrated an innovative wind pro- Another German project, ZEM/SHIPS the project combined actions to reduce pulsion technology for cargo vessels. (LIFE06 ENV/D/000465), developed the transport demand, such as walking Implemented by Beluga Fleet Manage- first hydrogen-powered passenger ship. and cycling initiatives, with the deploy- ment of clean fuels and hybrid buses. LIFE WINTECC used an automated towing kite for propelling cargo ships The project’s evaluation showed that the wider implementation of the project actions throughout the city would result in emissions reductions of 50 939

tonnes/yr of CO2, contributing directly to the EU GHG reduction targets, as well as targets for air quality and the use of Photo: L I FE06 ENV/D/000479 renewable energy sources.

The LIFE RAVE project (LIFE02 ENV/ IT/000106) also successfully demonstrated an integrated “slow mobility system” in the city of Novara, Italy. Led by the city council, the project combined the creation of protected pedestrian areas, cycle paths and bicycle parking with the introduction of fast, low-emission buses and intelligent traffic lights. These measures were complemented by a strategy to discourage the use of motorised vehicles. 37

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

LIFE helps boosts the energy efficiency of EU building stock

Europe’s buildings offer many possibilities for making positive contributions to the

objectives of the EU’s resource efficiency Flagship, particularly via improvements in

energy performance. A variety of LIFE projects have been active in this area and their

results are helping Europe’s buildings steer a more sustainable course.

s much as 40% of EU energy complement goals in DG Environment’s with these strategic ambitions and an Aconsumption and 36% of EU Resource-efficient Europe Flagship to interesting array of LIFE projects have CO2 emissions are associated with improve energy profiles of buildings. been helping the EU building sector buildings. Resource efficiency prin- pave the way to a more energy efficient ciples are therefore highly relevant Bold targets have been set across the EU future. Furthermore, as of 2013, all Mem- for Europe’s building stock. Efforts to so that by 31 December 2020, all new ber States will have to set their minimum improve the energy efficiency of both buildings shall be nearly zero-energy energy performance requirements based existing and new built premises pro- consumption buildings. New buildings on a lifecycle assessment, ensuring opti- vide significant opportunities for miti- occupied and owned by public authori- mal cost efficiency. gating negative climate change effects. ties will have to comply with the same Bettering buildings’ energy efficiency criteria by 31 December 2018. Signifi- performance can also make useful con- cant structural challenges are involved tributions to improving energy security, and simultaneously generate employment in related sectors.

Policy approaches for strengthening resource efficient building practices are promoted through the Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings (2002/91/EC) and its recast (2010/31/ EU). This sets common Member State standards and certification requirements for important energy consumption factors such as heating, lighting, insulation, and air conditioning systems. The directive’s objectives closely Photo: L I FE00 ENV/A/000243 and Markus Reisein b erger 38

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS Photo: L I FE04 ENV/GR/000137 Energy efficiency in heating and cooling was demonstrated thanks to an innovative methodology for sustainable school buildings

Systematic and simplified ing design methods for schools. The improved energy efficiency, estimated approaches result was a methodology on sustain- at 35-50% for heating, and 25-30% for able school buildings that was tailored cooling. Directive 2002/91/EC calls for strong to the particular needs of Mediterranean methodological approaches to improve countries. The new methodology holds Another example of a beneficial energy efficiency in buildings. Several strong demonstration value for other resource efficiency methodology being different LIFE actions have addressed parts of the region and is especially introduced by LIFE can be seen in this requirement. For instance, for the relevant for improving the performance the EQuation project (LIFE00 ENV/ transnational LIFE project SB-MED of existing buildings. By incorporating NL/000808), which showed that energy (LIFE04 ENV/GR/000137), partners from factors such as alternative cooling tech- performance gains of 15% were pos- Greece, France and Germany joined niques, appropriate materials, natural sible by adopting sustainable design forces to collate, adapt and apply best shading and renewable energy the new approaches. EQuation was nominated practices in European sustainable build- methodology creates cost savings from as a “Best” LIFE Environment project in 2004-2005 (see pp 21-25). Wood and straw used for wall insulation helped the S-HOUSE project cut energy consumption Award schemes are often useful for identifying and disseminating good practices in resource efficiency methodologies, and LIFE’s SUSCON project (LIFE05 ENV/GR/000235) ran a series of competitions to encourage eco- friendly construction techniques among public and private sector stakeholders. This work formed part of the project’s wider actions involving the design of

Photo: Monique Braem and L I FE00 ENV/A/000243 computerised systems for reducing the environmental impact of construction works. The software developed during the LIFE project represented an innovation in Greece and Cyprus because it provided for the first time a full-scale 39

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

application of Integrated Product Policy (IPP) and sustainable construction techniques (combining energy efficiency with land use, low impact materials, water conservation, health and safety and economic performance criteria).

The results of these LIFE-funded works directly support high level EU initiatives such as the Action Plan for Energy Effi- ciency and will of course remain valuable for helping the resource efficiency Flagship navigate the challenges that lay ahead. ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS Eco-innovations

In addition to promoting more simpli- Photo: Monique Braem and L I FE00 ENV/A/000243 fied and systematic approaches to Austria’s S-House built an ‘eco-office’ from renewable and recyclable raw materials resource efficiency, the Flagship also underscores the importance of speed- ing up and spreading eco-innovations. concrete walls. To add to this material tion uses substantial amounts of energy The LIFE programme has been at the efficiency, the S-House also featured a and accounts for some 5% of world- vanguard of such new thinking, through large, south-facing glazed facade and wide annual CO2 emissions. projects such as Austria’s S-House stone flooring to capture heat, as well (LIFE00 ENV/A/000243), which built an as a prototype biomass stove capable The project aimed to lower the volumes ‘eco-office’ from renewable and recy- of storing and regulating energy. of concrete required for conventional clable raw materials. Extensive use of facades and walls through the intro- wood and straw for the outer panelling Material efficiency duction of high-tech textiles that could and wall insulation helped cut energy reinforce cement mixes and create consumption by 9 kWh/m2/yr compared The German INSU-SHELL project stronger, thinner walls (reduced from with a standard house. It also helped (LIFE06 ENV/D/000471) focused its the standard 70 mm to a more ‘material save raw materials, using only 10% of attention on the issue of ‘material effi- efficient’ 10 or 20 mm). This raw mate- the amount of natural resources that ciency’ in order to reduce the impact of rial efficiency offers the prospect of sig- would have been needed for standard the concrete industry - cement produc- nificant associated energy savings.

ECO-CAMPS The French ECO-CAMPS project (LIFE04 ENV/FR/000321) demonstrated a series of resource efficient eco-design innovations tailored to the Photo: L I FE04 ENV/FR/000321 needs of campsite managers. The project showed how energy consumption of chalet heating could be cut by 60% and of camping appliances by 28% when chalets were made more energy efficient through improved insulation, natural lighting, solar power and roof planting. Europe’s camping sector has experienced a resurgence in recent years and this LIFE project will help spread the word about how to build energy efficient, eco-friendly camping facilities. 40

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

RENEW BUILDING A lot of effort has been invested in improving the energy efficiency potential of new buildings but Europe’s existing building stock is badly in need of solutions to boost its energy performance. LIFE’s RENEW BUILDING (LIFE08 ENV/A/000216) tackles this challenge by strengthening the environmental capacity of the renovation sector. Concluding in 2012, RENEW BUILD- ING is facilitating knowledge transfers about energy and resource efficient construction materials and providing training in sustainable renovation skills Photo: L I FE02 ENV/A/000285 among target groups in the renovation trade that are often difficult to reach, An Austrian project validated considerable energy savings with green construction such as micro businesses and SMEs. techniques ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS

This new know-how builds on a grow- More data on material efficient techniques ing applied research into intelligent home ing library of data from LIFE projects will soon be available from the ongoing technologies, renewable energies and demonstrating effective energy efficient EDEA project (LIFE07 ENV/E/000805), methods for reducing gas, heat, dust and building techniques. Notable among which aims to improve knowledge about light emissions. these is Austria’s LIFE BBMpassiv resource efficiency in social housing project (LIFE02 ENV/A/000285) which developments. The project seeks to show Knowledge building validated a series of green construc- how appropriate design of new products, tion techniques during its investment in along with suitable application of exist- As noted earlier, LIFE has been and will the development of a multi-functional, ing products, can considerably improve continue to be an invaluable source for multi-storey administration building. the environmental performance of build- helping public, private and NGO sectors The result has been the creation of a ings. It aims to do this without increasing develop new know-how on energy and ‘passive house’ that requires only 14 costs beyond the scope of social hous- other resource efficiency components. kWh/m²/yr of heat thanks to the use of ing schemes. To this end, the project has Building knowledge about cost-effec- hemp and cellulose insulating material. built an ‘experimental’ house, a social tive ways to achieve a resource efficient The energy efficient building, which pri- housing facility that is acting as a ‘living Europe is considered vital by the EU and oritises airtight fabrics, could save 75 laboratory’ for testing and demonstrating will play a long-term role in helping the

000 kg of CO2/yr in comparison with a resource efficient approaches for low-cost Flagship sail towards its goal of a sus- conventional building. homes. Here, the EDEA team is conduct- tainable horizon.

The EDEA project is improving knowledge about resource efficiency in social housing developments Photo: L I FE07 ENV/E/000805 41

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Buildings’ capacity to store and regulate energy affects their efficiency ratings, and

LIFE funds have been used to help offset financial risks involved with finding eco-inno-

vation solutions for new types of resource efficient building materials that can reduce

European energy bills.

Taking the risk out of resource efficiency investments ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS

rends in building techniques over buildings provide more stable internal state, and in doing so releases the stored Trecent years have seen a boom temperatures and they tend to have (latent) energy back into the room.The in the use of prefabricated, lightweight lower heating or cooling costs. result is a natural passive solution that and modular constructions. This trend does not require air conditioning.” is especially strong in the housing sec- Market trends for lightweight build- tor where wood and metal frame buildings with low thermal mass have hence Despite the energy efficiency potential ings are faster and cheaper to build than created an escalating environmental of PCMs, their wider use in the past had concrete or stone alternatives. These problem that conflicts with practical been hindered by application problems. modern techniques can reduce the cost and policy requirements for increased Dupont set out to tackle this issue by of construction but they often remain energy efficiency and improved energy developing a user-friendly PCM panel environmentally flawed in terms of the balances. that could be easily installed in any build- building’s ‘thermal mass’. ing, especially lightweight, quick-build, Lightweight materials prefabricated structures. Thermal mass is the ability of a building with a high thermal mass to absorb and store heat. Buildings that Risk reduction contain a lot of dense material, such as A LIFE project based in Luxembourg concrete or stone, are able to soak up has helped develop an innovative solu- A lack of market demand for PCM build- heat or light energy and store this within tion for this problem. The EFFERNERGY ing panels represented a large risk for the walls, floors and ceilings. Buildings project (LIFE06 ENV/L/000121) was led DuPont. LIFE support is able to help made of materials such as wood and by the Buildings Innovation department companies bridge such risk gaps and the metal cannot soak up and store as much of the private sector firm DuPont, and programme’s role in this area is acknowl- energy and have a lower thermal mass. LIFE support helped the company work with SMEs to design a new type of light- Placement of the innovative thermal-mass Rooms in low thermal mass buildings weight building material that exhibits a panels made of a wax-polymer blend therefore heat up quicker during hot high thermal mass. weather and become colder faster in winter. They are less energy efficient because “The key to our eco innovation is a they consume new energy each time the ‘Phase Change Material’ (PCM) which room needs to be heated to a comfort- changes its form at different tempera- able temperature, or cooled down using tures,” explains Wim Maes, DuPont’s air conditioning units. Heating and air Contract Operations Manager for conditioning appliances are the largest Europe. “We have produced a thin flat users of energy in Europe’s buildings. wall panel that contains an internal layer of special wax. When the temperature Buildings with higher thermal mass are in a room increases above 21 degrees able to better absorb heat energy from Celsius the wax in the PCM panel starts solar or indoor sources. They store to absorb heat energy and slowly melts. the heat and release it when the room If the room temperature drops to below temperature drops, as part of a natural 21 degrees the liquid wax material then passive energy cycle. These types of starts to change its phase back to a solid 42

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Other options for increasing uptake of this type of eco-innovation lay with the insurance certification systems that are required for building materials. Before builders can start a construction project they normally need to get insurance to cover their work and insurance companies seek assurances that the products being used in a building are safe. All new products need to be certified for insurance purposes and so the energy saving benefits available from PCM panels EFFENERGY improved the thermal performance of existing buildings could also be accelerated by help from the product certification bodies. DuPont ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS edged as a highly useful tool by benefici- important lesson from the project – think have found this certification process slow aries. Mr Maes reiterates this and says, ahead and start work early on determining and expensive. “It’s been difficult for us “Research and development money at product specifications. as a large company, so imagine how chal- DuPont is very competitive but with the lenging it might be for smaller companies help of LIFE we were able to raise enough Overcoming obstacles with similarly good eco-innovation ideas,” financial support to get our project started. says Ms. Koster. Without LIFE’s help the eco-innovations In addition to the issue of defining speci- we have introduced to the building market fications, a number of other time-con- In conclusion might never have gotten further than the suming obstacles were overcome by drawing board. The LIFE project helped the project, and these offer some useful Examining the EFFERNERGY project us overcome the period when we didn’t insights for decision-makers involved in highlights the facts that energy storage is have an income.” promoting resource efficiency at regional, a core part of energy efficiency, and that national and EU levels. For example, PCM is an excellent solution for energy Ulrike Koster from DuPont explains fur- EFFERNERGY has shown how building storage in modern building methodolo- ther, “It’s not about creating a new mate- codes can hamper the uptake of PCM gies. In 10 years time we might expect rial that will land in an existing market. It’s panels because “the official methodolo- that this approach could be much more about creating a new solution with new gies for calculating energy performance common, and this may be in part attrib- material landing in a non-existent market. do not know PCM yet,” explains Jacques uted to the risk finance provided by LIFE LIFE helped us to define a market strategy Gilsent, DuPont’s marketing manager. to help DuPont and its partners produce for commercialising the initial eco innova- “They know concrete and they know the industry’s first ever user-friendly PCM tion idea of the PCM panel.” stone, so if you are builder and you want building panel. to get the energy efficiency of your build- Commercialising PCM ing validated you can only use conventional materials.” Much of the project’s €1.51 million of LIFE co-finance was spent on the prototyping This issue still represents a serious obsta- phases for the PCM panels. Most of this cle to the energy saving benefits of PCMs money was used by the SME and aca- and only the regulators can change the demic partners from France and Greece system. As each Member State has its that were involved in testing the PCM own building regulations, each Member materials. Notable among this work was State has the power to make the changes LUXEMBOURG the development of new software to deter- needed for promoting more energy effi- mine the specifications of the panel. cient building materials. “The main driver Project number: LIFE06 ENV/L/000121 for changes in the industry continues Title: EFFENERGY - Energy Efficient Without defined specifications the new to be the official rules and legislation,” Building Systems product would not be able to be adopted stresses Mr. Gilsent. Thus, a review of Beneficiary: DuPont Luxembourg by the market. Thanks to the work started building regulations and certification sys- Contact: Wim Maes under LIFE and continued after-LIFE, in tems by decision-makers could encour- 2010, DuPont made software available age the industry to change its behaviour. Email: [email protected] for the trade that includes PCM specifica- Wim Maes believes this “is in the inter- Website: http://www.effenergy.dupont.com tions. Building designers and their clients est of everyone who wants to change the Period: Dec-2005 to Nov-2008 can now check the energy efficiency and energy bill of the EU”. As part of any such Total budget: e5 610 000 thermal comfort of a building that includes review, the role of subsidies could be con- LIFE contribution: e1 510 000 the PCM panels. DuPont says this was an sidered. 43

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Protecting Europe’s fisheries and marine resources

Overfishing, pollution and unsustainable coastal development present a serious threat

to the EU’s marine environment and coastal areas. LIFE projects are actively contribut-

ing to the implementation of EU policy to tackle these issues, testing and demonstrat-

ing new tools and approaches for protecting and conserving our marine resources,

including fish stocks.

urope’s coastal and maritime negative impacts of climate change on The ecosystem approach of the Marine Eareas are central to its wellbeing coasts and the marine environment. Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD and prosperity. Oceans and seas cover - see box) allows for the sustainable more than half of EU territory and mari- If the resilience of our marine ecosys- use of goods and services, such as fish time regions are home to about 40% tems is continually undermined, the stocks and other resources (biological of the EU population. These areas also potential to provide important resources resources, minerals, ecosystem services generate some 40% of EU GDP, with and services – ranging from food pro- and renewable marine energy sources). economic activities focusing on areas vision to climate change and erosion These marine resources, many of which such as shipping and shipbuilding, abatement to bioremediation of waste are still unknown, have a high potential fisheries, offshore energy and coastal and pollutants, as well as tourism and and can be used in applications such as and maritime tourism. The exploita- aesthetic enjoyment - will also be com- pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, biotech- tion of mineral resources, aquaculture, promised. nology, bio-engineering/bionics, food blue biotechnology and emerging sub- sea technologies are also increasingly The Baltic MPAs project worked with fishermen to gather data on fishery by-catch important sectors.

Facilitating the co-existence and development of these different sectors, while also protecting the marine environment on which they depend, is an increasingly important challenge for the EU. Overexploitation of fish stocks, pollution from land and sea-based sources, and unsustainable development now represent a major threat. These prob- and L I FE05 NAT/LV/000100 Photo: Markus Vetemaa lems are further compounded by the 44

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

production and processing. The careful exploitation of some minerals and renew- THE EU’S INTEGRATED MARINE POLICY able energy resources may also relieve The European Union, through its Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP), pressure on land-based ecosystems aims to promote the sustainable use of oceans, seas and coasts. The IMP and reduce dependency on resources fosters interaction between all sea-related sectors and policies in the EU, outside of the EU. Furthermore, marine and maritime technologies, resources in particular transport, fisheries, customs and the protection of the marine and services serve as catalysts for inno- environment. vation, competitiveness and, ultimately, Adopted in June 2008, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/ blue growth and jobs. EC) represents the environmental pillar of the IMP. The directive aims “to achieve good environmental status of the EU’s marine waters by 2020 and There are ways to guarantee resource efficiency of our seas in the future, such to protect the resource base upon which marine-related economic and social as by promoting sustainable fishing tech- activities depend.” The directive provides for Member States and non-EU FISH AND MARINE RESOURCES niques, minimising discard and by-catch countries to cooperate within European Marine Regions to develop and practises, developing technologies that implement strategies to achieve this goal. exploit marine resources sustainably, and by preventing marine litter and pollution. LIFE funded projects have a key seeks to increase production of, and is working closely with stakeholders from role to play in demonstrating how this is develop a market for, ecological mari- several Member States to test collabora- possible in practice. culture products by promoting ecologi- tive methodologies for implementing an cal certification. It will create a directory ecosystem approach in the Celtic Sea. LIFE in our seas of German mariculture and establish a Like other EU seas and oceans, the Celtic and oceans regional committee on sustainable mari- Sea is under threat from a variety of exter- culture, leading to a draft White Paper nal pressures (climate change, fisheries, LIFE projects are at the forefront of and a code of practice. food cultivation in the open ocean, chemi- developing and demonstrating innova- cal pollution, shipping, construction and tive approaches that contribute to the Testing an ecosystem dredging, coastal development, recreation effective implementation of EU policy on approach in the Celtic Sea and tourism). the marine environment. These projects address a wide range of issues, including An ecosystem-based approach to manag- The project will bring together stakehold- the conservation of fish stocks, combating marine resources is a key component ers and government representatives and ing marine pollution, preserving habitats of the MSFD. This approach involves the will lead to the development of agreed and biodiversity, and the application of integrated management of land, water mechanisms for implementing an ecosys- an ecosystem approach to managing and living resources in a way that pro- tem approach to managing and overcom- marine resources. motes conservation and sustainable use ing these pressures. of resources in an equitable way. It is now The LIFE ECOSMA project (LIFE07 ENV/ widely recognised as the best means of Recycling solid waste D/000229), for example, is looking at managing and governing activities affect- ways to promote more sustainable aqua- ing the marine environment. Contributing directly to the implementa- culture as a means of relieving stress on tion of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, wild fish stocks and improving water Contributing to knowledge in this area, the the Integrated Maritime Policy and the quality in the Baltic Sea. The project PISCES project (LIFE07 ENV/UK/000943) Waste Framework Directive, the 3R-FISH project (LIFE07 ENV/E/000814) aims to improve the quality of marine waters and Stakeholders are testing new methods for implementing an ecosystem approach in the Celtic Sea seabeds, and prevent marine litter in compliance with the “nothing overboard” and “zero waste in ports” principles. This will be achieved by promoting the correct use of equipment and by minimising the environmental impact of solid waste from the fishing industry (polystyrene, fishing nets, Photo: L I FE07 ENV/UK/000943 lighting devices, batteries) by promoting collection and recycling.

The project will support the reuse and recycling of devices and equipment used by the fishing industry in selected ports 45

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use FISH AND MARINE RESOURCES I T/000050 Photo: Michele Lischi and L I FE06 NAT/ The sustainable use of coastal areas in two Italian regions will be ensured through the active involvement of fisheries associations, tourism operators, NGOs and local authorities

in Galicia (Spain). Project actions include project (LIFE06 NAT/IT/000050) aims to It also defined management measures the collection and recycling of disused safeguard and restore nine Sites of Com- for fishing activities to reduce by-catch of nets and expanded polystyrene, and the munity Importance (SCIs) in the coastal sea turtles. The results show the poten- collection and treatment of some 1 400 zones of Lazio and Calabria (Italy), which tial value of modifications to fishing gear batteries). These innovative systems for are under threat from human activities. when it comes to reducing by-catch. the management and recovery of waste, Project actions are focusing on priority The project’s approach to preparing and throughout the entire lifecycle, will also aim habitats such as Posidonia beds, Coastal implementing its management plan has to recover secondary raw materials, thus lagoons, Coastal dunes with Juniperus also provided valuable lessons for other reducing use of primary raw materials. spp, and Dunes with pine forests. marine SCIs in the EU.

Preserving marine habitats An important aspect of the project is the Making more resource efficient use of and biodiversity involvement of local fisheries associa- by-catch and discards, a priority for EU tions, tourism operators, environmental policymakers, was also the subject of The Baltic MPAs project (LIFE05 NAT/ NGOs and local and regional govern- LIFE BE-FAIR (LIFE05 ENV/E/000267), LV/000100) provided a scientific basis ment in ensuring the sustainable use of and the follow-up project, FAROS for the designation of Natura 2000 sites coastal areas. (LIFE08 ENV/E/000119), which are the in the marine territories of Estonia, Latvia subject of a feature article on the fol- and Lithuania by proposing seven new An earlier LIFE project also explored lowing pages of this section. marine protected areas (MPAs) and con- effective approaches to managing Nat- ceiving management plans for six of ura 2000 sites. In the context of increas- Measures for the protection of birds were them. The project gathered data from ing pressure from urbanisation, tourism updated thanks to a Portuguese project fishermen on species (seals, birds and development and other human activities, non-commercial fish) caught in their the LIFE Zonas costeiras/Açores project gear, complemented with information (LIFE98 NAT/P/005275) sought to from independent project fishing activi- develop and implement integrated man- ties. Hydro-dynamic modelling was used agement plans for coastal and marine to assess the impact on marine habitats habitats in the Azores (Portugal). from the dumping of dredged material and other activities. The project also The project focused in particular on five

implemented measures to assess and marine SCIs and seven Special Areas of and S. Mendes Photo: L I FE98 NAT/P/005275 reduce the impact of fishery by-catch on Conservation (SACs). It also proposed target bird and mammal species (such as the designation of new protected areas the struggling populations of ringed seal, under national law. Notable successes Pusa hispida). of the project included the adoption of new regulations on whale watching, a Focusing on managing areas already des- reduction in by-catch, and the updating ignated for protection, the Co.Me.Bi.S. of measures for the protection of birds. 46

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use FISH AND MARINE RESOURCES

No discards, zero waste

Promoting a more efficient use of fisheries resources was the main aim of the LIFE BE-

FAIR project, which developed and tested new approaches for managing and reusing

fishing industry waste and by-catch.

pproximately 85 million tonnes of New uses for fishing efficiently reuse fish resources (discards Awild fish are harvested globally industry waste and and by-catches) which represent poten- each year. Of this, an estimated 27 million by-catch tial food resources and sources of basic tonnes - almost one-third - is discarded, or compounds for the medical and pharma- thrown back into the sea. In line with EU objectives of “no dis- ceutical industries.”The first stage of the cards” and “zero waste”, the LIFE BE- project involved an assessment of the The remaining ”target” catch is then sub- FAIR project (LIFE05 ENV/E/000267) ject to on-board processing, which cre- sought to develop new commercial uses A prototype for the extraction of fish oil ates significant quantities of waste, such for fishing industry waste and discards from fish livers was designed for use as heads, bones, guts and skins. This is by piloting innovative waste and discards onboard also usually returned to the sea. More pre-processing and valorisation prac- waste is produced on-shore as a result tices, both on-board fishing vessels and of the activity of fishing ports, auctions, also on-shore in a dedicated pilot plant. fish traders and processing plants. “The idea behind the project was that This combination of discards and waste everything harvested from the sea should represents a serious threat to the sustain- be treated as a valuable product, always ability of the fisheries sector, contributing bearing in mind that resources are limited not only to a depletion of fish populations and that fishing activities must become and a change in the overall structure of sustainable,” explains Luis Taboada marine trophic webs and habitats, but Antelo, LIFE project team member. also to the accumulation of pollutants “We are wasting valuable biomass from and the spread of parasites in the marine which we can produce secondary raw environment. materials. The aim was to find ways to 47

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

In France, the results showed a discard rate of about 13% for Atlantic fisheries and 31% for the Mediterranean. Sar- dine fisheries in the Mediterranean had a discard rate of over 50%, because of the presence of mixed banks of sar- dines and anchovies.

According to information gathered in Portugal, crustacean and demersal fin- fish trawl fisheries were found to have high discard rates, although the values could be quite variable, according to the season, fishery and boat type. The FISH AND MARINE RESOURCES Samples of chondroitin sulphate produced from fish cartilage highest rates (up to 60% for fishing trawlers and 70% for crustacean trawls) activities in selected fisheries in Spain, and significant volumes of discards and were found in the Algarve. France and Portugal in order to deter- waste being dumped back into the sea. mine the amount and type of discards For example, Spanish trawlers operat- An assessment of activities on land and by-products being generated. ing in the North Atlantic, which targeted also revealed high levels of waste pro- Greenland halibut, also caught grenadier, duction. At the port of Vigo (Spain), for “This was essential to understanding the white hake, witch, American plaice, red- example, the local fish auction pro- feasibility of processes that we would fish or skates, shrimps, yellowtail and duced 10-14 tonnes/day of fish waste, examine later,” says Mr Taboada. even flounder and cod. Waste material while waste generated by fish process- generated included viscera, heads and ing amounted to some 35% of the total The results showed a wide variety of trims of the target species, all of which fish catch. fish species being caught as by-catch were thrown overboard. In France, it was estimated that in 2005, Hyaluronic acid (HA) can be extracted from the vitreous humour of certain fish species, some 215 000 tonnes of waste was such as swordfish or tuna generated as a result of fish trade and fish processing activities. This mostly comprised of fish heads (40%), fish bones (27%) and viscera (25%).

New guidelines and incentives for resource efficient fishing

Taking account of the types and amounts of discards and waste generated, the project team developed a “Good-Prac- tice Manual for the Recovery, Handling and Classification of Discards and By- Products”. This manual includes proposals for appropriate management practices, on-board and on-shore, with recommendations for preserving and pre-treating discards and sub-products.

The guidelines for on-board activities focus on two types of fishing vessels; trawlers and long-liners. However, these can easily be adapted to other fishing vessels, fishing gear or types of catch.

While the manual was an important start- ing point, the project team also recognised that to translate this into practice, 48

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

The first is the irregularity of supply, because of the variability of the types and quantity of waste and by-catch. And the second is the link to the market, which has yet to be established.

According to Mr Taboada, “it was not possible to address these issues within the timeframe of the project. This is why we developed the follow-up LIFE FAROS project (LIFE08 ENV/E/000119), which aims to put all the pieces together; to create a network and to establish the link to market.” FISH AND MARINE RESOURCES At the port of Vigo in Spain the local fish auction produced 10-14 tonnes of fish waste per day FAROS will also look at the introduction of new on-board technology to retrieve there had to be incentives to make it eco- as a complement to other sources, it was real time data on fish being harvested. nomically attractive. found to have potential. This will facilitate the generation of maps of activity and resources at sea, and will “Keeping discards and waste on board The prototype for the extraction of fish also help to predict areas where rates implies a cost, as it takes up space that oil from fish livers was designed for use of by-catch and discards are likely to could be used to store fish with an eco- on-board and the shipowner’s union of be higher, so that these areas can be nomic value, so you have to create an Vigo (ARVI) has agreed to test it on its avoided or closed off during spawning incentive and demonstrate that fisher- vessels. periods or if numbers of certain fish spe- men can gain some economic return cies have dwindled. from this,” insists Mr Taboada. The water reduction unit was also designed for on-board use, where it could “The first thing to keep in mind is to try To address this issue, the project devel- help to reduce the volume of discard and and avoid by-catch, but if this is not oped four different prototypes which waste by crushing to obtain a dry cake. possible then let’s exploit it and make were used to demonstrate the potential Mr Taboada reports that “this prototype sure we use marine resources more effi- to produce commercial products from is already being used in France and there ciently,” concludes Mr Taboada. fish wastes and by-catch: is also interest in Vigo.”

• A mechanical device to extract vitreous The multipurpose prototype worked by humour from fish eyes; extracting collagen from fish skins to • A fish oil extractor to obtain oils from obtain a purified gelatine that could then fish liver on-board; be used as a food supplement. The same • A water reduction units; and process can also be used to produce • A multipurpose prototype for gelatine chondroitin sulphate (CS), a substance extraction/chondroitin sulphate/en- used, for instance, to treat rheumatism. zyme processes. “This can be extracted from the cartilage SPAIN of fish such as ray or monkfish,” explains A preliminary assessment of the market Mr Taboada. “Only about 20% of a ray is Project number: LIFE05 ENV/E/000267 potential of the different products was edible, so at present the remaining 80% Title: Benign and environmentally friendly also carried out. is waste that can be transformed into a fish processing practices to provide valuable resource.” added value and innovative solutions for a responsible and sustainable management Hyaluronic acid (HA) can be extracted of fisheries. from the vitreous humour of certain Establishing links to market Beneficiary: The Consejo Superior de fish species, such as swordfish or tuna. Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Used in the treatment of bone disease The project clearly demonstrated a Antonio Álvarez Alonso and in cosmetics, this was found to be resource efficient approach, showing the Contact: the product with the highest commercial potential to add-value to discards and Email: [email protected] value (up to €100 000 per kg). The mar- waste, and the willingness of fishermen Website: http://www.befairproject.com ket opportunity for HA produced exclu- to implement the guidelines and adopt Period: Nov-2005 to Nov-2008 sively from fish was found to be limited the prototype equipment, as long as it Total budget: e1 859 000 because of the low concentration of this was economically feasible. However, two LIFE contribution: e909 000 compound in fish vitreous humour, but key challenges remain. 49

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Planning for a more resource efficient European landscape

Expanding cities and changing lifestyles demand an ever-increasing supply of natural

resources and energy. LIFE Environment projects are providing support at national,

local and regional levels for European Union strategies that promote more resource

efficient land use and planning in Europe.

he way we use our land space land use and planning, has emerged as land use and planning policy at all levels: Tcan have major impacts on envi- an important concept in the development the results are also highly transferable to ronmental conditions and resource con- of a more resource efficient European both larger and smaller regions of Europe, sumption. These impacts can be direct, landscape. Several LIFE projects have municipalities, and also to companies or such as the destruction of natural habi- explored this concept. For example, the organisations in the context of their envi- tats and landscapes, or indirect, such Finnish ECOREG project (LIFE02 ENV/ ronmental management systems. as increasing the amount of traffic on FIN/000331) demonstrated how eco- our roads - leading to more congestion, efficiency monitoring, and the integra- A second Finnish project, Green Valley air pollution and greenhouse gases. In tion of environmental, economic and (LIFE02 ENV/FIN/000319) developed Europe, land use planning and man- socio-cultural dimensions into sustain- a resource efficient land use plan for a agement decisions are usually made able development can be implemented substantial new housing development in at local or regional level. However, the at a regional level. European Union has a role to play in The eco-efficiency of land use in Kymen- ensuring Member States take environ- The project developed a series of eco- laakso improved thanks to LIFE funding mental concerns into account when indicators for the development of the putting together their land use devel- region of Kymenlaakso on the coun- opment plans. try’s southern Baltic coast, which were later included in a Regional Plan. The LIFE has been actively supporting indicators showed that the overall eco- Europe’s local or regional authorities to efficiency of Kymenlaasko improved

develop their land use planning strate- between 1995 and 2002. Photo: L I FE02 ENV/F N/000331 gies in a more resource efficient way. The project’s findings are relevant to the Eco-efficiency development of more resource efficient

Eco-efficiency, combining the ecologi- 1 a ‘Best LIFE Environment Project’ winner cal, economic and social dimensions of 2005-06 50

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Salo. The plan included specific actions The Coastal Woodlands project (LIFE02 e.g. favouring the procurement of ‘green ENV/S/000355) demonstrated the appli- electricity’ and the enhancement of envi- cation of ICZM, focusing on the Baltic ronmental aspects in the public procure- Sea coastal zone woodlands of Finland, ment of the participating municipalities. Sweden and Estonia.

Stakeholder consultation led to greater Surveys carried out by the project on the public involvement in the planning stage cultural, social and environmental value and thus significant uptake of the com- of these woodlands, as well as studies of pleted dwellings. different forestry management activities, resulted in the development of integrated Landscape management aspects also inventories and maps for the project area. LAND USE AND PLANNING

delivered some 60 small-scale plans for This new information was used in the Photo: L I FE02 ENV/E/000176 biodiversity, semi-natural habitats, land- stakeholder consultations in the recom- Tools to aid strategic urban planning scape improvements and water protec- mendations for ICZM in the Baltic Sea. were developed by the DIVERS project tion. Furthermore, by involving the area’s cattle farmers, who play an important role The findings highlighted the cross-cutting in maintaining meadows and thus contrib- aspects of coastal management encom- Urban dimension uting to biodiversity, the project was able passing sustainable forestry, agriculture, to recommend changes to the application tourism and development planning. Europe is highly urbanised, with four out of EU agri-environmental support that Moreover, the project demonstrated bet- of every five of its citizens living in towns were subsequently adopted by regional ter use of legislation for nature protection or cities. The challenge for policy-mak- and national environmental authorities. and rural planning as well as helping to ers is to come up with a sustainable and stimulate more environmentally-con- integrated approach to urban develop- Another success was the promotion of scious attitudes toward land use. ment and management that works in har- environmental training, which resulted in mony with natural systems rather than the establishment of two new enterprises Spatial planning tools against them. A number of LIFE projects targeting innovative waste management are furthering the EU’s Thematic Strategy technologies. Spatial planning information is essential for on Urban Development, which targets a good environmental management deci- more integrated approach and supports ICZM a priority sion-making and avoidance of conflicts. action at local level. in EU planning There are many different producers of For example, the Spanish-led DIVERS Integrated Coastal Zone Manage- such planning tools, but data are often project (LIFE02 ENV/E/000176) devel- ment (ICZM) is about managing coastal restricted by reasons of cost or acces- oped tools and a shared database to resources and coastal space by joining sibility. The high-profile ENVIFACILITATE aid strategic urban planning towards a up all the different policies which have an project (LIFE04 ENV/FI/000304) tackled model for a more sustainable city. Piloted effect on coastal regions. this problem – designing accessible, tech- in five cities – in Spain, Greece and Italy nologically sustainable and user-friendly – the project has a high demonstration mapping tools for shared environmental value, as the strategy and methodology ICZM focusing on the Baltic Sea coastal spatial planning information. is applicable to any city. zone woodlands was applied in Finland The tools provide users with access online Another Spanish project – GALLECS to the most recent data. They allow maps - (LIFE02 ENV/E/000200) developed a and databases to be overlaid to give a clear Strategic Plan for a rural area on the out- representation of spatial data with the doz- skirts of Barcelona to address the phe- ens of alternative data layers available. nomenon of urban sprawl. The project

Photo: L I FE02 ENV/S/000355 promoted more sustainable land use, The project contributed towards several renewable energy and more efficient national and international environmental water irrigation systems to demonstrate information systems. It also supported the that it is possible to achieve environmen- networking of planning information actors tally, socially and economically sustain- at regional level; and developed an inter- able development in transition zones on active tool to allow the public to partici- the edge of cities. As a result, the project pate in the regional planning process. was able to strengthen the rural area’s function as an ecological buffer zone

2 a ‘Best of the Best’ LIFE Environment between the urban fringe and the coun- project winner 2007-08 tryside beyond. 51

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

LIFE turns food for thought into action

There is significant scope to produce and consume our food and drink in a more

resource efficient manner. EU policy initiatives in this regard have been supported on

the ground by a number of innovative LIFE Environment projects.

n the globalised economy and The LIFE programme has played an Iinterlinked environment, the EU is important role to date in helping to increasingly affected by global changes implement these policy objectives in resources, climate, material availability across the EU-27 and in neighbouring and food prices. These issues are likely countries. to become more pressing, with a pro- jected increase in global demand for food Improving resource use in of some 70% by 2050. Steps taken by food production the Commission at EU level to address climate change can also contribute to A plethora of LIFE Environment projects One of the earliest LIFE projects to target improving global food security. have been dedicated to helping food wine production (LIFE99 ENV/E/000349) and beverage producers make better took place in the Rioja region of Spain. Key areas of policy intervention in the use of their resources and raw materials. This high-profile demonstration project food and beverage sector have included The wine industry has been a particular was developed by the Rioja Economic improving resource use in production focus, given its growing importance and Development Agency (ADER), the Rioja and avoiding food waste. geographic spread. Water Board and the regional government in order to develop an environ-

Resource use in the food and beverage sector has improved with LIFE funding mentally sustainable and economically viable model applicable to the entire wine production process. Key areas for resource efficient production that the project focused on included: measures to reduce the use of environmentally-harmful pesticides in vine cultivation; improved

Photo: L I FE05 ENV/F N/000539 water treatment and use (including a pilot wastewater treatment plant); investigating the potential for re-using grape by- products (e.g. pomace); and integrating wine production into sustainable urban and rural management. The most notable outcome of the project was the agree- 52

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION OF EUROPE’S FOOD AND DRINK As the European Food Sustainable Production and Consumption Round Table in January 2011 highlighted, food and drink industries have an important part to play in a science-based, coherent approach to sustainable consumption and production in the food sector, one that takes into account interactions across the whole food chain. The round table, co-chaired by the European Commission, set out the following three key objectives:

FOOD AND BEVERAGE • To establish scientifically reliable and uniform environmental assessment methodologies for food and drinks; • To identify suitable tools and guidance for voluntary environmental communication to consumers and other stakeholders; and • To promote continuous environmental improvement measures along the Photo: L I FE08 ENV/E/000143 HAproWINE seeks to integrate waste whole supply chain. management and Lifecycle Assessment tools into the wine industry

ment of the wine companies to fund the animal feed, and transform the remain- the Tsiakkas Winery in the west of the largest multi-winery effluent treatment ing waste into natural organic fertiliser country. It is hoped that this will have an plant in Europe, the Station District of by composting. This LIFE Environment important demonstration effect, since Haro. “Best of the Best” project for 2007- many Cypriot wineries still spread their 2008 has attracted much interest from untreated effluent in fields, thereby pol- The Rioja project found that better han- wineries keen to improve the resource luting groundwater resources. Halting dling and storage would be required to efficiency of their production processes the decline of soil fertility and improv- make commercial re-use of wine by- and develop financial viable uses for their ing water quality are EU-level goals for products, knowledge that was widely by-products. Two Greek wineries that did reducing risks to future agricultural pro- disseminated, including at Green Week not participate in the project have already duction and food security. 2000. The Greek DIONYSOS project implemented its methods. (LIFE03 ENV/GR/000223) has drawn Meanwhile, the HAproWINE project in on this learning to successfully build a Two ongoing LIFE projects are looking to Spain (LIFE08 ENV/E/000143) seeks to pilot plant for processing winery solid build on these earlier success stories. integrate waste management and Lifecy- waste. The project was able to recover cle Assessment (LCA) tools into the wine high added-value polyphenols (used in The WINEC project in Cyprus (LIFE08 industry, including promoting the reuse food supplements and cosmetics), use ENV/CY/000455) is developing an envi- of winery wastes and creating a certifi- the slurry wastes and sludgy waste- ronmental management system (EMS) cation scheme to help consumers make water to produce high nutritional value and wastewater treatment plant for more environmentally-friendly choices. This lifecycle approach chimes with the goals of the European Food Sustainable High nutritional value animal feed was produced from winery wastewater Production and Consumption Round Table (see box).

Improving resource efficiency through an LCA approach was also the goal of the ECOIL project (LIFE04 ENV/GR/000110)

Photo: L I FE03 ENV/GR/000223 (see pages 21-25).

Showing the way to efficient production

The EU produces around half of the world’s potato starch, a process that uses large amounts of water and energy. The LIFE New potatopro project (LIFE04 ENV/DK/000067) aimed to develop a novel energy efficient process for potato protein extraction on an industrial scale. 53

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use FOOD AND BEVERAGE Photo: L I FE05 ENV/NL/000035 Reductions in energy and water use were achieved through a Closed-Loop Blanching method

This new process, designed by Danish A second good demonstration of in raw materials, as well as reductions beneficiary, Karup Kartoffelmelfabrik, resource efficiency in the potato in energy and water use, transport and would also made more efficient use of processing industry is provided by CLB overall emissions. raw materials. (LIFE05 ENV/NL/000035), a Dutch LIFE project that developed an innovative new A closed-loop water treatment process Results were impressive: by transform- method of blanching chips (French fries). was also the goal of another Dutch project ing fruit water to high-value protein, the CLB stands for Closed-Loop Blanching, targeting the dairy industry. LIFE ‘Dairy, starch factory was able to take steps a method that is designed to avoid the No Water!” (LIFE03 ENV/NL/000488) towards producing fertiliser concentrate negative environmental impacts – waste achieved significant improvements in and biomass for energy production, as energy and water – and loss of potato resource use in a cheese factory in well as towards treating process water solids (some 10-30%) of industry stand- Hogeveen by extracting whey water and for reuse in the production process. ard hot water blanching processes. The reusing it as process water. Although the CLB project achieved significant savings plant did not become totally self-sufficient The beneficiary’s new factory, co-funded by LIFE, features a more efficient heating An innovative treatment process produced water efficiencies in a Dutch cheese factory and heat exchange system for the process, as well as better decanting and drying of the end product. These improvements have resulted in energy savings of some 60% and a 40% reduction in water consumption. Photo: L I FE03 ENV/NL/000488

The new facility also removes 55-60% of the nitrogen load from the wastewater. The waste product, containing phospho- rous and potassium, can then become a useful secondary raw material, as it is dried and sold as fertiliser sludge. The factory also now has a system for sepa- rating the potato proteins into fractions and is attempting to produce a new product with a low solanine content (the substance that turns potatoes green). 54

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

in water, as planned, it did reduce water intake from 825 million to 275 million litres/yr, reduced wastewater by 255 million litres/yr and eliminated the use of groundwater. In addition, energy savings

amounted to some 7.8 Kton of CO2.

Reducing water consumption and associated impacts of wastewater treatment (such as sludge and odour emissions) FOOD AND BEVERAGE was also the goal of the Spanish JELLY project (LIFE04 ENV/ES/000224), which applied the EU’s Integrated Pollution Pre- vention and Control (IPPC) guidelines to the manufacture of gelatine from pig skin. The improvements instigated by the JELLY project have cut the time needed for the whole process from 60 hours to 10 hours. Water savings are equivalent to the average consumption of a town with 6 000 Photo: L I FE05 ENV/F N/000539 inhabitants, with significant reductions in Best practice models and materials on waste prevention were tested in households in energy consumption, solid waste by-prod- Helsinki ucts and odour emissions. Final product quality is also higher because the gelatine is exposed to higher temperatures for Tackling food waste of waste they produced by purchasing less time. Other important achievements eco-goods and services achieved an include an investment payback time of It is not only food and beverage pro- average reduction of 120 kg (34%) in 12 3 years 3 months and the discovery that ducers that LIFE has targeted, the pro- months. The LIFE project also helped blood, proteins and fats contained in wash gramme has also played a leading role reduce the average residual waste per waters could be recovered and converted in the drive to avoid food waste among inhabitant of Deux Sèvres by 9.9% in into valuable products made from these consumers. Wastage leads to more three years (from 314 kg per inhabit- secondary raw materials. A new company imports and exports of food, driving up ant in 2005 to 283 kg per inhabitant in – Proca Ingredients S.L. has been set up commodity prices, increasing instances 2008) as well as raising awareness of by the beneficiary and a project partner to of ‘land grabbing’ of agricultural land in the need to conserve resources and exploit this opportunity. developing countries and putting more reduce waste. pressure on the environment. An estimated 179 kg/capita/yr of food is wasted The purpose of the WASTEPrevKit project Families who took part in the IDEAL 79 by the food processing industry, whole- was to work, test, disseminate and adopt project reduced the amount of waste they produced by purchasing ecogoods salers, caterers and households. A large best practice models and materials on and services part of this wastage could be avoided, waste prevention. It was expected that especially at household level. The this would lead to a reduction in the French IDEAL 79 project (LIFE05 ENV/ amount of waste in the test area. The F/000063) and WASTEPrevKit in Finland target groups were households, schools, (LIFE05 ENV/FIN/000539) are just two day care centres, vocational institutions, examples of pilot schemes that are help- public administrations and enterprises ing to mainstream resource efficient food in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. Infor- consumption practices. mation campaigns were supported by a diverse range of project actions, includ- IDEAL 79 took practical steps to reduce ing the development of teaching materi- waste in Deux Sèvres, distributing an als, the extension of an existing waste eco-consumer’s guide to 160 000 homes benchmarking service, and a two-year in the department and providing incen- pilot waste reduction project involving tives (e.g. price reduction vouchers) households in the Viikki-Latokartano to switch to purchasing eco-products area of Helsinki. Results were positive and services. Sales of eco-products in (for instance, families taking part in the large supermarkets increased 19% as pilot scheme reduced mixed waste by a result. Nine families who took part in 9% and biowaste by 22% on average)

Photo: L I FE05 ENV/F/000063 a pilot scheme to reduce the amount and are readily transferable. 55

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

LIFE aids agriculture to preserve resources

Europe faces many challenges on the path to resource efficient agriculture and eco-

system services. The LIFE programme is helping to demonstrate ways of improving

water efficiency, reducing soil erosion and mitigating and adapting to the effects of

climate change, in line with EU policy goals.

ne of the main challenges that efficient use of our resources, as fore- while guaranteeing the same or higher Othe EU faces is how to reform seen with the CAP reform that is under production levels, as the following exam- the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) preparation. ples illustrate. so that Europe continues to contribute to food production and to increasingly The LIFE programme has led the way in Water efficient deliver environmental improvements, demonstrating agri-techniques that have agriculture preserving soil fertility and other eco- efficiently helped to preserve resources system services, avoiding deforestation Agriculture accounts for 70% of global and promoting rural areas and liveli- 2 See COM (2010) 672 final The CAP towards freshwater consumption and water scar- hoods. 2020: Meeting the food, natural resources city issues have affected 17% of EU ter- and territorial challenges of the future http:// eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ. ritory. The changing climate will further At present agriculture and food produc- do?uri=COM:2010:0672:FIN:en:PDF reduce the availability of water in the tion are continuing to challenge environmental resources, sometimes creat- The AGRICARBON project will demonstrate that conservation agriculture can reduce ing disservices, even with the ongoing GHG emissions and adapt farming techniques to new climatic conditions reform’s requirements for ‘cross-compliance’ (i.e. the requirement that farmers respect environmental, food safety, phytosanitary and animal welfare standards, in order to receive their direct pay- ments). Hence more steps need to be taken towards sustainable agricultural practices that preserve and make an Photo: Aixa Sopeña and L I FE08 ENV/E/000129 1 Management practices in agriculture can create disservices such as nutrient run-off, sedimentation of water bodies, pesticides poisoning, soil erosion, water depletion, desertification and loss of habitats and biodiversity 56

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use LIFE AND THE International Year of Forests (IYF) As the world’s forest resources are under threat from deforestation, fires and pests, the United Nations has declared 2011 the International Year of Forests (IYF). Through its LIFE programme the EU has supported and continues to support initiatives to preserve the resilience of forest resources. The Climforisk project (LIFE09 ENV/FI/000571) will map changes in future forest growth and carbon mitigation potential and changes in the susceptibility of forests to drought and selected biotic disturbance (pests/pathogens). The system will be used to develop maps and indicators that will support decision-making by public officials and forest managers. Forest biomass provides a carbon store and is important for mitigating climate change. The LIFE Bioenergy & Fire Prev. project (LIFE09 ENV/ES/000450) aims to develop new forest management tools and approaches to minimise the risk of forest fires by reducing the amount of ground-level waste biomass in forest areas. It will also evaluate the potential of biomass as a source of renewable energy and rural employment.

driest areas of Europe. The OPTIMIZA- The project demonstrated great results in the technical, hydraulic and administra- GUA project (LIFE03 ENV/E/000164) terms of efficiency - 40% water savings tive management of El Vicario’s ‘irriga- demonstrated efficient ways to reduce compared with traditional irrigation sys- tion community’ and helped optimise water consumption in irrigation cultures tems (20 000 m3 in only 4 hectares). the management of the entire river basin. (cereals – wheat and maize – and grass) Stakeholders (including farmers) were AGRICULTURE AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES by developing a prototype that com- Mediterranean countries use some 70% trained to use the gEa system, which, in bined traditional rainwater collection and of their water for irrigation purposes trials, saved some 1 087 000 litres when storage systems with “smart irrigation” and the average loss is high in an area used on only two fields. This gives a systems. Rainwater is used for irriga- already faced with issues of water scar- good idea of the extent of water savings tion, thus reducing the consumption of city. The Spanish gEa project focused on that could be achieved if the technology water from public supply networks, with improving water efficiency for irrigation were to be used extensively. the irrigation system adjusting the water in El Vicario (LIFE05 ENV/E/000313). It intake according to the crop, soil type, developed an automated online system Lack of information, insufficient exper- weather conditions and availability of for real-time reading of meters, control tise and scarcity of financial and human water. The prototypes are wind and solar of water quality, regulation of water con- resources sometimes make it difficult for powered, giving the project an energy sumption and detection of leaks. This farmers to undertake actions or to find efficient dimension as well. decision-support tool helped improve innovative technologies to reduce water

The OPTIMIZAGUA prototype achieved notable water efficiencies by combining combined rainwater collection and storage systems with “smart irrigation” Photo: L I FE03 ENV/E/000164 57

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use Photo: L I FE05 ENV/E/000330

The terracing system developed by LIFE PRIORAT increases vegetation cover and thus a better drainage system for rainwater AGRICULTURE AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

use. The AQUA (LIFE09 ENV/IT/000075) these problems, the PRIORAT project water consumption by 85%. The project project aims to work with stakeholders (LIFE05 ENV/E/000330) developed a methodology allowed for a higher level of from agriculture and agri-industry to “Mountain Viticulture Sustainable Man- productivity and economic benefits also produce and disseminate a “Water Sav- agement System” which introduces derived from reduced water, energy and ing Kit” that will demonstrate how to a terracing system that - aside from chemical consumption. anticipate environmental threats such as improving landscape conservation and water scarcity, as well as to respond to the organic content of soils - allows veg- Soil erosion eventual emergencies, such as subsid- etation cover to be increased by 80%. ence and droughts, based on a ‘cradle The increased vegetation produces a Conventional agricultural techniques to cradle’ approach. better drainage system for rainwater, can lead to soil erosion, water pollution, which in turn significantly reduces soil loss of biodiversity and reduced carbon Mountain viticulture can lead to water erosion. Furthermore, subsurface drip sequestration. Some 18% of EU terri- exploitation and soil erosion. To address irrigation systems were installed that cut tory is affected by soil erosion, which is particularly severe in the Mediterranean Conservation agriculture techniques such as vegetation cover improved soil quality in because of the prevalence of steep the Doñana National Park slopes, dry periods followed by high precipitation and conservative farming practices.

The ALMOND PRO-SOIL project (LIFE05 ENV/E/000288) demonstrated the benefits of cultivating almond trees to prevent desertification, soil erosion and the abandonment of land in rural areas. The project increased soil fertility

FE00 ENV/E/000547 and Audrey Thénard Photo: L I FE00 ENV/E/000547 and Audrey and biodiversity (via enhanced organic matter content and microbial activity), reducing erosion and improving the soil’s physical structure, stability and water holding capacity.

Another Spanish project, DOÑANA SOSTENIBLE (LIFE00 ENV/E/000547), tackled the problem of soil erosion on 33 pilot farms covering 318.9 ha by applying conservation agriculture techniques such as vegetation cover to improve soil 58

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

protection and diminish soil erosion and the run-off of water and fertilisers. The result was an improved conservation status of the Guadiamar River.

In the UK, the Sowap project (LIFE03 ENV/UK/000617) replaced ploughing with zero-till or non-inversion tillage to reduce soil erosion and enable cover crops during winter that improved soil structure and enhanced soil biodiversity. The results reduced run-off by as much as 90%, particularly during heavy

rainfall, and cut soil erosion by 95% on Photo: L I FE05 ENV/E/000288 light sandy soils. Soil function was also A Spanish project demonstrated how cultivating almond trees could prevent desertifica- improved, as shown by higher soil car- tion and soil erosion bon, nitrogen and moisture together with increased invertebrate biodiversity. climate agenda. LIFE projects are show- age the agro-forestry sector in Galicia ing what can be achieved by improving (Spain) to become involved in activities AGRICULTURE AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Climate change energy efficiency, biomass and renew- that support adaptation and mitigation able energy production, and the protec- measures. The project aims to promote The agricultural sector’s potential to tion of carbon in soils. the use of renewable energies and bio- mitigate, adapt to and reduce green- fuels, recycling, the establishment of house gas (GHG) emissions needs to be The Changing the Climate project energy efficiency measures, a shift to developed to meet the EU energy and (LIFE07 INF/E/000852) aims to encour- organic farming and the use of climate- adapted crops, as well as encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable management alternatives. AGRICULTURE AND THE NATURA 2000 NETWORK The Acciòn Agroclimatica project Agriculture has a major influence on the Natura 2000 network and its sur- (LIFE09 ENV/ES/000441) will develop roundings. Intensive farming techniques and bad agricultural management tools for carrying out energy and GHG audits on farms, and for identifying the can produce pressures on the conservation status of habitats and species, most suitable crops and best practices whereas other forms of agriculture can be essential to managing extensive for mitigation and adaptation to climate areas of valuable habitat. change. Ultimately it aims to develop a Reforms of the CAP and the Rural Development Regulation (2007–2013) have diagnostic software for energy balances introduced policy tools and measures that have improved the integration of and GHG emissions and demonstrate general practices for each farming sec- biodiversity considerations into farming and forestry practices across the EU. tor to reduce energy use and GHG emis- New rural development measures under Pillar II have also supported farming sions by 10% to 40%. and forestry activities that are beneficial for wildlife.

The CAP reform, foresees that, in the future, environmental measures should CO2 emissions in farming come mainly be tailor made to fulfil the needs of regions and local areas such as Natura from ploughing, which causes soil carbon loss. The LIFE+AGRICARBON 2000 and high-nature-value (HNV) farms and the functions of intensive and project (LIFE08 ENV/E/000129) encour- extensive farming practices will have to be revised. ages the uptake of conservation agriculture (CA) techniques that can reduce GHG emissions and the adaptation of farming techniques to new climatic conditions resulting from global warm- ing. Through the sink effect of CA, the project aims to fix an additional 0.60-

1.50 tonnes of CO2/ha/yr on farms, a

20% reduction in CO2emissions. In addition to reducing energy consumption, the project also aims to quantifi- ably improve soil quality. Photo: Ga b riella Camarsa and L I FE04 ENV/ES/000269 59

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use AGRICULTURE AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Photo: José Fernando Ro b les Conservation agriculture reduces soil erosion in Andalusian wetlands

The Spanish Humedales Sostenibles (‘Sustainable Wetlands’) project showed how LIFE

can contribute to the conservation and efficient use of natural resources, taking into

account the needs for landscape preservation, flood protection, carbon storage, good

water quality and control and protection of biodiversity.

ndalusia has a rich and diverse The aim of the LIFE ‘Sustainable Wet- The LIFE project involved 33 farmers Anatural heritage, especially in lands’ project (LIFE04 ENV/ES/000269) in a pilot scheme showing how con- terms of wetland habitats: some 17% was to demonstrate the application of servation agriculture (CA) techniques of Spanish of Spanish wetlands are agricultural practices that used resources can drastically reduce soil erosion in located in the region. These dynamic such as soil and water efficiently in order the catchment areas of the wetlands. A ecosystems are also fragile and can to improve the conservation status of Geographical Information System (GIS) be negatively impacted by soil erosion Andalusian wetlands, whilst increasing was used to select the areas for the trial caused by the intensive agricultural awareness amongst farmers of the impor- and to help farmers choose the best soil practices typically used in the Mediter- tance of Natura 2000 sites. “We wanted management systems and crop rota- ranean. Such practices can increase soil to demonstrate the decisive role that agri- tions in accordance with the physical loss and reduce the fertility and ability culture can play in protecting our natural characteristics of their farms. Demon-

of soil to absorb CO2, leading to the resources and in providing us with impor- stration plots covering 60 ha were estab- loss of water content in the soil, nutrient tant ecosystem services,” explains project lished in the surroundings of wetlands in run-off and loss of biodiversity. manager José Fernando Robles. Utrera, Osuna-Lantejuela, Gosque and 60

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Lebrija-Las Cabezas. There, with train- ily impacted the area’s wetlands caus- From the farmer’s point of view, producing and guidance from the Technical ing siltation. “Our land suffers from tion levels are what matters most. Mr. Office for the Promotion of Conserva- soil erosion and I was very interested Cortines, who eliminated soil tillage and tion Agriculture, the farmers tested tech- in learning techniques for optimum soil applied direct sowing on his demonstra- niques including minimum or no tillage, management,” says Juan Cortines, tion plot of 6 ha of sunflowers, is pleased the maintenance of harvest residues on a local farmer who participated in the to note that “over the three years during soil surface, direct sowing and vegeta- LIFE project. “Soil is one of the primary which I applied the techniques, the pro- tion cover for arboreal crops. In addition, resources that allows us to produce in duction levels remained the same and in the project produced a guide to CA tech- the long run. Without it we would have some cases they increased.” niques that was disseminated to Andalu- no agriculture in this area.” sia’s agricultural community. The farmland of Osuna also suffers from One of the most important tasks, believes soil erosion. Here, another local farmer, Conservation Agriculture project technician Emilio Cuberos, was Pedro Baena, applied CA techniques on in action to train farmers how to produce in com- 25 ha of olive groves and wheat fields. pliance with the Natura 2000 network “Before introducing the techniques sug- Farms located in Lebrija have clay soils and make them understand the impor- gested by the project, the land would that are significantly exposed to soil tance and value that wetlands represent lose up to 4 cm/ha when it rained,” says erosion. The run-off of soils has heav- in terms of biodiversity. Mr Baena. “That is equivalent to 400 tonnes/ha/yr that will never be recov- AGRICULTURE AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ered.” This soil erosion also caused silta- Osuna’s farmland would lose up to 400 tonnes/ha/yr of soil through precipitation tion and sedimentation of the neighbouring wetlands.

To reduce the soil erosion in his olive groves, Mr Baena added vegetation cover. According to Emilio González, Photo: José Fernando Ro b les General Secretary of the European Con- servation Agriculture Federation (ECAF – a project partner), “This produces the effect of filtering water more rapidly so that it does not remain on the surface, thus reducing run-off and siltation. Fur- thermore, the vegetation impedes the loss of water.”

Preserving resources and enhancing biodiversity

The project’s technical team monitored each of the demonstration plots and compared them with plots where conventional soil management techniques were continuing to be applied. The results in terms of soil erosion were impressive. For example in the wetland area of Laguna del Gosque, soil erosion decreased by 1 022 tonnes/yr for olive groves, by 1 489 tonnes/yr for corn/cotton crops and by 1 811 tonnes/yr for wheat/sunflower crops in comparison with soil losses uses conventional farming techniques.

Other benefits noted during monitoring included a reduction in run-off and an increase in the hydric content of the soil where direct sowing was employed. By avoiding tillage and, by maintaining harvest residues on the surface, the 61

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use AGRICULTURE AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Photo: Ga b riella Camarsa

Project manager José Fernando Robles explains how soil erosion has caused the siltation and sedimentation of neighbouring wetlands

organic content and fertility of the soil it requires greater professional skills to countries of the Mediterranean, but was increased, while the carbon content apply the soil conservation techniques throughout the EU. The uptake of sus- in the soil was found to have increased correctly. “More than half of the 33 farm- tainable practices that make efficient use by 1 tonne/yr. ers are still applying the techniques of our natural resources by farming com- today. Some have not been able to invest munities will provide European citizens The decrease in soil erosion was reflected in the direct sowing machinery, how- with quality, value and diversity of food in less siltation of the wetlands, where a ever, more simple techniques are being and ensure the long-term future of EU significant increase in biodiversity was applied in the area and this is creating agriculture and rural areas. also observed. Organic matter in the interest amongst the farming commu- soil is the main food source for micro- nity of Andalusia even four years after organisms, which thus benefits all other the project has ended,” notes Mr Robles organisms in the trophic chain (insects, proudly. mammals, birds, e.g. flamingos, etc). The increase in vegetation cover on some of Achieving further the demonstration plots also meant more resource efficiencies hiding and nesting places for fauna, as well as more food, thus enhancing the Ultimately the project has demonstrated biodiversity of the area. how CA techniques can be applied to make more efficient use of resources Green skills and economic (mostly soil and water), avoiding the SPAIN benefits deterioration and sedimentation of pro- Project number: LIFE04 ENV/ES/000269 tected wetlands whilst preserving biodi- The techniques applied by the project versity and enhancing production. Title: Humedales Sostenibles - Integrated management of agriculture in the surround- were shown to reduce production costs ings of community importance wetlands significantly (since no machinery was “The project will facilitate the adaptation (sustainable wetlands) required to till the soil). “We have calcu- of farms to the new context established Beneficiary: Asociación Agraria Jóvenes lated that the savings are between 40 and by the Natura 2000 Network and the Agricultores de Sevilla (ASAJA-Sevilla) 60 euros per hectare per year for annual future CAP reform,” says Mr. Robles. “It Contact: José Fernando Robles del Salto crops in southern Europe,” says Mr. Rob- has demonstrated how CA techniques Email: [email protected] les. This compensates for the investment can be easily adopted to preserve our in machinery for direct sowing. natural resources, which are the basis of Website: http://www.humedales.org thriving agro-ecosystems.” Period: Oct-2004 to Oct-2007 The LIFE funded project was also a clear Total budget: e1 087 000 demonstration of how green skills in the Such techniques are in the midst of a LIFE contribution: e541 000 agricultural sector can be created, as phase of expansion, not only in all the 62

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

LIFE shows the environmental benefits of GPP

One way of favourably influencing Europe’s unsustainable use of its natural resources is

to encourage one of its largest consumers, public authorities, to adopt common green

criteria for purchasing such goods as computers, stationery (paper), vehicles and fur-

niture as well as fuel, food and electricity.

ublic authorities have great ice groups, and also adopted a new The role of LIFE Ppurchasing power – spending procedure for the development of GPP around 17% of the EU’s gross domestic criteria in 2010. The aim is to make the LIFE projects have aimed to raise product – and their choices about the process more transparent and partici- awareness of GPP and promote the use goods and services they purchase not patory and enhance synergies among of GPP criteria by establishing regional only have a significant impact on the the various eco-innovation labels that networks and developing and imple- environment directly, but also greatly are already in place. menting tools for joint procurement influence the market for those goods practice. For example, the Italian GPP- and services by boosting green busi- Criteria help public authorities choose net project (LIFE02 ENV/IT/000023) nesses. the best environmental products on the market whilst minimising verifica- As a result, greening the performance tion requirements and costs. In the The GGPnet project produced a 300-page handbook for public administrations of public authorities – or Green Public future, the way forward may be to put Procurement (GPP) as it has come to in place mandatory Green Public Pro- be known – is an area that has received curement to support targeted areas of much attention from legislators and innovative, resource efficient goods. policymakers in the EU. This approach could remove barriers to innovation, such as when public For GPP to become more widespread, procurement of water delivery services clear and verifiable environmental cri- gives preference to well-tested solu- teria for products and services must tions, rather than resource efficient be established that are compatible ones. between Member States. A level playing field will boost the single market, A forthcoming Communication from the reduce the impact of goods and serv- European Commission’s Directorate- ices on the environment and lead to a General for the Environment (DG ENV) more efficient use of resources. To date, will point to the scope for procurement the Commission has developed EU to drive innovations that can improve GPP criteria for 18 product and serv- resource efficiency. Photo: L I FE02 ENV/ T/000023 63

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

GREEN SKILLS created a network of politicians and The European Commission identifies the lack of ‘green skills’ – i.e. executives in the Province of Cremona expertise and competence in the use of green technologies – as a specific bar- to spread awareness of the potential of rier to innovation. Green skills are needed to develop new technologies, more GPP at all administrative levels. resource efficient processes and new working methods. EU 2020 initiatives,

The GPPnet project trained staff in such as “Youth on the Move”, and “Green Skills” will be addressing these charge of public purchasing to identify issues, but further action specific to resources may also need to be taken. LIFE products and services with lower envi- projects have shown that providing green skills benefits job creation. ronmental impacts, and to introduce For example, the Spanish ELVES project (LIFE05 ENV/E/000317) created 11 environmental criteria into purchasing procedures, widely disseminating the permanent positions for trained staff involved in the separation of metal concept of resource efficiency through alloys from end-of-life vehicle engines. The green skills employed in this GPP in so doing. To facilitate the train- process are having a significant environmental impact in terms of waste ing process, the project produced a reduction and recycling of materials, since the alloys are reused in new 300-page handbook that contained a engines for the automotive sector. step-by-step outline of how environmental criteria can be introduced into a public administration’s purchasing procedures, including ways of eliminating administrative burdens that may impede the adoption of GPP. The guidelines contained in this handbook, which were used for calls for tender during GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AND GREEN SKILLS the project, demonstrate EU policy in action and could be used as examples for future common GPP guidelines.

The Province of Cremona is continuing its GPP activities after the end of the

LIFE project. The legacy of the GPPnet Photo: L I FE05 ENV/E/000317 project is evident in other regions too. A National Working Group on GPP, based basis for a future mandatory implemen- To monitor the success of this project on the experiences of the project, was tation of GPP. and other initiatives, the Commission established in Bologna in 2005. The has proposed two types of indicator: body is spreading the good procedures Moreover, the project produced a quantitative indicators to assess the determined during the project to local tool for testing joint procurement progress of the policy and its impact and regional authorities throughout approaches to overcoming market bar- on the supply side; and impact-ori- Italy. riers for green purchasing in Europe. ented indicators allowing assessment Such a tool will help meet the policy of the environmental and financial gains In line with the Commission’s emphasis objectives highlighted in the EU’s 6th made. A 2009 study tested this meth- on common criteria for GPP, the group Environment Action Programme. odology. Further evaluation will take of tools for assisting GPP implemen- place in 2011, and statistical data will tation developed by the LIFE LEAP Lack of information remains an obsta- serve as the basis for setting future tar- project (LIFE03 ENV/UK/000613) are cle to further take-up of GPP. The gets for GPP implementation. transferable across Europe. In fact, 11 ongoing GPPinfoNET project (LIFE07 local authorities in five Member States INF/IT/000410), is demonstrating ways The figures are impressive. A saving of were partners in the project. Launched of tackling this problem in Italy, and the equivalent of 60 million tonnes of at the EcoProcura conference in Barce- with the potential to be transferable to CO2 is achievable if all public authori- lona in 2006, the LEAP Toolkit consists the EU as a whole. By the end of the ties across the EU demanded green of eight tools for implementing GPP. project, it aims to have ensured that at electricity (equivalent to the emissions The tools outline a five-step implemen- least 30% of local authorities that have of 6.5 million Europeans). The Commis- tation process, give examples of good joined regional networks will have pub- sion estimates that environmental build- practice, set out standard specifications lished green tenders and implemented ing construction could lead to a similar for key products, and detail evaluation actions that favour the adoption of GPP result. Large CO2 reductions can also priorities and the promotion of a green within their administrations: just one be achieved through the use of energy- market. Most importantly in terms of example of how LIFE is furthering the efficient computers, and greater water resource efficiency, the criteria devel- goal of resource efficiency by encour- use efficiency could result in consider- oped by the project could be used as a aging the widespread adoption of GPP. able savings. 64

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Project list

The table below provides the complete list of LIFE projects on resource efficiency mentioned in this publication. For more information on individual projects, visit the online database at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/projects/index.cfm

Project Reference Acronym Title Page Production processes LIFE04 ENV/IT/000583 PROWATER Sustainable water management in the textile wet industry through 6 an innovative treatment process for wastewater re-use LIFE05 ENV/IT/000846 BATTLE Best Available Technique for water reuse in TextiLE SMEs 6 LIFE05 ENV/E/000285 RESITEX Alternatives for waste volume reduction in the textile sector through 6 the application of minimisation measures in the process and in the consumption LIFE02 ENV/E/000216 AFINO Development of a new salt water purification system in the tanning 7 CONDUCTIVIDAD sector for reuse LIFE04 ENV/IT/000414 N.E.S.S. New Eco Spray System 7 LIFE00 ENV/IT/000184 GIADA Integrated Environmental Management in the tannery district of 7 Chiampo Valley (Italy) LIFE08 ENV/E/000140 OXATAN Environmentally friendly oxazolidine-tanned leather 7 LIFE05 TCY/GA/000115 HAGAR Environmental action for the sustainability of natural resources 7 through recycling of water and sludge frm marble production LIFE02 ENV/UK/000140 Inwatco Integrated Water Management in former coal mining regions 8 LIFE05 ENV/E/000317 ELVES Development of a system for high-quality separation of metal alloys 8 from end-of-life-vehicle engines and its reuse in new engines and components for automotive sector LIFE05 ENV/D/000185 INCOCAST Demonstration of environmentally friendly aluminium engine block 9 Core Package casting (CPS) using an inorganic binder LIFE04 ENV/IT/000598 ESD New ESD (eco-sustainable drawing) system, environment-friendly 9 to process steel wire rods / by-products, eliminating the current pickling practice and the related chemical fumes possessing a high environmental impact substituting the ... LIFE06 ENV/NL/000176 Green Bearings Demonstrating innovative technologies that significantly improve 9 the environmental performance of bearings

LIFE06 ENV/IT/000332 MEIGLASS Minimising the Environmental impact of GLASS recycling and glass 10-12 container production LIFE07 ENV/IT/000361 NOVEDI No Vetro in Discarica (No glass in landfill): demonstrating innovative 12 technologies for integral recovery of glass rejects actually landfilled LIFE08 ENV/IT/000421 VALIRE Valorisation of incentration residues 12

Eco-products and eco-design LIFE04 ENV/IT/000589 EWG New clean technology for the decoration of all kinds of ceramic 14 surfaces, whether flat or textured, with a minimal use of raw noble materials LIFE02 ENV/IT/000052 Microfinishing A new dry process of microfinishing of gres porcelain and natural 14 stone surfaces, which will substitute the stage of smoothing/ polishing, drastically decreasing the environmental impact of this stage, to aim for a sustainable development LIFE05 ENV/E/000301 Eco-Ceramics Ecological ceramics optimization. Alternative to sludge disposal 14 LIFE07 ENV/SLO/000710 UNISASH Resource efficient, Universal Window Sash 14 LIFE08 ENV/F/000481 CISDP Cleaning Industry Sustainable Development Programme 14

LIFE03 ENV/A/000002 PROCOOL Development and successful market penetration of HFC-free and 15 eco-efficient cold appliances for the commercial use Best projects “Best of the Best” projects 65

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Project Reference Acronym Title Page

LIFE05 ENV/DK/000156 CO2REF Development and demonstration of a prototype transcritical CO2 15 refrigeration system LIFE00 ENV/IT/000213 Clean-Deco Development of a clean coating technology pvd for decorative 15 applications on metal components in place of the traditional (galvanic) coating technologies PROJECT LIST LIFE05 ENV/F/000062 GAP Clean alternative technology to chemical milling: demonstration of 16 technical, environmental and economic performance of mechanical milling for the machining of complex shaped panels used in the aeronautical and space industries - GAP (Green Advanced Panels) project LIFE03 ENV/E/000106 RECIPLAS Integrated reusable plastic crates and pallets, eliminating package 16 waste, for sustainable distribution of everyday commodities in Europe. LIFE99 ENV/IT/000034 Use and … re-use Use and ... reuse. The “processing centre” in the logistics of 16 packaging of fresh fruit and vegetable products LIFE09 ENV/ES/000454 WOODRUB Utilisation of recovered wood and rubber for alternative composite 17 products LIFE95 ENV/IT/000393 New raw materials from agri-food and industrial wastes: sugar 17 paper, orange paper, smog paper LIFE03 ENV/GR/000204 ECO-TEXTILE Introduction and Promotion of the ECO-LABEL to the greek textile 17 industry LIFE08 ENV/E/000147 SHOELAW Promotion of Environmental Legislation among European Footwear 17 Industries LIFE09 ENV/LU/000390 ECO2 Tyre Tech Development and validation of ecologically sustainable tyres 17 through lifecycle enhancing technologies LIFE00 ENV/F/000593 E.D.I.T Eco Design Interactive Tools 17 LIFE06 ENV/L/000118 BioTyre Development and validation of ultra low rolling resistance tyre with 18-20 environmentally friendly resources

Lifecycle thinking LIFE02 ENV/S/000351 DANTES Eco-Efficiency evaluation of new and existing products (DANTES) 23 LIFE00 ENV/NL/000808 EQuation Demonstration and dissmeination project for stimulating architects 23 and local governments to build sustainable with help of innovative design tools LIFE08 ENV/E/000135 FENIX Fenix-Finding regional environmental lifecycle information on 23 packaging waste management through flexible software tools and databases Aqualabel Environmental certification of water resource distributed by 23 LIFE03 ENV/IT/000333 waterworks systems. LIFE04 ENV/IT/000588 LAIPP Dissemination of IPP tools in the furniture industry 24 ECOIL Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a decision support tool (DST) for 24 LIFE04 ENV/GR/000110 the eco-production of olive oil. OSELCA Introduction and Implementation of Life Cycle Assessment 24 LIFE03 ENV/EE/000194 Methodology in Estonia: Effects of Oil Shale Electricity on the Environmental Performance of Products LIFE00 ENV/FIN/000656 Rural LIFE Design Eco-design and marketing model for rural products and services 25 LIFE04 ENV/GR/000138 IPP TEL Integrated Product Policy in the Telecommunication Sector 25 Resolved Recovery of Solar Valuable Materials, Enrichment and 25 LIFE04 ENV/DE/000047 Decontamination ELECTROVALUE Electric and electronic eco-assembly alternatives for the 25 LIFE07 ENV/P/000639 valorisation of the end-of-life products in the recycling market ACADEMY Airbus Corporate Answer to Disseminate integrated Environmental 26-28 LIFE04 ENV/FR/000353 Management System LIFE05 ENV/F/000059 PAMELA Process for Advanced Management of End of Life of Aircraft 28

Best projects “Best of the Best” projects 66

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Project Reference Acronym Title Page Water efficiency LIFE00 ENV/EE/000922 RAKWANET Demonstration Activities for the Reduction of Water Losses 30 and Preservation of Water Quality in Over-dimensioned Water Distribution Network in Rakvere Town, Estonia LIFE09 ENV/IT/000136 PALM Pump And Leakage Management 30

PROJECT LIST LIFE07 ENV/IT/000475 TRUST Tool for regional - scale assessment of groundwater storage 31 improvement in adaptation to climate change (TRUST) LIFE03 ENV/NL/000467 VERBAL The Vertical Flow Reed Bed at Leidsche Rijn. A natural way to filter 31 urban water LIFE98 ENV/D/000509 Reuse filter backwash- Reuse of filter backwashwater from groundwater treatment for 31 water drinking water purposes with a submerged membrane system LIFE07 INF/UK/000950 Eco-Animation Eco-Animation: a cutting edge cartoon to raise awareness on 31 climate change and sustainable use of natural resources among European children LIFE96 ENV/E/000509 Zaragoza Zaragoza: water saving city. Small steps, big solutions 32

LIFE03 ENV/E/000164 OPTIMIZAGUA Demonstration of water saving for watering uses through the 32 experimentation of artificial LIFE00 ENV/NL/000790 Maastricht Water Demonstration of integrated total water management for a cluster 32 of 8 industries, implementing a centralised water supply and a semi collective WWTS and resulting in substantial ground water and energy savings LIFE02 ENV/E/000183 Dropawater Durable Regions On Peripheal Areas for Water Reduction 32 LIFE02 ENV/E/000210 HAGAR Tools of self-management for water irrigable in the overused hydric 32 systems

Sustainable transport LIFE02 ENV/GR/000359 IMMACULATE IMprovement of Urban Environment Quality of Air and Noise Levels 34 by an Integrated, Cost Effective and MUlti-Level Application of Clean Vehicle Technologies LIFE06 ENV/D/000477 PARFUM Particulates, Freight and heavy duty vehicles in Urban 34 Environments LIFE07 ENV/IT/000434 MHyBus Methane and Hydrogen blend for public city transport bus: 35 technical demonstrative application and strategic policy measures LIFE02 ENV/E/000253 ECOBUS Collecting used cooking oils to their recycling as biofuel for diesel 35 engines LIFE05 ENV/P/000369 OIL PRODIESEL Integrated Waste Management System for the Reuse of Used 35 Frying Oils to Produce Biodiesel for Municipality Fleet of Oeiras LIFE08 ENV/IT/000425 ETRUSCAN Under the Etruscan sun - Environmental friendly Transport to 35 RedUce Severe Climate change ANthropic factors LIFE03 ENV/IT/000319 SIDDHARTA Smart and Innovative Demonstration of Demand Handy Responsive 35 Transport Application to improve the quality of the urban environment LIFE05 ENV/E/000262 GESMOPOLI Integral mobility management in industrial estates and areas 35 LIFE03 ENV/NL/000474 LNG Tanker Demonstrating the effective and safe use of liquid natural gas as fuel 36 for ship engines for short-sea shipping and inland waterway transport LIFE06 ENV/D/000479 WINTECC Demonstration of an innovative wind propulsion technology for 36 cargo vessels LIFE06 ENV/D/000465 ZEM/SHIPS Zero.Emission.Ships 36 LIFE02 ENV/UK/000136 CATCH Clean Accessible Transport for Community Health 36 LIFE02 ENV/IT/000106 RAVE The Green Ray of Novara 36

Energy efficient buildings LIFE04 ENV/GR/000137 SB-MED Enhancing transferability of innovative techniques, tools, methods 38 and mechanisms to implement “sustainable building” in the Mediterranean region

Best projects “Best of the Best” projects 67

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Project Reference Acronym Title Page LIFE00 ENV/NL/000808 EQuation Demonstration and dissemination project for stimulating architects 38 and local governments to build sustainable with help of innovative design tools LIFE05 ENV/GR/000235 SUSCON Sustainable Construction in Public and Private Works through IPP 38 approach PROJECT LIST LIFE00 ENV/A/000243 S-House S-House: innovative use of renewable resources demonstrated by 39 means of an office and exhibition building LIFE06 ENV/D/000471 INSU-SHELL Environmentally Friendly Facade Elements made of thermal 39 insulated Textile Reinforced Concrete LIFE04 ENV/FR/000321 ECO-CAMPS Eco-design and eco-engineering of buildings, amenities and 39 accommodations in campsites LIFE02 ENV/A/000285 BBMpassiv Multifunctional company and administration building with logistics 40 and cultural centre in passive house standard in sustainable timber construction LIFE07 ENV/E/000805 EDEA Efficient Development of Eco-Architecture: Methods and 40 Technologies for Public Social Housing Building in Extremadura LIFE08 ENV/A/000216 RENEW BUILDING Demonstration and Dissemination of Climate and Environmental 40 Friendly Renovation and Building with Renewable Resources and Ecological Materials LIFE06 ENV/L/000121 EFFERNERGY Energy Efficient Building Systems 41-42

Fish and marine resources LIFE07 ENV/D/000229 ECOSMA Ecological Certification of Products from Sustainable Marine 44 Aquaculture LIFE07 ENV/UK/000943 PISCES Partnerships Involving Stakeholders in the Celtic sea Eco-System 44 LIFE07 ENV/E/000814 3R-FISH Integral management model of recovery and recycling of the proper 44 solid waste from the fishing and port activities LIFE05 NAT/LV/000100 Baltic MPAs Marine protected areas in the Eastern Baltic Sea 45 LIFE06 NAT/IT/000050 Co.Me.Bi.S. Urgent conservation measures for biodiversity of Central 45 Mediterranean Sea LIFE98 NAT/P/005275 Zonas costeiras/Açores Integrated management of coastal and marine zones in the Azores 45 LIFE05 ENV/E/000267 BE-FAIR Benign and environmentally friendly fish processing practices to 46-48 provide added value and innovative solutions for a responsible and sustainable management of fisheries LIFE08 ENV/E/000119 FAROS Integral networking of fishing actors to organize a responsible 48 optimal and sustainable exploitation of marine resources

Land use and planning LIFE02 ENV/FIN/000331 ECOREG The Eco-Efficiency of Regions - Case Kymenlaakso 49 LIFE02 ENV/FIN/000319 Green Valley Operation model of environmental management in Salo region 49 LIFE02 ENV/S/000355 Coastal Woodlands Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Woodlands by the Baltic 50 Sea LIFE04 ENV/FI/000304 ENVIFACILITATE Integration of spatial environmental information across different 50 themes, scales, resolutions and uses : added value of facilitating mechanisms LIFE02 ENV/E/000176 DIVERS Information, Competitiveness and Sustainability in Urban System 50 LIFE02 ENV/E/000200 GALLECS Demonstration project on land use and environmental 50 management of the physical planning in Gallecs as a biological and stable connector in the fringe space of Barcelona metropolitan area

Food and beverage LIFE99 ENV/E/000349 Business, environment and wine: from the winegrape to the bottle. 51 Vertical integration of the environment in the wine production process and horizontal optimization of resources

Best projects “Best of the Best” projects 68

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Project Reference Acronym Title Page LIFE03 ENV/GR/000223 DIONYSOS Development of an economically viable process for the integrated 52 management via utilization of winemaking industry waste; production of high added value natural products and organic fertilizer LIFE08 ENV/CY/000455 WINEC Advanced systems for the enhancement of the environmental 52 PROJECT LIST performance of WINEries in Cyprus LIFE08 ENV/E/000143 HAproWINE Integrated waste management and life cycle assessment in the 52 wine industry: From waste to high-value products LIFE04 ENV/GR/000110 ECOIL Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a decision support tool (DST) for 52 the eco-production of olive oil LIFE04 ENV/DK/000067 New potatopro Novel energy efficient process for potato protein extraction 52 LIFE05 ENV/NL/000035 CLB Demonstration of a closed loop blanching system for the potato 53 processing industry LIFE03 ENV/NL/000488 Dairy, No Water! A dairy industry which is self-supporting in water 53 LIFE04 ENV/ES/000224 JELLY Demonstration project for gelatine production with use of innovative 54 technology achieving an important washing wastewater reduction LIFE05 ENV/F/000063 IDEAL 79 Sustainable Initiatives and Local Alternatives towards waste 54 prevention LIFE05 ENV/FIN/000539 WASTEPrevKit Waste Prevention Kit for enterprises, education and households 54

Agriculture and ecosystem services LIFE09 ENV/FI/000571 Climforisk Climate change induced drought effects on forest growth and 56 vulnerability LIFE09 ENV/ES/000450 Bioenergy & Fire Prev. Contribution of forest biomass generated in the prevention of forest 56 fires in the EU energy strategy LIFE03 ENV/E/000164 OPTIMIZAGUA Demonstration of water saving for watering uses through the 56 experimentation of artificial LIFE05 ENV/E/000313 gEa Excellence in irrigation water management 56 LIFE09 ENV/IT/000075 AQUA Adoption of Quality water Use in Agro-industry sector 57 LIFE05 ENV/E/000330 PRIORAT Making compatible mountain viticulture development with 57 European Landscape Convention objectives LIFE05 ENV/E/000288 ALMOND PRO-SOIL Soil protection in Mediterraanean areas with increased soil erosion 57 rate through cultivation of new LIFE00 ENV/E/000547 DOÑANA SOSTENIBLE Design and Application of a Sustainable Soil Management Model 57 for Orchard Crops in the Doñana National Park Area LIFE03 ENV/UK/000617 Sowap Soil and Surface water protection using conservation tillage in 58 northern and central europe LIFE07 INF/E/000852 Changing the Climate LIFE+campaign ‘Changing the change’. The Galician agriculture 58 and forest sector facing climate change. LIFE09 ENV/ES/000441 Acción Agroclimática Combating climate change through farming: application of a 58 common evaluation system in the 4 largest agricultural economies of the EU LIFE08 ENV/E/000129 LIFE+AGRICARBON Sustainable agriculture in Carbon arithmetics 58 LIFE04 ENV/ES/000269 Humedales Sostenibles Integrated management of agriculture in the surroundings of 59-61 community importance wetlands

Green Public Procurement and Green Skills LIFE02 ENV/IT/000023 GPPnet Green Public Procurement Network 62 LIFE03 ENV/UK/000613 LEAP Local Authority EMAS and Procurement 63 LIFE07 INF/IT/000410 GPPinfoNET GPPinfoNET The Green Public Procurement Information Network 63 LIFE05 ENV/E/000317 ELVES Development of a system for high-quality separation of metal alloys 63 from end-of-life-vehicle engines and its reuse in new engines and components for automotive sector

Best projects “Best of the Best” projects 69

LIFE Focus I LIFE and resource efficiency: Decoupling growth from resource use

Available LIFE Environment publications

LIFE-Focus brochures Other publications

LIFE and local authorities: Helping LIFE and Energy: Innovative solutions for Best LIFE Environment projects 2009 regions and municipalities tackle envi- sustainable and efficient energy in Europe (2010, 32pp.-ISBN 978-92-79-16432-3 ronmental challenges (2007 – 64pp. ISBN 978 92-79-04969-9 - ISSN 1725-5619) (2010 - 60 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-18643-1 ISSN 1725-5619) - ISSN 1725-5619) Environment Policy & Governance Proj- LIFE-Third Countries 1992-2006 ects 2009 compilation (2010, 125pp. (2007, 64 pp. – ISBN 978-92-79-05694-9 Water for life - LIFE for water: Protecting – ISBN 978-92-79-13884-3) – ISSN 1725-5619) Europe’s water resources (2010 - 68 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-15238-2 Information & Communications Projects - ISSN 1725-5619) LIFE in the City: Innovative solutions for Europe’s urban environment 2009 compilation (2010, 14pp. – (2006, 64pp. - ISBN 92-79-02254-7 – ISSN ISBN 978-92-79-16138-4) LIFE among the olives: Good practice in 1725-5619) improving environmental performance in the olive oil sector Nature & Biodiversity Projects 2009 (2010 - 56 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-14154-6 The air we breathe: LIFE and the Euro- compilation (2010, 91pp. – ISBN 978-92- - ISSN 1725-5619) pean Union clean air policy 79-16139-1) (2004 - 32 pp. – ISBN 92-894-7899-3 – ISSN 1725-5619) Getting more from less: LIFE and sus- Environment Policy & Governance tainable production in the EU Projects 2008 compilation (2009, 107pp. A cleaner, greener Europe - LIFE and the (2009 - 40pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-12231-6 – ISBN 978-92-79-13424-1) European Union waste policy - ISSN 1725-5619) (2004 - 28 pp. – ISBN 92-894-6018-0 – ISSN 1725-5619) Information & Communications Projects Breathing LIFE into greener businesses: 2008 compilation (2009, 21pp. – ISBN Demonstrating innovative approaches 978-92-79-13425-8) to improving the environmental perfor- A number of LIFE publications are mance of European businesses available on the LIFE website: Nature & Biodiversity Projects 2008 (2008 - 60pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-10656-9 compilation (2009, 87pp. – ISBN 978-92- - ISSN 1725-5619) http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ life/publications/lifepublications/ 79-13426-5) LIFE on the farm: Supporting environ- index.htm Best LIFE Environment projects 2008- mentally sustainable agriculture in Europe 2009 (2009, 32pp.-ISBN 978-92-79-13109-7 (2008 - 60 pp. - 978-92-79-08976-3 - ISSN A number of printed copies of ISSN 1725-5619) 1725-5619) certain LIFE publications are available and can be ordered free- LIFE and waste recycling: Innovative Environment Policy & Governance and of-charge at: waste management options in Europe Information & Communications Projects (2007 - 60 pp. - ISBN 978-92-79-07397-7 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ 2007 compilation (2009, 92 pp.-ISBN 978- - ISSN 1725-5619) life/publications/order.htm 92-79-12256-9) LIFE+ “L’Instrument Financier pour l’Environnement” / The financial instrument for the environment

Period covered (LIFE+) 2007-2013.

EU funding available approximately EUR 2 143 million

Type of intervention at least 78% of the budget is for co-financing actions in favour of the environment (LIFE+ projects) in the Member States of the European Union and in certain non-EU countries. LIFE+ projects > LIFE+ Nature projects improve the conservation status of endangered species and natural habitats. They support the implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Natura 2000 network. > LIFE+ Biodiversity projects improve biodiversity in the EU. They contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the Commission Communication, “Halting the loss of Biodiversity by 2010 – and beyond” (COM (2006) 216 final). > LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance projects contribute to the development and demonstration of innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments in support of European environmental policy and legislation. > LIFE+ Information and Communication projects are communication and awareness raising campaigns related to the

implementation, updating and development of European environmental policy and legislation, including the prevention KH-AJ-11-002-EN-C of forest fires and training for forest fire agents.

Further information further information on LIFE and LIFE+ is available at http://ec.europa.eu/life.

How to apply for LIFE+ funding The European Commission organises annual calls for proposals. Full details are available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm Contact European Commission – Directorate-General for the Environment LIFE Unit – BU-9 02/1 – B-1049 Brussels – Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/life

LIFE and Resource Efficiency: Decoupling Growth from Resource Use

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union

2011 - 72p - 21 x 29.7 cm ISBN 978-92-79-19764-2 ISSN 1725-5619 doi:10.2779/74370

ISSN 1725-5619��