On January 22nd took place in Madrid the launching of the VALDESC project “Innovative solutions for the promotion of the VALorization of complex CDW and decarbonization of the construction sector in the CAM“, in the facilities of the Eduardo Torroja Institute of Construction Sciences CSIC-IETcc.

The project has been subsidized through the Call 2024 of the Grants to contribute to the improvement of public-private cooperation in R&D&I through projects with a tractor effect in consortium of the Regional Ministry of Education, Science and Universities of the Community of Madrid, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), within the framework of the Program of the Community of Madrid 2021-2027. It has a budget of 6 million euros and will last 3 years, concluding in 2027.

VALDESC is led by SURGE AMBIENTAL, with the participation of VALORIZA, SACYR, MOGENSEN, SIKA, HORMICRUZ, KNAUF, HOLCIM, ADCORE, FORESTBANK and LAYERMD and with the support of the Research and Technological Development Center TECNALIA, the Eduardo Torroja Institute of Construction Sciences CSIC-IETcc and the IMDEA AGUA Institute.

This initiative was created in response to the construction industry’s need to increase the transformation towards a circular economy, the digitalization of the entire value chain and the decarbonization of processes, products and construction systems. Likewise, it aims to improve the productivity of the sector through the industrialization of construction systems, seeking to balance economic and social development and environmental protection.

The objective of the project is to research and generate new knowledge related to new decarbonized and circular processes and products from the closing of cycles, with greater added value, of complex Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) material resources (fine mixed stone, ceramics, mineral wool, gypsum and light).

To achieve the goals and objectives of the construction sector in terms of Digitalization, Circular Economy, Decarbonization and Industrialization, VALDESC will address the research and development of 14 new products or processes grouped into 4 lines of action:

• LINE 1: Digital Technologies. Development of advanced interconnected digital solutions to improve the purity and value of recycled materials in new products and processes.
• LINE 2: New Processes for the valorization of complex CDW. Research on technologies to recover quality materials from complex CDW, including densimetric separation, accelerated carbonation and treatment of light waste for alternative fuels.
• LINE 3: New Decarbonized Products. Development of products with more than 30% recycled material and lower carbon footprint, including cement, concrete, additives and fertilizers from sludge and CDW.
• LINE 4: Industrialized Building Systems for new façade envelope. Creation of modular solutions for facades with more than 50% recycled materials, designed to facilitate reuse in future life cycles.

The project will have an economic, environmental and social impact in the following aspects:

1. Increase CDW recovery rates and reduce the landfill of recoverable waste, estimating a potential for recovery of 774,015 t/year of different CDW streams that are currently destined for landfill;
2. Reduce the carbon footprint around the construction sector by around 51,531 t_CO2 eq./year compared to the baseline situation;
3. Reduce fossil energy consumption, due to the use of Solid Recovered Fuels “CSR” instead of fossil fuel by approximately 10,890 t/year .
4. Create up to 18 jobs for all partners and subcontracted research centers as a result of the development of this project;
5. Economic impact in the region of 8,747,170 €/year/year resulting from the exploitation of the results and inducing a private investment by the companies of approximately 3.4 million euros;
6. Training of professionals and generation of knowledge among construction companies and recovery machinery around digital and green technologies.

The project VALDESC “Innovative solutions for the promotion of the VALorization of complex CDW and decarbonization of the construction sector in the CAM.“ has been subsidized through the Call for Proposals 2024 of the grants to contribute to the improvement of Public-Private Cooperation in R&D&I through projects with a tractor effect in consortium, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the ERDF Operational Program for the the ERDF Operational Program of the Community of Madrid for the period 2021-2027.