Partners
The RECONMATIC consortium brings together 23 partners from 7 countries (5 EU + UK + China) specifically chosen to cover the whole value chain for demonstrating innovative solutions in lifecycle C&D waste management. It targets close cooperation links to be established and maintained for these solutions between EU, United Kingdom and China creating technological synergies tackling similar strategic aims of both markets in C&D waste minimization and circular construction sector with common approaches. With their industry-leading expertise, the selected partners involved in RECONMATIC are forerunners in their particular working fields in the construction industry (design, construction, refurbishment, and deconstruction/demolition), waste treatment services, digital technologies, robotics and research & innovation.
# RECONMATIC Team
The #RECONMATICteam campaign is now complete. Explore the diverse and collaborative team behind the RECONMATIC project, operating across multiple disciplines.
Gain insights into each partner's organization by clicking on the respective areas below, where you can discover the backgrounds, expertise, and specific roles of the individuals contributing to the mission of RECONMATIC.
Last but not least, reach out and connect with consortium members on LinkedIn and X by using the hashtag #RECONMATICteam.
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CZECH TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE (CTU / CVUT)Czech Technical University in Prague is a research-oriented university with a more than 310 years’ tradition – the oldest technical university in the Central Europe region. At present, there are over 21 thousand students at seven faculties. Additionally, there are other research institutes, like the Czech Institute for Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics, which is the national hub for digitalisation. Other institutes are the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings or Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies. The Faculty of Civil Engineering, which is responsible for the coordination of RECONMATIC, is a leading school of civil engineering in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest at the university. Besides this faculty, also the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Faculty of Transportation Sciences are involved in the project. Role in the project: Czech Technical University in Prague is the coordinator of RECONMATIC involved actively in most of the tasks which RECONMATIC is defining. The aim is to combine the experience from civil engineering and material engineering with new development in sensors, artificial intelligence and scanning of existing structures by UAVs. Besides, the university is the project management leading WP4. People involved:
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FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION (TEC)TECNALIA is the largest centre of applied research and technological development in Spain, a benchmark in Europe and a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance. We collaborate with companies and institutions to improve their competitiveness and people's quality of life, and to achieve sustainable growth. We can do thisithanks to people who are passionate about technology and committed to building a better society. Its main scopes of action are: Smart Manufacturing Digital Transformation Energy Transition Sustainable Mobility Personalised Health and Urban Ecosystem European Organisation for Technical Assessment (EOTA). European Technical Assessments (ETAs) TECNALIA is a Technical Assessment Body (TAB) designated under the Construction Products Regulation for the issue of European Technical Assessments (ETAs) for the CE marking of innovative construction products. Experience in validation, certification, requirements development and go to market of innovative products for the construction sector. These are essential tasks of higher valorization of C&D waste materials. Role in the project: TECNALIA leads WP5 developing the strategy to reintroduce CDW-based materials and products in the market and takes part in other WPs, mainly in WP3 providing their experience in pre-demolition audits to help in the development of the digitalised tools and in WP4 developing the sorting robot to segregate materials in off-site sorting facilities. People involved:
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FUTURE NEEDS MANAGEMENT CONSULTING LTD (FN)Future Needs Management Consulting Ltd is an interdisciplinary socio-technical research and technology development SME. The staff of Future Needs has a long record of successful project management and coordination as well as design and development of digital services, policy evaluation, business development and science communication. Future Needs specialises in shaping the development of technology to best suit the needs of practitioners/end-users. As a team, we bring the latest technology trends and aspects of creativity, (youth) entrepreneurship and start-up mentality to projects we are involved in. We help our clients elicit user requirements for the development of new products and services, we develop R&D roadmaps aiming at product and service commercialisation, and we ensure security standards compliance for services and products we work on before they hit the market. We help our clients from the public and not-for-profit sectors to carry out Impact Assessments and policy evaluation studies, while ensuring secure, ethical and privacy-considerate processes and following the “better regulation guidelines” of the European Commission. Finally, we leverage our relationship with a variety of stakeholders ranging from technical specialists and key industry players to policy-makers and citizen groups when offering dissemination and community-building services. Information technology & telecommunications, education, migration, healthcare, transport, regional development, culture and finance. Role in the project: In RECONMATIC, Future Needs leads the dissemination and exploitation of the project for business and education, which involve the development of a communication strategy and enabling the cooperation with other projects and initiatives. Additionally, Future Needs will ensure the future exploitation and deployment of the project results and the continuation of the project research and innovation. Training relevant stakeholders and sharing the knowledge and outputs from the project to the widest possible target users, is also part of the work package they lead. People involved:
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ENVISAN-GEM, A.S. (ENVI)The company ENVISAN-GEM was established in 1993 as a group of researchers in the field of biotechnology and investors with business experience in services for environmental protection. Over the years, a major company has grown from this connection, with experience and applications in and beyond the EU market. The most important activities of the company include application of its own biotechnologies within remediation procedures of contaminated sites throughout Europe, distribution and application of bio-enzymatic technology in wastewater treatment, recycling of industrial, construction and municipal waste, as well as transnational research and development in the field of biotechnological processes and waste recycling and reuse. In almost 30 years, our company has cleared more than one million cubic meters of contaminated soil and other materials, we have revitalised hundreds of hectares of contaminated areas, removed or recycled hundreds of thousands of tons of hazardous waste, and helped to establish an efficient environment-friendly economy for hundreds of companies. People involved:
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PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS / THE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY (UTH)The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Thessaly is a well-known institute for higher education in Greece. The Networks and Telecommunications laboratory focuses on wireless networks, mobile communications, security of telecommunications and applications and services for smart cities. The lab members’ research profiles show a complementary background expertise in different areas of networking, including wireless networks and protocols, signal processing, distributed computing, sensors, video and media transmission, network security and energy-efficient networking. International collaborations strengthen ties with prestigious scientific and industrial institutions from abroad. The ongoing research is not limited to theoretical optimisation approaches but includes significant implementation-based research work, which has resulted in many prototype implementations, multiple networking fields and mainly wireless networks. This work is based on experimentation and benchmarking on the NITOS testbed, an integrated testbed with heterogeneous facilities, which focuses on supporting experimentation-based research in the area of wired and wireless networks. NITOS features particularly wired LTE and OpenFlow-based infrastructure for the development and evaluation of converged LTE and SDN-based systems, and members of the team have developed novel networking solutions for the future internet. People involved:
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ANAKYKLOSI A.E.K.K KENTRIKIS MAKEDONIAS ANONYMI ETAIREIA (ANAKEM)ANAKEM was founded in November 2012 as a Collective System for the Alternative Management (CSAM) of Excavation, Construction and Demolition Wastes (ECDW), aiming at compliance with the legislation and environmental protection. The ANAKEM network consists of more than 150 recycling facilities distributed among the 13 Regions of Greece and it is continuously expanding. In 2013 - 2021, ANAKEM has managed 6.500.000tn of ECDW, with an average annual increase rate of 74 %, and returned 3.500.000tn of recycled products as secondary materials in construction works or for backfilling. ANAKEM supports public and private bodies in their effort to prevent and properly manage ECD Waste, as well as fight illegal ECDW disposal. It organizes public awareness campaigns and training. It participates in research projects for the effective production and use of secondary materials. ANAKEM is certified by the Hellenic Recycling Agency (HRA) for the restoration of inactive quarries. ANAKEM monitors and registers data concerning ECDW management and applies relative annual reports to HRA. Role in the project: ANAKEM S.A. is a System for Alternative Management of ECD waste, contracted with more than 160 recycling facilities all over Greece and more than 10.000 ECDW producers yearly. As part of the waste management and construction supply chain, ANAKEM will mainly contribute to the evaluation of existing practices and proposed solutions, development of automated tools and dissemination & exploitation of project results. People involved:
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STRABAG A.S. (STR)STRABAG a.s. is a Czech construction company, a member of STRABAG SE Group, European-based technology group for construction services. Our activities span all areas of the construction industry and cover the entire construction value chain. We create added value for our clients by taking an end-to-end view of construction over the entire life cycle. In all of our work, we accept responsibility for people and the environment. With courage and passion, we are working to build a more sustainable future. We understand the most pressing issues facing us in the future and have committed ourselves to becoming climate neutral along the entire value chain by 2040. As a company, we are constantly improving our processes, materials and approaches so we can live up to our responsibility to our employees, their families and our society. Role in the project: Our commitment to sustainability is the main reason why we participate in RECONMATIC. The reasonable and efficient management of construction and demolition waste during the design and construction phases is a prerequisite for buildings to be sustainable throughout their life cycle. This will be the focus of WP 2 that we are leading. People involved:
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ARISTOTELIO PANEPISTIMIO THESSALONIKIS / ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI (AUTH)Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, established in 1925, is the largest university in Greece, with more that 95000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in its 42 Schools. Role in the project: AUTh is participating in RECONMATIC through the Laboratory of Building Construction and Building Physics (LBCP, est. 1958) of the Department of Civil Engineering. LBCP’s expertise covers all issues related to building construction, with a special focus on energy efficiency, building physics, environmental performance and Life-Cycle Analysis of buildings. Apart from teaching on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, AUTh’s participating team has ample experience in research projects, building envelope product development, energy and environmental audits of buildings, advanced thermal and energy building simulation studies, passive solar and natural cooling techniques and systems, optimisation of building envelope materials and systems. AUTh is involved in most of the project activities, with a special focus on technology-assisted construction waste minimisation and mitigation during the design and construction phases, and on demonstration and dissemination of the project outcome within scientific events and open days. People involved:
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I-CATALIST SL (ICAT)ICATALIST is a consultancy specialised in adaptation to climate change and sustainability since 2013. We work with the objectives of: Accelerate the adaptation to climate change, by orchestrating all agents to multiply their impacts and through the development of appropriate methodologies. Provide the information that certifies sustainability of processes, products and investments through their traceability. Convey climate knowledge to the entire population to increase awareness and actions. Our method relies on a strong R&D base that is applied to the real world and to specific cases through appropriate services and technologies. We move from theory to practice enabling climate adaptation for a better future. ICATALIST counts with a highly qualified team, with experts specialising in environment, technology, architecture, urbanism, biology, psychology, etc. We work with public organisations, NGOs, and companies in different projects with a special focus on innovation and interdisciplinarity. Role in the project: The role of ICATALIST in the project is to contribute in the following areas: -assessment of sustainability and circularity of the solutions developed and its contributions to policies and standards. -digitalisation of existing buildings and infrastructures using drones. -dissemination activities including the organisation of Open Days in Spain, creation of learning and audio-visual material. -analysis of the European green taxonomy and its implications on sustainable and circular construction. People involved:
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ITALFERR (ITFR)Italferr is the engineering consulting firm of FS (Italian State Railways) Group and boasts more than 35 years of experience in large infrastructure projects for both the conventional railway sector and for High Speed lines, as well as metropolitan and road transportation and the design of bridges, ports and stations in Italy and abroad. Italferr’s expertise ranges from engineering design to contracting, from construction site management and supervision to the acceptance testing and commissioning of railway lines, stations, intermodal and logistics facilities, consistently characterised by excellent application of the new BIM (Building Information Modelling) process. Role in the project: Italferr will deal mainly with the demonstration and validation of practical implementation of a material mapping tool and waste predicting application, but also of advanced BIM models using WASTEie and generative designs: in a nutshell, everything for a railway construction project. People involved:
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CLUSTER DE HABITAT EFICIENTE (AEICE)AEICE is a private non-profit association based in Castile and León (Spain) whose mission is to promote the competitiveness of its members through collaborative innovation. It brings together more than 130 members of the value chain of the habitat and construction industry: SMEs and big companies, universities, technology centres and other institutions that collaborate in R&D projects and initiatives in the fields of energy efficiency in buildings, healthy built environments, digitalisation of the construction industry and heritage on both national and European level, in pursuit of a more sustainable territorial development. Established more than ten years ago, the cluster has nurtured more than 80 collaborative innovation projects, as well as hundreds of events, workshops and seminars, different business training programmes, books, manuals and reports and other innovative initiatives in fields such as Lean, circularisation of processes and decarbonisation. AEICE also organises annual and biennial large-format conferences such as Bimtecnia (International Forum on 4.0 Construction); Life Habitat (architecture, engineering, health and well-being) and Territorios con futuro (territorial development). Role in the project: AEICE’smain role at RECONMATIC is to contribute to the understanding of current management practices in Construction and Demolition Waste, working with actors representing the value chain of the industries involved. The role also comprises the identification of barriers and keys to market introduction of new products partially derived from recycling, support in training and awareness raising and transfer of the innovative knowledge resulting from the project to the habitat industry. People involved:
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ERGODOMI S.A. (ERGO)Ergodomi S.A. is a company engaged in construction projects, project management, building materials production and tourism operations. Ergodomi S.A. was founded in 1983 in Naoussa, Greece and has remained the company’s main HQ and operations base to this day. By completing numerous public and private sector projects in the history of the corporation, the company’s brand name has become synonymous with high quality and reliability. Role in the project: Ergodomi S.A. will be developing a research tool to help minimize the waste generated in the process of the public and private projects that the company is working on. The broad area of the company’s expertise will be essential to creating a perfect environment to test, implement and qualify the desired result. People involved:
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SKYRODEMA VERIAS AVE (SKYDE)SKYRODEMA VEROIAS SA is a concrete plant company founded in 1996, in Veria Greece. Alongside its long tradition of high quality concrete production, the company is involved in limestone quarry aggregate production, sandgravel pits and recyclable aggregates. The company has been in the frontline of quality, customer service and prompt delivery in the wider area of central Macedonia, Greece. Role in the project: SKYRODEMA VEROIAS SA will be implementing the researched methods of minimizing concrete waste production through the projects that it works on, both large and small. It is a challenge that will be shared with other concrete plant businesses with the help of blockchain technology. The aggregates recycling area will also contribute to achieving a “greener” CO2 imprint for the project. People involved:
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SOUTH BOHEMIAN AGENCY FOR SUPPORT TO INNOVATION (JAIP)Mission of the company: Creating conditions for the promotion of research, development and innovative business and technology transfer in the region with a view to increase its prosperity. Fundamental activities: JAIP (South Bohemian Agency for Support to Innovation / JIHOCESKA AGENTURA PRO PODPORU INOVACI O.P.S) is an entity protecting research, development, innovation and technology transfer in the region which provides the following non-profit services to the public: Management of the 1st stage of the South-Bohemian Science and Technology Park (active work with start-ups and SME´s, provision of office and laboratory space) Education, advising and mentoring in actual topics Active cooperation with social companies; promoting social responsibility (CSR) and SDG´s topics Transfer of knowledge and technology Finding out new innovation support instruments and transposing them into Czech conditions People involved:
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ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE LAS INDUSTRIAS CERAMICAS AICE (ITC-AICE)The Institute of Ceramic Technology (ITC-AICE) is a research centre associated with the ceramic sector companies, with thorough knowledge and understanding of the ceramic manufacturing process. Moreover, ITC-AICE is formed by a highly qualified professional team that has the infrastructure and appropriate technical and scientific equipment to carry out R&D&I projects and technology transfer to companies, with a view to generating innovation and enhancing the international strategic positioning of the ceramic sector. The ITC-AICE multidisciplinary team offers a wide range of know-how in different domains, which include, in the framework of RECONMATIC: Circular economy & industrial symbiosis Resource efficiency and alternative raw materials, New ceramic materials & products and Environmental Sustainability and circularity assessment. Role in the project: During the implementation of RECONMATIC, ITC-AICE will develop new construction materials which include CDWs as alternative raw materials. In addition, ITC-AICE is leading the sustainability and circularity assessment work package, in which the consortium will develop a protocol to assess the potential benefits of RECONMATIC solutions in terms of sustainability, health and safety aspects, effects on business processes, supply chains in construction sector and circular economy. People involved:
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RECICLADOS SOSTENIBLES SL (RECSO)RECSO originated in 2008 to cover the need to recycle the waste generated in the construction sector and with the clear objective of turning it into valuable resources. Construction and Demolition Waste is transformed into recycled aggregates that reduce the consumption of natural resources by substituting natural aggregates. RECSO is a leading company in the comprehensive recycling of construction and demolition waste (CDW). RECSO manages and treats CDW with other non-hazardous industrial waste for its subsequent reuse, in accordance with the established European Union Directives. This process is performed under the authorisation granted by the Junta de Castilla y León, with number G.R.N.P. 07G04097400000382. RECSO consists of a team of professionals with more than 30 years of experience in the world of construction, who provide a high degree of experience and innovation that makes RECSO a benchmark in the sector in Castilla y León. In addition, RECSO has one of the most complete and modern facilities for the recycling and recovery of rubble in existence in Castilla y León. RECSO's philosophy is to ensure and promote the proper treatment of CDW, raise awareness of the need to recycle and reach out to all agents involved in construction, always following the strictest quality controls, respecting the environment and facilitating sustainable development. RECSO is a member of AEICE, Clúster del Hábitat Eficiente, an ecosystem of collaborative innovation in the habitat value chain, with which it has already participated in the “ECOCIVIL Valladolid: recycled aggregates for sustainable infrastructures” project. It is also a member of its Circular Ecodesign Center, with the mission of activating collaboration and co-creation of innovation projects in ecodesign throughout the habitat value chain, emphasising communication with the public as well as with industrial and marketing departments of institutions and companies, and helping organisations involved in the new circular production model with all kinds of resources. Finally, RECSO is a founding member of the Association of CDW Management Companies of Castilla y León (AGERDCYL), founded in 2013, currently exercising its presidency. People involved:
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CHINA ASSOCIATION OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY (CACE)China Association of Circular Economy (CACE) is a Chinese national organization that crosses multiple regions and spans various industries. CACE provides consultancy for strategic planning on the development of a circular economy, as well as monitoring the implementation of policies, improving standards and regulations, and giving policy recommendations. CACE also represents the 9 participating partners in China, covering scientific research, universities, software development, and industrial users in the field of C&D waste management. The team led by CACE will engage in all aspects of RECONMATIC project, providing their unique perspective and making sure the project achieves international success. Shandong Tianyi Machinery Co., Ltd. 山东天意机械股份有限公司 Founded in 1998, the company is a technology-led manufacturing enterprise, focusing on the research, development and manufacture of complete sets of equipment for assembled buildings, and providing integrated solutions for the comprehensive utilization of solid waste. The products include PC smart equipment, lightweight wall panel equipment, ALC panel equipment, insulation and decoration panel equipment, etc. Beijing BIMSOP Technology Co., Ltd. 北京毕加索智能科技有限公司 The company was established in 2016 and is located in the core area of Zhongguancun. It is a national high-tech enterprise. As a leading big data-utilizing technology company in the construction industry, it focuses on the research, development and application of Digital Building Materials Internet in the field of construction science and technology, providing core data support and comprehensive solution for the digital economy and the low-carbon development in the field of building materials. Beijing University of Technology 北京工业大学 BJUT is committed to building a world-renowned high-level research university with its own characteristics. Following its notion of high-level education relying on high-level scientific research, BJUT stresses basic research, applied research, R&D, and transformational scientific achievements. Since the 11th Five Year Plan period, the total research funds of BJUT have reached over 900 million RMB in 2020. BJUT has won a total 35 National Sciences and Technology Progress Awards. In 2020, 138 research projects were approved for funding by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. China Academy of Building Research Co., Ltd. 中国建筑科学研究院有限公司 Founded in 1953, the China Academy of Building Research (CABR) used to be affiliated with the Ministry of Construction. Since the year 2000, it has transferred from a public research institution into a technology-based enterprise, affiliated with the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC). CABR is now the largest comprehensive R&D institution in the building industry of China. China Building Materials Academy 中国建筑材料科学研究总院有限公司 China Building Materials Academy is the first building materials research institution in China. It is known as the "cradle and birthplace of building materials science and technology in new China". It is a technology-based enterprise with 2 listed companies, a number of research institutes and technology industrial parks. Beijing Building Materials Academy of Sciences Research Co., Ltd. 北京建筑材料科学研究总院有限公司 Established in 1959, the company consists of professional research institutes, technology innovation platforms and demonstration bases. Focusing on the cement and concrete industry, the industrialization of new building materials and green building systems, forward-looking new materials and the construction and development of information technology and intelligence, the company conducts strategic technological research oriented to industrial needs. It has completed more than 400 scientific research achievements and won more than 100 scientific awards, including the First Prize of Beijing Science and Technology Progress and the First Prize of Building Materials Industry Science and Technology Progress. Science and Technology and Industrialization Development Center of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development 住房和城乡建设部科技与产业化发展中心 The Development Center is a public interest, category 2, research institution directly under the Ministry in China. Its main business includes research on technical and economic policies, development planning, standards and specifications, promotion and transformation of scientific and technological achievements and technical consulting services in the fields of building energy conservation and green low-carbon development, new construction industrialization, urban renewal and new urban infrastructure construction, rural construction, housing and real estate market, etc.,undertaking technical assessment, promotion and performance recognition in the housing and urban-rural construction industry; technical exchange and training of new technologies, products and techniques in the housing and urban-rural construction industry. Beijing Chaoyang Environment Group Co., Ltd. 北京朝阳环境集团有限公司 Beijing Chaoyang Environment Group is a fully state-owned enterprise. It is a comprehensive enterprise focusing on urban environmental services, research and development of innovative technologies for comprehensive solid waste treatment and resource utilization, project investment and operation, and promotion and education of the concept of green, low-carbon and circular development. The group has abundant experience in technology research and development, project investment and construction, and operation and management. Its business covers municipal domestic waste, kitchen waste, hazardous waste, construction waste, recycling and wholesale of recycled materials, operation of environmental protection facilities, technology development and promotion, property management, urban landscaping management, and rental of special equipment for environmental protection. The group holds 6 national invention patents and 11 utility model patents in the field of municipal solid waste disposal and it actively responds to the national "double carbon" strategy, adhering to the idea of driving industrial development with technological innovation and cultivating industrial ecology with conceptual innovation, thus striving to build a leading eco-friendly enterprise. People involved:
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EUROSMART INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD (EITRI)EITRI is a leading technology research and development centre committed to serving various industrial partners with state-of-the-art technologies and solutions. EITRI also works as an efficient bridge between industry, universities and research institutes from both Europe and China. EITRI is composed of multidisciplinary teams with experience in technology research and development as well as turnkey solution delivery. EITRI’s main scopes of action are machine vision, machine learning, flexible robots, automatic control, industrial Internet. Research and application of visual inspection technology for complex environments and requirements Development of high-performance intelligent robot technology and solutions to solve various factories’ and labs’ automation problems Development of IOT technology and its in-depth industrial Internet applications, combining the scene to form practical application Role in the project EITRI is involved in WP4 on the development of a high-performance robot sorting cell. We are also contributing to WP2 for the dissemination and promotion of project outcomes in the Chinese sector. People involved:
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ARCAS & CALLISTO CONSULTING (LECYC)Arcas & Callisto Consulting is the trading name of Lecycle Ltd. Arcas & Callisto Consulting is dedicated to facilitate international collaboration between China, UK and the EU in the built environment industry, helping China achieve its carbon neutrality target and contributing to global carbon reduction initiatives. A&C aims to become a bridge for the learning exchange of construction materials knowledge between China and the UK, enabling global environmental goals, by deploying its nearly 40 years of experience in China’s B2B market to create efficient development strategies and provide high-value business contacts for those who wish to enter or expand within the Chinese market. Role in the project: A&C will take part in the research of existing practices and current policies on CDW management in China, as well as the dissemination and exploitation of project outcomes. Throughout the process, A&C will facilitate R&D activities in the project with Chinese partners to deliver a smooth collaboration. People involved:
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MORGAN SINDALL CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE LTD (MS)Morgan Sindall Construction is a UK business with a network of local offices. Project capabilities cover the entire range of construction activities, from special works and repair and maintenance, to major landmark schemes delivered as standalone projects or as part of larger multiple project frameworks. The company operates across the public and private sectors to deliver the social infrastructure around us – from schools, universities and hospitals to retail, office and leisure environments. Morgan Sindall Construction is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK construction and regeneration group with a revenue of c£3.2 billion, which operates through six divisions of Construction & Infrastructure, Fit Out, Property Services, Partnership Housing, Urban Regeneration and Investments. Role on the Project: As a partner of RECONMATIC, Morgan Sindall will develop digital tools which predict lifecycle construction waste and help to make more informed choices at design stage. A significant early task will involve gathering vital data sets in Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW), and fact finding to establish current best practice and policy throughout the EU. This builds upon research already being undertaken by Morgan Sindall Construction as part of its Decarbonising Communities strategy which launched in 2021. MS have been harnessing the expertise of its supply chain partners to change the way buildings are designed and constructed, to reduce whole life carbon and waste on projects and to meet the company’s own target of Net Zero Carbon by 2030. Huge amounts of CDW data have already been gathered for materials such as concrete, steel and plasterboard – some of the major contributors of embodied carbon in construction. Working closely with research partner @Salford University, this data will be used to valorise waste and map out optimised waste streams for construction materials - an ambition is to realise a true circular economy throughout the lifecycle of a building. The next stage involves developing next generation BIM models (WASTEie) with partner @BIMBox which will map the entire waste lifecycle of buildings before any work takes place onsite. Research will also explore opportunities for utilising AI/generative design to automate building design to consider best solutions to lifecycle waste. People involved:
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BIMBOX ASSOCIATES LTD (BIMBox)BIMBox is a centre of excellence for digital construction and BIM services, supporting consultants, contractors & estates teams across the built environment work more effectively. We communicate BIM differently, less concerned about the acronyms and more about its advances in replacing cost and risk, with value and opportunity. Founded in Manchester, we are a team of experienced design and construction professionals, working with clients across projects of all values, sizes and sectors. Our services include Information Management, Strategic Support, 3D Modelling and Applied Technologies, offering a single point of support for BIM consultancy and Digital Construction services. Role in the project During the implementation of RECONMATIC, BIMBox will collaborate with the consortium members to establish the shared common data for construction and demolition waste information. The aim of the project is to create a new data set as interoperable information exchange (WASTEie) between software applications including BIM authoring tools. Additionally, BIMBox will collaborate with the UK consortium members to develop a generative design solution to gain access to option generation tools that can consider dozens, hundreds or even thousands of design iterations looking into waste optimisation of designs in minutes or hours. As part of the team, BIMBox will contribute to the definition of material data bank, waste predictor tool as well as waste management system, since these solutions will directly link with the new data sets required to transfer structured and reliable information. People involved:
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THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER (UMAN)The University of Manchester originated in Victorian times in response to the engineering challenges of the industrial revolution then centred in the North West of England. The University of Manchester was formed by merging the Victoria University of Manchester (VUM, founded in 1851) and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST, whose predecessor the Institute of Mechanics was founded in 1824) in 2004, creating the largest single campus University in the UK, with over 12,000 staff members and over 40,000 students. The University of Manchester is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of universities in the UK. It boasts 25 Nobel prize winners among its current and past staff and students, including the discoverers of the wonder material Graphene (Nobel prize for Physics 2010). In the most recent QS ranking, the University of Manchester was ranked 28th in the World (9th in Europe, 6th in the UK). In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), which assessed the quality of research of all high education institutes in the UK, the University of Manchester retained fifth place for research power and was ranked 10th place in terms of grade point average. Overall, 93% of the University’s research activity was assessed as ‘world-leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*). The discipline of Engineering (where RECONMATIC researchers are based) was ranked among the top 3 in research power in the UK. People involved:
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THE UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD (USAL)The University of Salford is located in the heart of Greater Manchester. We have almost 30,000 students, 2,000 staff and a global community of over 170,000 alumni. We pioneer exceptional industry partnerships to create real world experiences that prepare our students for life. We work with industry to co-create the curriculum producing job-ready graduates across healthcare, science, the environment, engineering, business, digital and the creative sectors. We are continuing to invest in our campus and facilities with a £300 million masterplan that will make us fit for the future. The results of REF 2021 confirmed that 78% of the research carried out at Salford is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. Role in the project: Our contribution is focused on different aspects of the RECONMATIC project from different fields and expertises, such as: Analysis of current circular economy practices in the construction industry; Development of common virtual environment for data sharing and interaction with different digital tools for waste management; Contribution in the creation of different digital tools for waste management and circularity assessment; Creation of datasets for end-of-service-life materials, to be linked to existing building digital twins and demolition audits for decision making; Contribution to the analysis of circularity solutions and new materials quality assurance and conformity; Participation in a number of demonstrators and application of digital and automated tools developed. People involved: