The transition from a fossil-based economy to an environmentally sustainable one suggests an increased use of wood as a reliable renewable resource. However, for efficient practice and long-term carbon sequestration it is essential to use wood in a circular way. In 2018, only 20 percent of the 1.59 million tons of Bavarian mature timber – with the majority of which falls into categories A I (not contaminated) and A II (only slightly contaminated) – was used for material purposes, while 80 percent was used for energy production. There is a similar gap between material and energy use of mature timber in Germany in general. In this respect, it is crucial to work towards a life- cycle oriented paradigm shift in the use of mature timber in order to exploit the substitution and carbon storage potentials more comprehensively. In order to create cascading value chains, life-cycle oriented innovations ranging from logistics and processing concepts to material utilization paths for mature timber must be developed in cooperation with key actors.

Therefore, the aim of the project is to develop an innovative concept for the use of mature timber in an open-ended innovation approach and to validate it in real laboratories in Bavaria. The results will lead to a roadmap of transformation, showing optimization potentials and concrete ways to implement the concept in practice. It will also help to transfer the opportunities to other regions. In addition to modelling the future supply of matured timber wood and optimizing the matured timber wood value chain, the project aims to:

(1) Conditions for dimensionally stable use of mature timber
(2) Use of mature timber in bio-refineries
(3) Use of mature timber as a substrate for fungal mycelium-based materials
(4) Development of circular economy business models
(5) Environmental assessment of innovation paths
(6) Consumer acceptance of innovation paths

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and runs from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027.
Head of Project: Prof. Dr. Klaus Menrad
Project Coordinator: Dr. Thomas Decker
Project Advisors: Jonas Krauß, M.A.; Dr. Thomas Decker

Besides the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, the project partners are Cluster-Initiative Forst und Holz in Bayern gGmbH (Project coordinator), Technical University of Munich, Technical University of Rosenheim, Bavarian State Institute for Forestry, Franz Obermeier GmbH and Landpack GmbH. Aditionally, Pfleiderer Deutschland GmbH, Durmin Entsorgung und Logistik GmbH, Siempelkamp Maschinen- und Anlagenbau and UPM Biochemicals GmbH are acting as associated partners. Furthermore, the knowledge transfer partners in the project are Chemiecluster Bayern GmbH, Cluster neue Werkstoffe and Umweltcluster Bayern. The project is supported and funded by Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, within the policy "REGULUS - Regionale Innovationsgruppen für eine klimaschützende Wald- und Holzwirtschaft" under the funding code 033L303A.

Work package (WP) 2 – Consumers’ acceptance

The ProxIMed project aims to introduce proteins from sustainable sources into the Mediterranean food and feed systems to promote and establish the use of alternative proteins. Traditional alt-protein sources of plant origin (lentil, faba bean and chia seeds); “Novel food” protein sources (micro-algae, insects, mycoprotein, tomato and mallow leaves, duckweed) and agro‐industrial by-products (tomato pomace, sesame cake, date cake) are selected for this purpose. Innovative and green processing technologies aiming for minimal impact on nutrients will be used to produce the selected proteins. The alternative proteins will then be implemented into more than 20 final products (protein powder concentrates as ingredients, capsules to be used as supplements and several protein-enriched food and feed products) and introduced to the Mediterranean consumers in different regions (Middle East, Northern Africa and Europe).

WP2 implies activities related to consumer aspects and testing of new marketing and business strategies for novel alternative protein food products. In this WP, consumers’ general interests in three Mediterranean countries (Turkey, Tunisia, Portugal) will be analysed related to the different food products (fermented vegetable pickles and tahini-traditional products for Middle East- Med countries; snack products, sports nutrition food products and protein powder) and raw material sources for alt-proteins (tomato pomace, sesame cake, date by product, insects, mycoprotein).

This project is part of the PRIMA programme supported by the European Union and runs from 01.04.2023 to 31.07.2027.

Project team WP2: Prof. Dr. Klaus Menrad (lead), Dr. Agnes Emberger-Klein, Tura Kaso Hamo, M.Sc. 
Coordinator ProxIMed: Prof. Dr. Özlem Özmutlu Karslioglu (HSWT)

Firstly, the development status of alternative drives for agricultural machinery and the regulatory framework conditions will be demonstrated through literature research and expert interviews. Building on this, surveys of stakeholders along the value chain will identify barriers and motivations for switching to climate-friendly drive technologies. Subsequently, scenarios will be created to illustrate the potential market penetration of renewable drive systems in agriculture up to the complete replacement of fossil diesel fuel. For these scenarios, the effects at the national level, particularly regarding GHG savings, GHG reduction costs, and the required energy and raw material demand, will be determined. If fossil diesel fuel were entirely replaced by sustainable climate-friendly drive energies, about 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases ("tank-to-wheel") could be saved annually in Germany. Additionally, the effects of switching to climate-friendly drives will be examined at the operational level through case studies. Here, real agricultural enterprises will be modelled to transition to a mix of suitable drive technologies. The resulting economic and ecological impacts will be evaluated in comparison to the status quo. Finally, based on the preceding investigation steps and considering national and operational effects, incentive mechanisms will be developed to help drive the transition to climate-friendly drives in agriculture. The results of the project will be enriched and validated through the participation of various stakeholders in workshops and discussion rounds and then communicated in appropriate formats to farmers, agricultural machinery dealers, industry, politics, and the general public.

Specifically, the project aims to answer the following questions using the results:

1. What is the current state of technology for alternative drives for tractors, and where is the development heading?

2. What regulatory framework governs the development, marketing, and use of tractors with climate-friendly drives, as well as the provision of renewable drive energies?

3. What opportunities and risks for successful market penetration of alternative tractor drives are seen by different stakeholders?

4. How high is the acceptance of tractors with alternative drives among farmers?

5. What incentive mechanisms need to be created to increase the market penetration of tractors with alternative drives?

6. What contribution can agricultural enterprises make to achieving climate protection goals by using tractors with climate-friendly drives?

The questions are addressed by staff from the Chair of Marketing and Management of Renewable Resources at the Technology and Support Centre and the German Bioenergy Association. Thus, the project consortium consists of experts from various disciplines with extensive expertise in the proposed subject area, ensuring the successful implementation of the project.

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture on the basis of a of the German Bundestag as part of the BMEL research and innovation programme Innovation Programme “Climate Protection in Agriculture”. The duration is from 01/04/2024 until 31/03/2027.

Project management: Prof Klaus Menrad

Project coordination: Dr Thomas Decker

Project management: M.Sc. Johannes Buchner; Dr Thomas Decker

Against the background of high environmental pollution and a high energy input in the construction industry, innovative products for interior finishing are to be developed and their acceptance investigated. By adding plant fibres and foams, the weight of clay building boards is to be reduced and lighter, natural fibre-reinforced clay building boards are to be developed. The requirements of craftsmen and consumers for such boards will also be analysed. Specific project objectives are:

1. Investigating the feasibility of natural fibre-reinforced clay foams made from renewable raw materials to reduce the weight of clay building board.
2. Development of lighter, natural fibre-reinforced clay building boards on this basis
3. Analysing the interest of builders and craftsmen in such clay building boards
4. Creation of information material for the building materials trade and craftsmen on earth building boards and lighter earth building boards based on plant fibre-reinforced foams

The ‘NWG peat substitute’ project is investigating the use of regional residues and renewable raw materials as peat substitutes in potting soils and growing media. The aim is to reduce the use of peat in horticulture and replace it with more environmentally friendly alternatives. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the ecological, economic and social aspects of these new substrate materials are being comprehensively assessed.

The project is being carried out in close co-operation between several research institutions. It is coordinated by the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT) in Freising, which is represented by the Institute of Horticulture (IGB). The Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences (THRO) and the TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability (MNR-TUMCS) are involved as co-operation partners. The project comprises several specific subtasks that are coordinated by the participating institutions:

• Subtask A (HSWT): Evaluation of new peat substitutes and development of methods for quality assessment and peat quantification.
• Subtask B (THRO): Processing of regional residuals and renewable materials for use as a peat substitute
• Subtask C (MNR-TUMCS): Sustainability assessment of peat substitutes, including the life cycle impact assessment, economic and the social sustainability 

The Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences is responsible for the overall project management as well as the qualitative analyses of the peat substitutes and will also carry out the plant cultivation trials. These trials are focused on testing the suitability of the new substrates for use in horticulture, with both laboratory and practical experiments being carried out. The Technical University Rosenheim is responsible for the processing of regional residuals and renewable raw materials. This includes the procurement, processing and optimisation of the materials to ensure their suitability as substrate feedstock. 

The TUM Campus Straubing is dedicated to the comprehensive sustainability assessment of the new peat substitutes. As part of the sustainability assessment (subtask C), the environmental impacts of the new peat substitutes are systematically analysed along the entire value chain. The focus of this investigation is on recording and analysing basic production and processing data. Life cycle assessments will be used to identify both the ecological benefits and potential ecological impacts of the new substrates in order to enable a well-founded assessment of their sustainability. 

In addition, measures to introduce these new peat substitutes into horticultural practice are to be implemented as part of the project. This also includes adapting cultivation methods for users and producers in order to support the switch to peat-free growing media. 

The long-term objective of the project is to increase the use of peat substituents significant in growing media, in order to reduce the ecological impact of horticultural products. Interdisciplinary cooperation and systematic evaluation are also intended to expand scientific expertise in this area and lay the foundations for future sustainable developments.

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and runs from 01.07.2023 - 30.06.2026.

Head of project: Dr. Dieter Lohr

Head of sub-project: Prof. Dr. Klaus Menrad

Project Coordinator: Dr. Dieter Lohr

Project Advisors: M. Sc. Michael Mußer, IGB (subtask A), M. Sc. Alisa Kehr, THRO (subtask B), M. Sc. Phillip Olak, MNR (subtask C)

To achieve the climate targets, the building stock must also become climate-neutral. This requires ambitious energy standards for new buildings and a significant increase in energy-efficient refurbishment of existing buildings. The materials used are also of crucial importance. Bio-based insulating materials are an important building material in this respect. Through their increased use, the energy standard of buildings can be improved and a contribution to the implementation of the goals of the Bavarian Climate Protection Program 2050 can be achieved. At the same time, a reduction in the consumption of fossil raw materials, a contribution to environmental protection and resource conservation as well as to healthy living can also be achieved. 

However, conventional insulating materials have been the main choice for insulating buildings in Germany to date, while bio-based insulating materials still play a minor role. In addition, the market share of bio-based insulating materials has hardly increased in Germany, although they are on a par with conventional insulating materials in terms of technical properties, have ecological advantages and contribute to healthy living. Despite the higher costs in some cases, however, some consumer studies in Germany show positive attitudes toward these insulating materials among private individuals and a basic willingness to use them. In contrast, research suggests that the low market penetration is partly due to the lack of willingness of various other players in the construction industry to install bio-based insulating materials, or their insufficient level of knowledge about it. 

One possibility to bring bio-based insulating materials further into the market is their financial support. Since the use of bio-based insulating materials is currently not promoted at the federal and state level, municipalities can provide special incentives. This possibility is also used by various municipalities in Germany, e.g. to better achieve their own climate targets. 

Against this background, the aim of the BioDämm project is to investigate the status quo of the use of bio-based insulating materials in private residential buildings in Bavaria. The project addresses different economic and social actors, namely private homeowners and builders, actors in the construction industry as well as the role of municipalities. Specifically, the project results will be used to answer the following questions:

(1) To what extent are bio-based insulating materials used in residential buildings in Bavaria so far and specifically in municipalities with municipal support for bio-based insulating materials? 

(2) What is the current interest and acceptance of bio-based insulating materials among private homeowners, builders and relevant actors in the construction industry in regions with and without municipal funding in Bavaria? 

(3) Which factors inhibit and promote an increased use of bio-based insulating materials in residential buildings in Bavaria? 

(4) Can municipal incentive programs increase the use of bio-based insulating materials in private residential buildings, and how must the programs be designed to lead to increased use of these materials?

The project is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry and runs from 01.01.20223 to 31.12.2025.

Head of Project: Prof. Dr. Klaus Menrad

Project coordination: Dr. Agnes Emberger-Klein

Project Advisors: Dipl. Ing. Isabella Limbrunner, Dr. Agnes Emberger-Klein

 

Reducing peat in horticultural used substrates is a significant step to reduce greenhouse gasemissions and to prevent climate change. Therefore, the German Government resolved different strategies in its “Climate Protection Plan 2050” and their program of measures for climate protection 2030. Within this program, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) implements a strategy to reduce and avoid using peat by focusing on hobby gardening. In the next years, alternatives for peat should be available. In this context, the HOT-project wants to accelerate the replacement of peat-products in hobby gardening by using substrates based on renewable raw materials.

As there are many differences in composition of peat-free substrates, they are not as functional as peaty substrates. To be still successful, consumers gardening behavior has to change. This project wants to identify influencing factors changing the consumer's buying behavior as well as using customer's experience to train them and producers and sellers of substrates. A long-term support for interested hobby gardeners and thus – indirectly supporting the switch to peat-free substrates - is possible by elaborating a practical digital application guide (app or browser).
 

The project is funded within the framework of the Renewable Resources Funding Program (FNR) of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), and is expected to run for three years from 1.2.2022. The project partners are University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, University for Economy and Environment Nürtingen-Geislingen and GreenSurvey – Institute for market research GmbH.

This project focuses on the development of flexible living concepts made of wood for different phases of life (“relationship founders” and “retirees”). The housing concepts are to cover the partially identical wishes of the respective users, but are also to be developed in the sense of sustainable construction and optimised by means of various sustainability parameters (e.g. choice of materials, design of the housing concepts). In view of the oversupply of wood, the aim is to maximise the use of ZE wood (wood resulting from unplanned felling caused by random events such as windthrow or bark beetle infestation) in these housing concepts in order to put it to high-quality use and store carbon in the long term. 

Continuously updated information can be found on the website of C.A.R.M.E.N. e.V..