EUROPEAN PROJECT. SUN.RICE
Sustainable building block made from RICE processing waste and alkali-activated materials
The SUN.RICE project aims to up-scale a new type of eco-sustainable and cement-free building block made of agro-waste from rice processing (rice husk, RH). Moreover, alternative aggregates and Alkali Activated Materials-AAMs (based on rice husk ash-RHA) will be used, to decrease the carbon footprint and to improve the insulating properties of final materials.
About SUN.RICE
Specific objectives and technological applications
The project focuses on tackling two main problems:
(1) Reducing the impact of the construction industry on climate change, promoting alternative raw materials, by-products from agro-industry (rice-waste in replacement of natural aggregates) and AAMs instead of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC).
(2) Reintroducing agro-waste in the construction value chain. Waste that is conventionally dumbed, burned or composted, with significant negative environmental consequences.
Consortium
- 2 Participating countries
- 2 European regions involved
- Andalucía (ES61)
- Véneto (ITD3)
- TESELA (www.teselainnova.com) is a technology-based SME (Granada, Spain). Born out of the University of Granada, its mission is to provide sustainable R&D solutions in heritage and building materials, guided by the principles of the circular economy. They offer services for the selection and manufacture of suitable materials for various projects. The TESELA team includes experts in chemistry, engineering, art history and architecture, which reinforces its expertise in materials. The company has two testing laboratories and the capacity to evaluate the properties of materials through the research centres of the UGR.
- FERRARI BK (www.ferraribk.it) is an Italian SME that has been manufacturing concrete-based products for residential, industrial and urban outdoor flooring and cladding for 50 years. The company employs more than 30 people and exports its products to several countries (Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Russia, Morocco, etc.). Ferrari BK has experience in national and EU R&D projects (development of innovative building blocks and valorisation of steel slag).
Project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 101091494.